Freelance & Passive Income during AOS

[brisa2020 1]

Hi, everyone!

I'm not in the AOS process yet, I'm currently in my homecoutry and I work as a freelancer and I'm planning on making ends meet with passive income now through a RedBubble store
I get my payments through paypal (with a brazilian address on there, so I get the money in my own currency, not in dollars) and transfer them to my bank account in my home country
but I have freelance clients in my homecountry and in the US

I know it's illegal to work during the process of AOS, but I wanted to get more into detail as how does freelance and passive income get categorized with the legal stuff

TIA

PS: Idk if everybody knows what passive income is, so here goes basic explanation
RedBubble is a website where you can upload illustrations and photos, for example
and then people can buy shirts, mugs, etc with your illustration or photo printed on it
the products are sold in the US, but the only thing I actually do is upload my art (the website takes care of printing and shipping)
and then I earn a percentage of the sales that stays on my account balance on the website
after that I can transfer from there to my paypal account

so I wonder if I would have to close my store during AOS and stop freelancing or if there are ways of keep doing what I do

[payxibka 10,047]

1 hour ago, brisa2020 said:

Hi, everyone!

I'm not in the AOS process yet, I'm currently in my homecoutry and I work as a freelancer and I'm planning on making ends meet with passive income now through a RedBubble store
I get my payments through paypal (with a brazilian address on there, so I get the money in my own currency, not in dollars) and transfer them to my bank account in my home country
but I have freelance clients in my homecountry and in the US

I know it's illegal to work during the process of AOS, but I wanted to get more into detail as how does freelance and passive income get categorized with the legal stuff

TIA

PS: Idk if everybody knows what passive income is, so here goes basic explanation
RedBubble is a website where you can upload illustrations and photos, for example
and then people can buy shirts, mugs, etc with your illustration or photo printed on it
the products are sold in the US, but the only thing I actually do is upload my art (the website takes care of printing and shipping)
and then I earn a percentage of the sales that stays on my account balance on the website
after that I can transfer from there to my paypal account

so I wonder if I would have to close my store during AOS and stop freelancing or if there are ways of keep doing what I do

You are no longer a k1.  The AOS forum already has several threads on similar topics.  

[geowrian 22,338]

You cannot engage in employment activities without employment authorization.

This does not mean you cannot earn income.

 

So if you were to move to the US and keep the store open, you can still earn money from it fine. But it would be likely crossing the line into self-employment (which would not be permitted) if you were to enhancing the store (new merch, etc.) or actively managing it.

Be sure to claim the income on your US taxes either way.

 

This is similar to like a YouTube content creator, Twitch streamer, etc. They can earn money on the content they already created, but creating or uploading new content is work and likely crosses into self-employment activities.

[brisa2020 1]

1 minute ago, geowrian said:

You cannot engage in employment activities without employment authorization.

This does not mean you cannot earn income.

 

So if you were to move to the US and keep the store open, you can still earn money from it fine. But it would be likely crossing the line into self-employment (which would not be permitted) if you were to enhancing the store (new merch, etc.) or actively managing it.

Be sure to claim the income on your US taxes either way.

 

This is similar to like a YouTube content creator, Twitch streamer, etc. They can earn money on the content they already created, but creating or uploading new content is work and likely crosses into self-employment activities.

Oooohh, this is very helpful!
Thank you so much!

[Ryan H 3,830]

Moved from K1 Process & Procedures to Working & Traveling During US Immigration forum.