Can F1 visa drive Uber is the elephant in the room and since International students are always looking for an avenue to which they can make extra money either to remove so much pressure on their tuition or for personal use.
This has caused them to seek out either full-time or part-time jobs but knowing which jobs to take is very important, and we all know driving an Uber is good money, but can an F1 visa holder drive an Uber?
If the idea of driving an Uber has ever crossed your mind and you hold an F1 visa, then you need to know the requirements for driving an Uber in the United States and whether your visa as an F1 allows you to drive an Uber.
What is Uber?
Uber is a leading taxi/cab service provider. They operate the largest taxi network in the United States
Requirements for driving an Uber
In order for you to be able to drive an Uber, there are some basic requirements that you are expected to fulfill for you to be eligible.
There are age restrictions, work permit requirements, licensing norms, and insurance policy requirements that a potential Uber driver must comply with. On the list below are the detailed requirements in order for you to be eligible
- You must have attained an age minimum of 21 years.
- You must be a US resident or have an appropriate work permit to be legally employed in the United States.
- You should have a US driver’s license issued at least a year ago. For drivers under 23 years, the license must be at least 3 years old.
- You have access to a 4-door car not older than 10 years. If you don’t own a car, Uber can help you secure one from one of its vehicle partners.
- The vehicle must have an in-state license plate.
- You must have auto insurance in your name.
- Your driver’s license must belong to the state where you are looking for work.
- You must have a Social Security Number (SSN).
- You must clear a background verification check including your driving record.
What is an F1 Visa?
The F1 visa is a non-immigrant visa for students given by foreign nationals, for those who wish to enroll for higher studies in the United States.
For you to be able to attend a university in any university in the U.S, the applicant must secure the F1 visa to be able to enter the United States
Can an F1 Student Get an SSN?
Social Security Numbers (SSN) are assigned to people who are authorized to be employed in the United States. Foreign Students on an F1 visa don’t require SSN to enroll in an education program, but they require one to drive an Uber.
The F1 visa is purely intended to serve the purpose of education and it doesn’t have any associated work permit, but the exception to this is when an F1 student who works on-campus or have been given the authorization to work off-campus on CPT or OPT, are eligible to apply for SSN.
Bear in mind that having SSN doesn’t make you will start working, you will also need a work permit for you to be lawfully permitted to work in the US.
Curricular Practical Training (CPT)
Curricular Practical Training is aimed at giving industry-specific and necessary real-life experience to students within their field of study. It can be seen as an internship or practicum with a partnering employer. CPT most times can be full-time employment without any weekly working hour limit.
Students can have more than one CPT authorization at the same time. If you are a graduate student you automatically qualify for CPT, while non-graduates must have completed one full academic year to be eligible for CPT offers.
Optional Practical Training (OPT)
Optional Practical Training is regarded as temporary employment that connects you to the field of your studies. Students who are eligible are allowed to receive up to 12 months of OPT employment.
Pre-completion OPT makes you eligible to work for a maximum of 20 hours a week, on the flip side, you are given the freedom to choose to work full-time on Post-completion OPT. F1 students would require approval from their respective DSO for endorsing their OPT application.
What are the Work Restrictions for F1 Visas?
The F1 visa doesn’t come with a work permit, so consequently, you are not permitted to work under the F1 student visa. However, there are procedures to take if you want to get a good lawful job while been an F1 student.
Before you begin your job hunting as an international student, it is paramount you get a Social Security Number. You can get in touch with your Designated School Official (DSO) to guide you through the process of obtaining your SSN.
Can F1 Visa drive Uber
Despite the fact an applicant wants to get extra money for whichever reason best known to them, there are laws that should be followed and it is unlawful to engage in driving an Uber if not duly permitted to.
The answer to the big question of “Can F1 visa drive Uber?” is that it is impossible for a student with an F1 visa to drive Uber in the U.S. and it is so because F1 students are not given automatic SSN of which is important for you to be eligible to drive an Uber.
