Social Media Monetisation Can Put F-1 Students at Risk, Experts Warn

Hyderabad: Many Indian students in the United States, especially those on F-1 visas, are increasingly turning to social media to express themselves, build an audience or share their experiences. However, immigration experts warn that monetising social media content while holding an F-1 student visa can lead to serious legal trouble, including loss of visa status.

An F-1 visa is issued for education purposes. Students are allowed to study full-time and can work only under specific conditions, such as on-campus jobs or authorised training programmes like Curricular Practical Training (CPT) and Optional Practical Training (OPT). Any form of work outside during their education is considered as unauthorised employment.

While creating content on platforms like YouTube, Instagram or blogs is generally allowed as a hobby, earning money from these platforms is not permitted. Income from advertisements, brand sponsorships, affiliate links, paid subscriptions, donations or even monetisation from the social media platform is treated as employment under US immigration rules. Even if the income is small or irregular, it can still be counted as a violation.

Immigration authorities focus on whether the income is linked to the student’s effort. M. Dinesh, a consultant based in Hyderabad said “Since social media monetisation depends on active content creation, it is not considered passive income. As a result, students who monetise their accounts while physically present in the US will most likely be seen as working illegally, even if the platform or payment account is based outside the country.”

An F-1 visa holding student from Hyderabad who is pursuing MS in a Texas-based university, said: "I was doing Instagram videos prior to joining my course. A month ago, I made a sponsored reel about a hair dryer, and three days later I got a call from my university officials saying this cannot be allowed as I am earning money."

"I immediately took the video down, and requested them not to take any action. They said they will let this slide for now, but strictly asked me not to take any money from any activities while doing my course as it will be flagged with the DOS", the student said.

Apart from social media income, there are several other F-1 rules that students often overlook, which can also cause serious problems later.

One common mistake is falling below the required full-time course load without approval from the Designated School Official (DSO). “Many students casually drop from certain classes, and opt for too many online courses. And because of such actions, the university and DOS can push for a loss of status”, Dinesh said.

“Students are also required to update their US address within ten days of moving. Many either ignore this rule, or just don’t know about it. I personally helped hundreds of students out of their problems because they did not update their addresses”, Dinesh added.

But one of the key mistakes F-1 students make is the misuse of Curricular Practical Training (CPT). CPT allows students to get off-campus work, which in most cases must be unpaid. It is directly tied to their major and is integrated into their curriculum like required internships, co-ops, requiring the approval of their institution via a new I-20.

“Students often think having a CPT can let them work for as long as possible. But it isn’t. If one works for more than 12 months of full-time CPT, it most definitely will affect eligibility for their Optional Practical Training (OPT), and their profiles will raise red flags during visa renewals”, Dinesh added.

Immigration analyst Rajeshwar Rao warned students to comply with all rules and regulations to stay away from trouble. “The current situation in the United States is very turbulent. Authorities and agents are holding on to every and any offence or violation, and are taking drastic measures against it. It is very important to be cautious and wary of violations”, he said.