Freelancing without a Working Visa
- Started
- Last post
- 20 Responses
- oceanart
An NYC agency has offered me a freelance job.Problem is i'm here on a tourist visa and I don't have a bank a/c for payment.
Just wondering if anyone have done this before? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.!
- fusionpixel0
first of all, working with a visitors visa is illigal. so you can be deported to your country and have your visa suspended, not only that but the company can get a fine from 1,000 - 10,000 for hiring you.
Now, with that aside what you can do is register a business in your contry and have the company pay you by check to your company in your country, that is totally legal but you have to take care of all the taxes, for example in mexico it is 34% of the total amount so if you were going to charge 100 bucks make sure you charge 134, to compensate for the taxes.
Good luck.
- Visia0
yeah, be careful. I remember once Joost Korngold told a story on Fused about how he actually got deported becuase he went to the states with his pregnant wife on tourist visas and told customs that while he was there he was going to meet with his client.
They put him in jail for the night, put his wife in a hotel and then promptly deported them in the morning.
Crazy shit.
- oceanart0
Yah, I know it's illegal. Just hoping i can get around this and eventually get a sponsaring company for my visa. Now that freelance work is just a start...
Thanks a lot fusionpix!
That really helps.Anymore great ideas??
- fusionpixel0
also you can open a checking account almost in any bank in the USA, all you need is a Identification (Passport/Visa) but again you dont want any paper trail to get you in trouble.
It is really easy to get in trouble if you are not careful, oh yeah and be extra careful when traveling, never say you are going to work if you are in a turist visa, always return your visitors permit when you leave the country or they may assume you have been in the USA for all the time even if you went back to your country.
- oceanart0
Oh yar, I've read Joost's story before. Hate those immigrant officers who asks 1001 questions. Fortunately for me, i've already passed that
- Hello-Sexy0
pay to the order of: CASH
- fusionpixel0
sponsoring is hard, unless you are a KICK A$$ designer and no one can do what the company needs.
For example lets say the company needs a PHP Programmer,
The company has to prove to Immigration that there is no one with your abilities in the area that can do what you do. and that they need you in house. How do they prove that? the company has to be willing to put adds in the paper/ web/ local papers. and keep a paper trail that they have done it, they have to keep a record of all the people that have applied for the job and that they havent been able to get it because of course YOU are tha man, THEN! you have to go back to your country and then immigration starts a process where they say that they need YOU!.
That will get you a working permit (HB1) visa for 3 years, after 3 years you have to renew it, going to immigration and show that you have done your job blah blah blah....
Can it be done? sure it can, a lot of people do it all the time. Just hang in there and be really really really careful. You can ruin your career if you are not careful
- fusionpixel0
cash is a good idea, but if you are charging thousands of dollars, how is the company goign to justify those 6 grand taht they pay you? ;)
- oceanart0
hey fusionpix. that really helps. Was thinking of going down to the bank to find out more abt opening an ac.
let's say i opened an ac. and put the money in. Will the bank or IRS question me for having money in the bank?
- renascent0
heh funny to see my name in here as the trhead caught my immidiate attention, my 2 cents dont do it, jail is no fun!
my now ex wife wasnt pregnant though....
- oceanart0
Yar, I know sponsarship is very hard. Sux big time. But well, I just won't give up without a fight.. Been here for a while and no luck.
- fusionpixel0
the IRS wont look into your bank account, no that I know of unless you attach a SSN to it, and the company reports the money to the IRS. then you are in for trouble.
- fusionpixel0
It is not impossible though, you just have to find good good friends that are willing to go with you the whole way. because in reallity in the end they are helping you to come to the country and that takes time and money. oh yeah and dont forget all the paper work takes money $$$
- oceanart0
OMG joost!!!,,, didn't expect u to respond... btw you still freelancing from nl?
- fusionpixel0
hey renascent, that is sad to hear. Have you tried to come back to the USA? or are you staying in your country?
- oceanart0
will go through the options and discuss with the company. Thanks for all the advice and info!!!!
- renascent0
i am still working from NL yes, however do have an O-Visa now that would allow me to work in the US.
if the company is serious about you theyll put in the legal costs (around 5k for lawyers )to get you an O-Visa where basically you have to prove that you are an "extraordinary individual" as they call it....
Or you can try going for an H-Visa but you need a very high educational background to get one of those
- Meeklo0
Well for an O Visa you have to be an extraordinary individual...
What if you are in the US, but you are working for another country, lets say germany..
would that be possible?
- fusionpixel0
ocean,
how did you fix your status? was it really hard? expensive lawyers?
- Ronal0
ocean?