I have an I-20 and am studying abroad — can I run a business while maintaining student status?
I have an I-20 and am studying abroad. I’d like to know if I can run a business in another state while maintaining student status.
I’d like to know if I can run a business in the U.S. while maintaining student status at the same time. While on F-1, can I invest, register a business, or even get a tax ID?
Someone on F-1 status can establish or acquire a business. However, they cannot actually work within that company themselves. Since this area isn’t entirely clear-cut, even if you open a business, it’s best to avoid taking income yourself and instead act as a manager overseeing the business while hiring others to do the actual work. Foreign nationals without work authorization who set up a company this way often take remaining profit as a dividend after filing taxes.