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I am currently looking at working for a company in the UK (I am a UK citizen, currently a student). The company and I are both interested in having me work from the US (probably New York).

Does anyone know how this could be achieved? What visas will I need? Is it even possible? I have been going through US Visa applications etc and found that it doesn't seem to be a common scenario (which I find very suprising)

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To work in the USA, you need a work visa. However, if you are on an F1, you can apply for an H1b visa (specialty occupations) after completing your degree... Engineers, scientists... basically any occupation requiring special education qualifies for H1b. Your company will need to be registered in the USA and apply for a visa for you for you to have a work visa in the USA. FYI you can go to school on a H1b visa and work, but not the other way around. Also, in New York, h1b holders qualify for in-state tuition after 1 year! Talk to your embassy... they usually have an idea about that to do. – Ginamin Nov 5 '11 at 3:03
This question is not related to travelling in any way, and as such, is off-topic for Travel-SE. Voting to close. – mindcorrosive♦ Nov 5 '11 at 6:08

closed as off topic by Kate Gregory, Gagravarr, Ginamin, mindcorrosive♦, hippietrail Nov 5 '11 at 6:52

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1 Answer

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So in the United States, if you're a resident of another state, and earn income in another state (say, as a freelance whatever), the income you made in that state is owed in tax to the state in which you earned that income in.

The beauty of the 21st century is that, if you work digitally, you don't have to claim that work in the place in which you were located when you were working. What counts is where the location of the machines are where you saved your work. So as long as your bank is in the UK, your job is in the UK, and your resources are in the UK, none of those entities are paying US taxes, and neither will you.

Of course, if you're found out, you'll be looked into...but if you're not working at a brick and mortar branch of a UK company in the United States, you'll have a lot of evidence supporting your position.

Otherwise, your rules are cut and dry - on an F1 visa, you'll have to work for your school or government entity only, and anything outside of that is considered a violation of your immigration terms.

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Could you link to information about the Visas I would need please? This sounds interesting... so if I'm pushing code to a server in the UK I'm technically not working in the US? – seadowg Nov 5 '11 at 2:03
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This is very bad advice. Working digitally in the USA is still considered employment. Working illegal is a bit of a hot topic in the USA right now and I would NOT recommend it. – Ginamin Nov 5 '11 at 2:55
Really @Ginamin? send an email threatening violence to a government official in another country, and it's that country's business to extradite you for prosecution. It's the destination, not the source that matters in digital affairs. – Droogans Nov 5 '11 at 3:06
@Oetzi, the state of internet law is too new to cite anything except boundary-pushing legislation with little established precedence. If you're paying sales tax, that's great. It's the same as if your parents wired you money from the UK every week, it's none of the US's business how and why you're receiving those funds. – Droogans Nov 5 '11 at 3:29
Here's some evidence that supports @Ginamin's position, it's on post #22. As you can see, the most convoluted information is found through either red tape or conflicting forums. Be your own judge. – Droogans Nov 5 '11 at 3:37

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