B1-L1, run business -options

S

siddheart

New Member
Hi All,

Firstly, the forum was really helpful in answering few of the most common questions. Thank you. Here are more specific ones.

It is well understood to me that one can register/start their own company in the US, but cannot run it without work authorization.

I am currently in the US on B1 visa and would like to register a LLC. Which as the forum says I definitely can. But on B1, I cannot run the business. I am an Indian citizen, but have a company in another country since the last year. Now my work involves exporting and importing goods in the US. Would I have to go back to India, apply for a L-1 visa and then start my practice of export/import and not before that? Can I apply from the US? Would I easily get the L1 visa?

Secondly, one of my son works in the US and is on an H1-B visa for an employer. Would it be advisable to sponsor his H1-B with my company and start the work operations (I want the business to start running asap). Moreover, he has a masters degree in MIS and this business would be solely online. His expertise would be a big help, at the sametime I don't want to jeopardize his future of getting a GC from his current employer.

What would you recommend and can you provide me contacts of any lawyer that would help me with the immigration issues and getting the L1 visa. How much would an average lawyer cost??

Thanks much.
 
Good ideas!!

IMHO:

1. Yes, you can register an LLC here in your name.
2. Your company can sponsor your son's H1B for a technical post (Dont make him the CEO or President or any such managerial post. Let him be the Chief Technical Officer or even better a System Architect)
3. If his current employer does not mind, he can keep both the H1s working only during off-hours for your LLC and full-time for his other employer.
4. That way his current employer can sponsor for his GC, provided he is not your relative.
5. And, yes, if your company in this other country has a good history and is the parent of your LLC (I think thats the way it should be. LLCs cannot be the parent of other companies), you can sponsor your L-1. But be prepared for lots of questions since your company in the other country is only 1 year old (I guess the sponsoring company should be in good standing for at least 3 years, I am not 100% sure of this).
6. About Immigration and Corporate lawyer, have you talked to Rajiv? His email is at the top of this page.
 
Thanks for the info.

What if I open a business in the US on B1 visa, but plan to run it from outside the US (where I am authorized to work). Say for eg. I register a company and have an online only business which I can run from outside US too. Then I should be fine right? That was I dont need to go on L1, correct?

How would I pay taxes in this kind of case?

Thanks.
 
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