Hello everyone!
I filed for a AOS ~20 months ago, from an L1-A visa. I am currently in the early stages of setting up a business (e-commerce), which I'll initially run next to my current job, as a side gig.
I consulted a lawyer, to understand if there are any implications to my pending GC and the lawyer informed me that as my AOS request is tied to my L1A, I am fine to set up the company but I should not have revenue until I have the actual GC and should remain passive.
She didn't get more into the specifics of what passive vs active was, and if active would just be making revenue.
Here's where I am at:
I have filed for an LLC and this has been set up
I have completed my business plan (yes, I know that this changes all the time) and have done a ton of research
I also have identified a number of wholesalers from where I'll source products from
What I would like to start on is working on the website. For this, I will obviously need to invest money, but I will also need to get products, so I can take pictures.
However, to obtain products, I need a business license and a reseller permit, because the products I need can't be purchased through normal channels.
My concern is that filing for a business license and reseller permit can be considered active, even though I am obviously not going to be selling anything until I have my GC.
Is there anyone here who may have some more information on this topic?