Found an issue on this page? Let us know and we will look into it as soon as possible.
Start online grocery business on H1b
Anonymous5 views6 answers
Happy new year. I have a quick question that I would like to ask regarding starting an online business and registering llc on my name and maintain my legal H1b status.
I would like to open an e store to sell Indian groceries online and have them delivered door to door.
I would sell groceries to customers online. However, I would not have an actual physical store. I would make a tie-up with a store and hire one person who would pick the groceries from the Indian store that I have tie-ups with and deliver the groceries to the customers.
In my words this is a concept of third party online store. I would sell groceries to my customers through my website and process the payment using PayPal on my website and then purchase the groceries from the store that I have tie-ups with and deliver them.
No. An H-1B cannot start a business. What kind of business is your employer now? Groceries
Once you obtain your green card or USC, than you can go for it.
Frank Stanczak
Immigration attorney
This is not something you can do on your H-1B. However, there may be other visa categories available to you. You should set up a consultation with an immigration lawyer to explore your options.
First observation, this proposed business, even if a Corporation or lLLC is really an alter ego for self employment. Secondly I can see that it would be a very hard sell to convince USCIS that the Occupation of vegetable monger is a "Specialty Occupation" for H-1b purposes. I would not counsel against the investment, there might be a work-out here, but most strongly would discourage you from pursuing an H-1 PEtition on your own behalf through the vehicle of this business.
While you are free to invest your money in any business you like while in H-1B status, you cannot be involved in the management or operation of the business. You appear to be actively involved in the set up and operation of this business - which violates the terms of your H-1B status -- you can only work for your H-1B sponsor.
H1B is a nonimmigrant visa to be employed in the US with a company that has requested the H1B worker. You cannot also have a separate company and gain income that way.
Frankly it sounds risky for you to do this under an H-1b from another employer. A passive investor is different from a startup owner in many ways. Even if you hire employees to manage and run the whole business, would you do the hiring of the employees? Would you manage those employees? A passive investor is like someone buying stock in an existing company, for example.
On the other hand, depending on how you structure your company, you may be able to have your own company file your H-1b.
