Real Estate License On H1B

[Janani Kalpathi]

Hello,

My fiancé is on H1b (work visa) in the US and we were looking at investing time in getting a real estate license - as a means to get access to and find deals on the MLS. But then, I came to know about the requirements for a broker to work with as the final step in obtaining the license.

Wanted to find out if anyone on H1b has gone down this path to get a real estate license.

Thanks,

JK

[Bryce Wong]

H1B holder here. You can get a real estate license on a H1B for the sole purpose of purchasing your own properties, but you can only earn income from an authorized employer who filed the petition for you. You may invest in real estate for passive income. Anything that does not constitute passive income like flips or wholesaling is generally not allowed and you may be violating the terms on your work visa. While USCIS does not collect data from the IRS on your income activities, they will if you decide to adjust your status (immigrate) or pursue permanent residence and that might lead to complications in obtaining future immigration benefits. Tread carefully.