F1 Status+self Employment

My original post is OVER three years old, and my outlook has been modified somewhat by research and consultation with other tax consultants.

Being a Mary Kay consultant is definitely self-employment (I have several tax clients who are Mary Kay consultants).

You should go ahead and give the Mary Kay company your Social Security number (which should have been issued to you as part of the F-1 visa process).

However, being a Mary Kay consultant is also a definite violation of your F-1 visa, because such work is in no way part of your field of study (unless you perhaps are studying entrepeneurialship). However, given the general low levels of income earned while doing Mary Kay work, I doubt that the USCIS will notice or even care that much.

If you become a HUGE success in selling Mary Kay products (it DOES happen; it just has NOT happened with any of MY clients), then the USCIS may take notice and investigate further.

Regardless of what the USCIS does, the IRS will expect you to report the income and pay whatever taxes are due.

I am on a F-2 visa, meaning a dependent of F-1 holder. I also want to do Mary Kay and DoTerra, an essential oil company. Am I forbidden to have any kind of income on this visa type? I'm not eligible for a social security number, but I have a tax identification number. Can I make some money?

Making money in that fashion is FORBIDDEN under your current visa.

If you do so, you risk having the visa revoked and being forced to return to your home country.

Sorry!