TN Visa holder developing and release mobile applications

kotan

New Member
I am working in US under a TN visa, but have side projects and hobby as designing and building apps. I would love to publish these. It would be monetized as well (IAP etc). Is this allowed under TN? Not really employment as it would effectively be passive

Does it make a difference if the app is hosted in Canada, and is just additional income coming through while I am working here at my TN job?
 
Passive income is investments, so, no, paid or not, monetized or not, work is work, and you don't have a status which allows you to run any business.
 
Forgive me, but I am able to invest freely in the markets and trade as I please shares or funds (investing, passive income). If a mobile application is purchased pre-built and then just left hosted online, how is this different than a dividend stock/fund? This is what I see as passive. I would make the argument I put in more "work" in the hours/days/weeks researching and planning my investment portfolio than simply spending 10min to host an app on GooglePlay.

I am very curious about this, as I gather the terms of visa documentation don't mention this exact situation, so the nuances of what 'passive' means to immigration becomes important I think.

This also opens my question to -- if I had an active source of income in Canada, then moved to US to work -- is the expectation that I shut everything about that income in Canada down?
 
You said "designing and building apps" for sale or "monetization" as you put it. . This is illegal work, unless you have a visa for it from your client/employer.
You can justify as you wish....
 
You said "designing and building apps" for sale or "monetization" as you put it. . This is illegal work, unless you have a visa for it from your client/employer.
You can justify as you wish....

To clarify. Designing and building apps is a hobby. I have so far shared all of them for free, but was considering publishing. But makes sense.

But now I am concerned if there no income involved (make something available for free in a marketplace), is that "work"?
 
TNs are not even allowed to volunteer their time, if that is not a normal practice for that firm or industry, it is still illeagal work. So,,,,
 
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