

Ask HN:Founder Visa query - kodeshpa

Guys , i am grad student on F1 visa about to get my OPT next month. I am working on project and willing to form a company. I read through several sites and get different answers about VISA limitations for students on F1.<p>Please guide me or point me to right resources so can get proper information to take next step.
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anigbrowl
A lawyer. Get one, now. I can't give you legal advice, but I can observe that
you essentially have 90 days to get a job, followed by 60 days to get out of
the US if you don't succeed. Self-employment generally does not qualify.

Don't procrastinate, you can get in real trouble if you do not observe the
deadline requirements. Get legal advice, ASAP. Not on the internet, from a
real person who specializes in that area of law. A consultation is well worth
a few hundred bucks. Start here: <http://www.ailalawyer.com/>

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kodeshpa
Thanks a lot.

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anigbrowl
Sorry I can't tell you more. I follow this area of law closely but am not
qualified to advise anyone. Employment checks have increased significantly
though, especially in STEM, so it pays to have your paperwork straight more
than ever.

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aditya
Theoretically, you can be self-employed on OPT: [http://sait.usc.edu/ois/intl-
students/f-1-employment/stem-op...](http://sait.usc.edu/ois/intl-
students/f-1-employment/stem-opt.aspx#4) And:
<http://www.murthy.com/news/n_empstu.html> in practice, get an immigration
lawyer to help...

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kodeshpa
i read about it but they said you can form a company but can not work for it .
Now its high time i need to get in touch with immigration lawyer.

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rjawali
I got this but still at end it say check it "Most commonly, students want to
know if they can start their own businesses while on OPT. The SEVP explained
that it is possible to be self-employed, as long as the nature of the business
relates to the student's degree program and the student is actively engaged in
this business. If self-employed, the student must work full time. While not
specifically stated, this is likely to be an area in which the documentation
of employment and the nature of the activities could be reviewed closely. So
consider the risks and discuss the possibilities with your immigration
counsel."

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DLaulkar
I agree, big confusion and different opinions floating around.Some say you can
form a company but can not work for it. I am looking for some more info on it
. Guys do help us

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DLaulkar
If you are a founder of a company or already gone through this situation,
please write your experience.

This is biggest problem with international student.

