Can international students use PayPal for US gig apps like Uber Eats?

International students usually cannot use PayPal for US gig apps like Uber Eats because they generally cannot legally work for gig platforms in the US. Even if all requirements for PayPal itself are met, gig apps require work authorization that international students almost never have.

Can an international student link PayPal to gig apps?

Technically, some gig apps allow PayPal as a payout method. But gig apps like Uber Eats, DoorDash, Instacart and others require every worker to show proof of work authorization in the US. For students on an F-1 visa, gig work is considered self‑employment, which is not allowed unless you have a special authorization like OPT or STEM OPT that specifically approves this type of work. Without that, the app will not approve your account, or it may be shut down later.

So even if your PayPal is fully verified, it does not change the work rules. PayPal is only for receiving money after you are legally allowed to work for the platform.

If someone already meets every legal requirement

If you already have valid US work authorization that allows gig work (for example, an Employment Authorization Document that permits open employment), then you normally can link PayPal as long as:

• Your PayPal account uses your real legal name that matches your ID on the gig app.
• Your PayPal account is verified with a US phone number, US address, and a bank account.
• You have completed PayPal’s identity checks. Sometimes PayPal asks for SSN; if you have one, enter it exactly as on your card.
• You avoid VPNs when logging into PayPal or gig apps; they often freeze accounts for suspicious locations.

Once approved by the gig platform, payouts simply arrive in your PayPal balance, and you can move the money to your bank account.

Key things to know

• Gig apps check work authorization separately from PayPal. PayPal cannot bypass immigration rules.
• If an app sees that documents do not prove work eligibility, the account is paused or closed even if PayPal works fine.
• If PayPal cannot verify your identity, it may freeze the balance until you upload documents.