I know the visa regs for "employees" and others and the difference
between 'work' and 'business' (at least to some tiny bit) but how do
the rules change when the 'owners' or 'partners' in the firm are
foreign nationals? We have a small training consultancy which is
partnering with three individuals from the UK to form a new US company
for the purpose of designing and delivering propietary training
workshops and additional consulting services. The firm will be equally
owned. Business services will be sold with payment to the new
partnership. How then do the participants get paid? Is there a way to
pay them directly from the new partnership? Or do they become
employees at taht point? Can their current organizations (each is
their own company in the UK) be paid for services if not the
individual? What are irs and ins rules for this situation? My wife
(the US owner) leaves for the UK Monday to continue work on product
development. Any insight with appropriate links would be most appreciated. Jim

Business owners CAN be foreign nationals. It is quite common and there
is no restriction on holding stock (share interest) by foreign
individuals. Distribution of profit is done by DIVIDENDS. You cannot
make foreign individuals employees without proper VISA.

So then it becomes a tax issue as to how best (timing/method etc) to distribute?