[Void_]

Is the 3 months in the US while working on your OWN company legal?

What do you tell the immigration cop if they ask you if you're going to work in the US? Would you explain that you're going to work on your own company? Would they accept it? Or would you just say you're going for a vacation?

[hpagey]

So, you can own a company in US but you CANNOT work for it without proper work authorization ( H1B, EAD, OPT, CPT) etc etc. How would you prove that you won't work for your own company? You will also need to prove employer - employee relationship. What is an "immigration cop" ? Are you referring to the Visa Officer at the US consulate who is granting you the visa or the immigration officer the port of entry ?

[dirkdk]

working on your US company, or your foreign company, is not allowed when you visit the US on a visa waiver. You are allowed to represent your foreign company, look for partners/customers, do marketing, visit conferences etc. But not be "productive"

[alexro]

If I write open-source code while on the tourist trip to the US does it count as 'working'? I understand you're not giving advice, just curious

[tricolon]

Doing anything for which one would normally expect to be remunerated counts as work. If you volunteer for a project for which no one is paid and will not be paid (and no one ever expects to be paid), that's not work. But "working for free" is work and so is volunteering if others in a similar role are paid.

At least that's how it's been explained to me.