Can I have another source of income, such as rental properties, while on L-1?

Generally, yes. The L-1 visa authorizes you to work for the company that sponsored your transfer, but that does not, by itself, prevent you from receiving passive income, such as income from rental properties. The key distinction is the difference between passive income and active work.

Receiving rental income from properties managed by third parties (a property management company, for example) is typically compatible with your status, because you are not engaging in unauthorized employment. The income derives from your investment, not from your day-to-day labor.

The important boundary to observe is active engagement: directly managing a real estate business, running its operations, and making day-to-day decisions may be interpreted as work outside the scope authorized by your L-1.

Since every situation has its own particularities and there are also tax implications involved, keep everything documented and transparent and, when in doubt, confirm your situation with USCIS or a qualified specialist before taking on new activities.

About the author

Victoria Harper

Editor-in-Chief

Meet the author

As a journalist and lead editor at Visto n’ Visa, Victoria helps ensure that immigration topics are covered in a clear, trustworthy, and easy-to-understand way. Her focus is on delivering useful, human, and relevant content for people exploring new paths abroad.