On Wednesday, a spokesman for GoFundMe, Bobby Whithorne, said that the donations, which had reached more than $9,000, had “been placed on hold until additional information can be provided about the campaign.” He said that it was “not uncommon” for the organization to seek additional information in order to protect donors.

Ms. Kancso wrote on the site that Mr. Reid had been in the United States “for the last several months on a 5 year visa.”

“There is one stipulation with the visa,” she wrote. “He must exit and re-enter the country every six months to keep the visa valid.”

But immigration experts said no visa with that requirement exists.

Australians may visit or stay in the United States through several avenues. Under America’s visa waiver program, citizens from Australia and dozens of other countries are allowed to visit the country for up to 90 days for business or tourism without a visa. (Fears were raised this year that President Trump would sign an executive order suspending that program.)

In a telephone interview Wednesday, Ms. Kancso, who lives on Staten Island, clarified that Mr. Reid was actually in the United States on a B-1/B-2 visa. That typically allows a visitor to stay for six months for business or tourism. And it does not allow visitors to duck out of the country, only to be granted another six months upon reentry.