Starting biz as a non-US citizen

[bonam]

Hi all,

I feel as though I have hit a major barrier in my quest for the 4 Hour Workweek.

I am not a US citizen (no green card either) and I currently work under a H1B visa in New York City as a financial analyst. I am a Korean citizen, and have not completed my military draft service, nor do I plan to. Does anyone have any experience / advice how I can start my own business despite this hurdle?

I have spent the past several days researching this topic and speaking to my immigration lawyer, and it seems as though non-US citizens cannot own their own business or get a tax ID number for their own business without it jeapordizing their current status.

I've read Tim's book at least 15 times in the past month but I'm having the greatest difficulty getting over this hurdle.

How do you guys start muses from overseas? Perhaps some advice around that may help?

Any advice would be helpful. Even if its just to point me in the right direction.


Thanks in advance.

- bo

[bonam]

to add to my own post -

I have heard an alternative method is to start a business outside the US that sells items into the US...

does anyone have experience with this?

something about going to the embassy and getting a tax ID number or something?

any help would be greatly appreciated.

i'm rotting away at my cubicle as i type this.

[Monkiii]

Personally I'd open the business outside of the us and just sell online. This is particularly easy if you have a digital information product (less postal / tax issues).

[kamakiri]

First of all, you need to define your goals. Congrats on that visa by the way, you are way ahead of most. I know that process, and it is a rigorous pain in the ass. What is it you want?

Since you already went through that process, and made it to the USA, I will get out the beat stick and work your post over a bit, so advance warning given: don't lose the message in the tone.

"To start a business" is about as lame as work for work sake. It is not a goal. You can start a business, work more and make less in many cases.

From your post, it looks like you are just unsatisfied. It is a safe assumption you were in the exact situation back in Korea, and that led to you coming to the USA. Right?

Jumping out of the frying pan into the fire is not going to help you one bit. Taking care of your responsibilities should be your first priority. Do you really never want to go back to Korea? No one wants to be drafted into the military, but everyone wants to go home once in a while.

Re-read the book again and ignore every single bit that relates to a muse. Focus on LD. Go out and pick up some motivational books:



The Secret
The Master Key Sytem
7 Habits for Highly Effective People
Rich Dad/Poor Dd

It is the beginning of a new year. Make 2010 the year personal development, not muse development. You will find that it pays dividends upon dividends.

[TimW]

You can start a business, work more and make less in many cases.

Gosh, do I know this. I went from a $60,000/year job I loathed to a $0-$11,000/year business owner doing something I (mostly) like. I can say I am happier and have (mostly) less stress.

I suppose you *could* say it was also a lifestyle re-design. :)

[bonam]

Thanks for all the advice - I genuinely appreciate you guys taking the time to respond.

So to answer a few questions and to pose a few more...

I have read those four books you listed... and many many more. It is not that I am trying to leave one bad situation only to jump into the next, but rather, I feel as though I'm stuck in a situation that I feel like I'm on the cusp of breaking through.

I basically have been in the US for as long as I can remember, all here on student visas thru college. The whole korean army thing - its mostly a non-issue as long as i don't plan on going back to live there - which i currently do not. Don't even get me started on how hard it was to get my H1B visa... (reminds me of a quote from movie Gattaca - "Do you know what it took for me to get IN here?")

I also understand what you're saying about how starting a biz is not the end goal - which is more like w4w - valid point.



So my better-worded question is as follows:

What can I do to create passive income as a non-US citizen?

There must be other people who were in my similar situation who have tried to set up some kind of passive income business. Firstly, H1B visa status holders (and other non-US citizens) are not allowed to own a corporation, get incorporated, LLC, or anything of that sort - i confirmed through 3 different immigration lawyers. Supposedly its a gray area... lets leave it at that. Secondly, the advice "go marry an american citizen" is getting old... no one shud do that for citizenship sake.

As such, I have heard that foreigners can start biz overseas by getting tax ID from the US embassy and sell items into the US - even if its just for digital items such as ebooks or whatever.

For some reason, its incredibly hard to find an immigration lawyer who also has legal knowledge with starting small biz. If you do know of anyone like this in the NYC area - PLS LET ME KNOW. I'd love to speak with them.



Once again, thanks for the advice. It's just frustrating to have lived most of my life with people constantly telling me "you cant do this or that" just because I was not born here. What I'd give to have been born here... It's something so many US citizens take for granted. And if you are one of those who take it for granted, pls travel more and see how lucky you are.

[kamakiri]

Interesting post. I can only say that past performance is the best predictor of future performance. You are always going to feel like you are "on the cusp". I am sure that is how you felt in Korea, and when you got the visa to come to the US.

Life is not about being on the cusp, and yours isn't. You need to sit back a second and analyze a few things. Forge some new habits, do some LD, and figure out what it is that you are not satisfied with.

I know what you went through to get a visa, and all I can say is big deal. It is done and over with buddy. Toss that cross by the wayside.

In a nut shell, you can't legally make income from the US. It is black and white. That is not an option. Your visa prohibits it. There should be a working provision there though.

You can get a TIN from an embassy, but they aren't going to give one unless you go there, and that entails taking care of your responsibilities, not shirking them. Nothing you have said convinces me that you aren't just running away. Replacing your current problems with future problems.

Having passive income is sure not a solution.

[harrypham]

Hi bonam, I am not a US citizen too, and I had the same thought before, thinking about how I can start a muse like Tim described on his book. But soon after that I turn my situation into an advantage, that I can export something produced in my home country at an extremely low cost (you guys might already know how low the labor cost in my country is, same as China). Currently I am working on my project and hopefully I can make sales soon.

About your situation, can you get a biz license as a Korean? If not, how about having someone in your family or your close friend living in Korea got a license (i.e you run the biz under someone's name)

I think you can choose buy from Korea and selling to US (like I do) or reversal. The world is now flat, with internet you can do almost anything. Another option is affilliate marketing, and many other options. Just start, then you will find a lot of opportunities.
Good luck
P.S: Your English is much better than me, right now I have to outsource some English native speaker in my hometown to help me write articles for my website :).

[bonam]

Interesting post. I can only say that past performance is the best predictor of future performance. You are always going to feel like you are "on the cusp". I am sure that is how you felt in Korea, and when you got the visa to come to the US.

Life is not about being on the cusp, and yours isn't. You need to sit back a second and analyze a few things. Forge some new habits, do some LD, and figure out what it is that you are not satisfied with.

I know what you went through to get a visa, and all I can say is big deal. It is done and over with buddy. Toss that cross by the wayside.

In a nut shell, you can't legally make income from the US. It is black and white. That is not an option. Your visa prohibits it. There should be a working provision there though.

You can get a TIN from an embassy, but they aren't going to give one unless you go there, and that entails taking care of your responsibilities, not shirking them. Nothing you have said convinces me that you aren't just running away. Replacing your current problems with future problems.

Having passive income is sure not a solution.



Firstly, I just want to say thanks for the feedback on my posts about starting a biz as a non-US citizen.

I feel as though from your responses, there is a very big misuderstanding. What problems are you saying I am running away from exactly and replacing them with? My only desire was to ask about starting some kind of biz and have passive income on the side, and asking if any non-US citizens had any experiences with that... As for my immigration status and army status, that is not something I can run away from nor am I trying to run away from...

I get the sense that you have this impression of me "getting" a visa in korea and coming to the US, which is far from the truth... i've been in the US for most of my life for school, and when i wasn't here, i lived in other countries (not korea) and attended american schools... Most of my frustrations are with the limitations for non-US citizens and asking if anyone else has ideas of how to circumvent certain ones ie starting a biz. That's all.

Regardless, I really do appreciate your feedback and your time in replying to my posts, as I know you're just trying to help.

[bonam]

Hi bonam, I am not a US citizen too, and I had the same thought before, thinking about how I can start a muse like Tim described on his book. But soon after that I turn my situation into an advantage, that I can export something produced in my home country at an extremely low cost (you guys might already know how low the labor cost in my country is, same as China). Currently I am working on my project and hopefully I can make sales soon.

About your situation, can you get a biz license as a Korean? If not, how about having someone in your family or your close friend living in Korea got a license (i.e you run the biz under someone's name)

I think you can choose buy from Korea and selling to US (like I do) or reversal. The world is now flat, with internet you can do almost anything. Another option is affilliate marketing, and many other options. Just start, then you will find a lot of opportunities.
Good luck
P.S: Your English is much better than me, right now I have to outsource some English native speaker in my hometown to help me write articles for my website :).


Hi Harry,

Thanks for your reply. Actually, I have started looking into what you also suggested - which may be one of the better options. I have start to think about other ways to leverage my international position and the fact that the world is being more and more leveled out with the internet.

If you'd ever like to talk about any of these issues, please feel free to msg me. I think you may be the first person I have encountered that is in a similar situation as I am in with similar aspirations.

- bo

[nicholasyuan]

Hi all,

I feel as though I have hit a major barrier in my quest for the 4 Hour Workweek.

I am not a US citizen (no green card either) and I currently work under a H1B visa in New York City as a financial analyst. I am a Korean citizen, and have not completed my military draft service, nor do I plan to. Does anyone have any experience / advice how I can start my own business despite this hurdle?

I have spent the past several days researching this topic and speaking to my immigration lawyer, and it seems as though non-US citizens cannot own their own business or get a tax ID number for their own business without it jeapordizing their current status.

I've read Tim's book at least 15 times in the past month but I'm having the greatest difficulty getting over this hurdle.

How do you guys start muses from overseas? Perhaps some advice around that may help?

Any advice would be helpful. Even if its just to point me in the right direction.


Thanks in advance.

- bo

I guess you need to start from rugs then you become rich.
Work as a part time cook/ waiter and then learn new cuisines. And when time comes you put up your own restaurant.

[Jaydoublem]

Hi,

Hopefully I don't contribute too late. Have you looked into running your business without incorporating? If you have no partners this shouldn't be a major issue.

[sankoz]

Hi,
I'm in a similar position. I found this post on Google Answers very useful:
http://answers.google.com/answers/threadview/id/731971.html