Can I start a venture capital company on an L-2 visa?

As a general rule, a dependent spouse on an L-2 visa may open and manage a company in the United States, including a venture capital business, provided they are authorized to work in the country. The law does not prohibit an L-2 holder from entrepreneurship or from acting as an active partner.

The sensitive point is work authorization. Actively managing a business counts as compensated activity, so it must be covered by the authorization that applies to your situation (for example, an Employment Authorization Document, or EAD, when required). Engaging in active management without that coverage may be viewed as a violation of the visa conditions.

• Passive investment is different from actively managing a company.
• Compensated activity must be covered by the applicable work authorization.
• Corporate, tax, and financial-sector rules also apply.

Because L-2 work authorization rules change over time, confirm what applies today with USCIS and seek guidance from immigration and business-formation specialists before getting started.

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.