Hey Joef -
I think we had an exchange of messages about working for foreign company while on H1B. You said it is a grey area and that there are some requirements like the product cannot ever make it to the US.
After my research on this topic and talking with 10 different lawyers this is what I understand. I wanted to post this since there is so much confusion on the subject.
The law today states only what activities are illegal and not what activities are legal. In case of B visas the law states that it is illegal to be employed - this also goes for B1 visa.
However the issue of working for foreign entity has come up a while ago and INS issues some clarification by only saying that it understands "employment" as working for US company and working for foreign company would be okay.
Given this - H1B is in the same category. It is also illegal to be employed outside of your employer. INS already clarified what it understands as employment and therefore it is ridiculous to ask for the same clarification.
Once INS issues a green card to you - it would be impossible to take it away based on this issue.
I have not seen a single lawyer that would confirm that working for foreign entity is illegal.
But I am a layman and I can be also misinterpreting this issue. So use it all at your own risk.
Still I do think it puts all the threads from laymen in check.
All the Best!
I think we had an exchange of messages about working for foreign company while on H1B. You said it is a grey area and that there are some requirements like the product cannot ever make it to the US.
After my research on this topic and talking with 10 different lawyers this is what I understand. I wanted to post this since there is so much confusion on the subject.
The law today states only what activities are illegal and not what activities are legal. In case of B visas the law states that it is illegal to be employed - this also goes for B1 visa.
However the issue of working for foreign entity has come up a while ago and INS issues some clarification by only saying that it understands "employment" as working for US company and working for foreign company would be okay.
Given this - H1B is in the same category. It is also illegal to be employed outside of your employer. INS already clarified what it understands as employment and therefore it is ridiculous to ask for the same clarification.
Once INS issues a green card to you - it would be impossible to take it away based on this issue.
I have not seen a single lawyer that would confirm that working for foreign entity is illegal.
But I am a layman and I can be also misinterpreting this issue. So use it all at your own risk.
Still I do think it puts all the threads from laymen in check.
All the Best!