Non-americans in US

**QT Luong** · 2-Jan-2008, 00:00

You can have a substantial *revenue* (ie sales of prints) without having any *income* from photography (profit, once you take into account all the expenses that go towards the making of the photographs, including equipement and travel).

**eddie** · 2-Jan-2008, 04:18

have a garage sale! just do not do it too often!

have someone else sell them for you. have the money transfered to your home country.

eddie

**Richard Raymond** · 2-Jan-2008, 16:28

Originally Posted by QT Luong

You can have a substantial *revenue* (ie sales of prints) without having any *income* from photography (profit, once you take into account all the expenses that go towards the making of the photographs, including equipement and travel).

Not quite correct. The term Revenue generally refers to Gross Income. Income is not the same as profit and there are a variety of types of Income. In accounting, and in the tax laws it has a very specific meaning. A typical Income Statement will show all sources (sales, interest, royalties, etc.) and amounts of money flowing in. There will then be an Expense Statement listing where all of the money goes (equipment, rentals, leases, taxes, salaries, etc). When Income and Expenses are balanced then one will get a Profit/Loss Statement. So, in this scenerio, the restriction appears to be targeted at additional income from all other US sources, with no regard to profit or loss. I have not read the latest statutes and am not giving professional advice on limitation on income for those holding a Visa. I am only trying to clarify the point about income and profit.
Best regards,
Ric

**Randy H** · 3-Jan-2008, 04:13

Check with a local attorney that is knowlegable in such matters. CYOA (cover your own ass). There are fine lines dilineating between selling items to fund a "hobby" (in your case, "part-time. amatuer photographer) and selling a product for "profit" as a business. A certain amount of monetary value can be made without it being classified as "income". There isn't really a "fixed" amount.
I know that in Okla. it is like selling old cars. You can sell a certain number of them, but if you go over that, they "could" nail you for taxes, etc, as a "dealer" (they don't, but could. too much paper-work involved) And you can't sell more than one or two cars "at-one-time" without a "dealers" license. You can sell one a day. Just don't try selling more than a couple "at one time".
You may even be able to check with local INS office regarding such issues. AND, when you get an answer from "anybody", get their name, phone extension, time and date of conversation, and answer they gave you. and Write it down. Then, when and if there are any issues, you have "I was told by..." Like I stated earlier - CYOA

**eddie** · 3-Jan-2008, 12:46

i have been thinking about his. if you are working for the employer that is satisfying the visa requirement and that is your primary job then it should satisfy the visa. the visa says you have to work at this job. as long as you continue to do so you have not violated your visa.

if you decided to buy stocks and bonds i am sure you could do this.....even though they would give you an income other than from the "visa job"

one last idea would be to form a corporation. again i do not think it is a violation of that visa to be a share holder in a corp. (ie own stock) the corp. is its own entity. so it could sell artwork and you could be paid as a stockholder and possibly even CEO.

again, as stated above CYOA. (i have had easy dealings with USCIS by just logically thinking through problems and when necessary calling the 800 number. while they will not give you advice, they will answer specific questions.) good luck.

eddie