Working in USA remotely while employed in Ireland

delta_bravo

Hi,

Tried to find an answer online for this but couldn't. I work for a large US multinational and my partner is a teacher. Work is very flexible about work location so we had an idea in our heads that when my partner is on their lengthy summer holidays we could temporarily live in the USA. She would be a tourist but I would be working my usual job.

I'm not looking for specifics (although happy to hear if you've done this!) but does this sound like something that is possible on the USA side?

SweetSand

Short answer is no. If you enter on ESTA or even b1/b2 (business/tourist visa) legally you can not work at all, even remotely. Now, some people do do it but if you are ever caught - you ll be banned from US for the rest of your life. Unfortunately there is no visa for this purpose. Because you work for US company you could look into L1 visa but that will be permanent relocation to US. My husband works for multinational as well and we did spend 6 month and 3 months in California as a part of his job. He was not working in US but undergoing training, still receiving his Irish wages. Let me tell you, although our accommodation, car, per dime were paid - we did not have much spare change at all. Obviously depending on the state but generally US is much more expensive than Ireland, especially California, NY, MA and etc.

afatbollix

The sort answer, Yes.

No one is going to check your laptop to see if your working.

SweetSand

Legally the answer is “no”, but everyone can decide for themselves to break the law or not. If caught consequences will be grave. And US now is not the US in 80s or 90s, massive improvement from paper forms you had to fill for entry to face recognition now. I was amazed last month when we flew to Boston and we were going through immigration, they literally asked me to look into camera (no fingerprints and etc) and the immigration officer knew everything, like my name, my last entry to states and etc, all before opening my passport.

delta_bravo

SweetSand wrote: »

Legally the answer is “no”, but everyone can decide for themselves to break the law or not. If caught consequences will be grave. And US now is not the US in 80s or 90s, massive improvement from paper forms you had to fill for entry to face recognition now. I was amazed last month when we flew to Boston and we were going through immigration, they literally asked me to look into camera (no fingerprints and etc) and the immigration officer knew everything, like my name, my last entry to states and etc, all before opening my passport.

Thanks for sharing your personal experience. Sounds like a non runner just for a short term basis like above unless we go deep into visa territory.

circular flexing

SweetSand wrote: »

L1 visa but that will be permanent relocation to US.

Actually you don't need to relocate with L1.

SweetSand

circular flexing wrote: »

Actually you don't need to relocate with L1.

Yes, you don’t need to relocate but I can’t see an employer paying a lot of money for it and not to have that person working in US, kinda defeats the purpose of that visa. And tax situation will be messy.

Fr Tod Umptious

Hi OP

A bit late to this so with it being mid July you have probably decided what to do anyway.

Contrary to what another poster has said you will not be banned for life from the US if caught working on the visa waiver (some people erroneously call it ESTA).

You will be banned for just 10 years.

Anyway in your case the likelihood of anyone finding out that you are working in your regular Irish job remotely from the US is slim to nil, so I would not worry about that.

But your biggest issue will be answering any questions at immigration on the way out.

If you are traveling on the vis waiver (90 days, need a return ticket, cannot work, need a ESTA etc) then under no circumstances mention anything about work when going through immigration.

You are strictly there for a holiday, if it's a long holiday be sure to have some sort of an itinerary planned out in your head so that you can tell the border agents what you plan to do for all that time.

Put your laptop in your checked in luggage, no need for a laptop really if you are going on holidays so no need to present immigration with the opportunity to ask you about it.

lonestargirl

When you get to customs they show you an x-ray of your bag and discuss it’s contents. Putting the laptop in check in indicates you are trying to hide its plus you risk it being stolen.

Fr Tod Umptious

https://boards.ie/discussion/comment/117624423#Comment_117624423

Either way have a good solid story for brining the laptop on a holiday.