Working in the US as a Freelancer

Morning

Just a hypothetical question at this stage to my chums in the US.

If I decided to up sticks and move to the US from the UK as a freelance photographer, what are the processes I would need to go through, max amount of time I could spend, etc. etc.

So for example, could I come over on a travel visa and stay for a year, working freelance, mainly stock, internet sales.

Thanks in advance for any information you can provide.

Cheers

Travel visas are good for 90 days. You would have to have a work visa and most (if not all) of those require a sponsor (company).

JuSlaughter wrote in post #14690663
...a travel visa and stay for a year, working freelance, mainly stock, internet sales.

It's a travel visa so it would be illegal to work. If you want to work in the US you need to apply for a work visa, which is very hard to get. If you were shooting advertising work for a client they would need to arrange a work visa on your behalf and prove that there wasn't a local tog capable of doing the work.

Given that you are planning to just shoot stock/internet images it would be a little less obvious that you were working, so harder for them to catch you. You enter, shoot, leave, then sell online. Although possible it does entail lying to the immigration people when you enter the country, which is a federal offence and carries serious penalties. How likely you are to get away with it, depends on how good you are at lying. Immigration staff receive training on how to read people and if they suspect you aren't being truthful they will take you into a small room and give you a grilling. That includes going through all your belongings/computer for any indication that you are actually planning to work. That could include business cards, emails in your inbox to business contacts, the trip being paid for on a work credit card etc etc.

Situation might be different for someone starting a business as opposed to looking for work. If starting a business you are creating jobs and looking for work you are taking one potentially from someone equally qualified. I'd pose that question to the local embassy and see what they have to say. This might be useful .

J Michael wrote in post #14691260
Situation might be different for someone starting a business as opposed to looking for work.

Indeed it is but in most countries that means you are relocating there to live, you have a substantial amount of capital to invest in your business and you will actually be employing a local in your new business.

Dan Marchant wrote in post #14691854
Indeed it is but in most countries that means you are relocating there to live, you have a substantial amount of capital to invest in your business and you will actually be employing a local in your new business.

I think you'll need 500K$ laying around to qualify. People with that much spare cash don't ask for free advice on the boards.

it depends on how much tax revenue that stand to get from you.