Difficulties with getting visa

[anya&kevin 0]

Hey thank you kotenochek!!!

I am already here and very happy. I had my work authorization stamp put in my passport ay POE, and now I already know that I am definaltely getting a job, i already applied. I know it may be hard to get a job, but as long as I am here with my baby I feel great and no lonely any more!!!

Make sure you are strong enaugh to go through this,because its whole different story.As slim said here all is expensive,stuff like nails and hair is considered as a luxory.

Moreover people here are way different than in europe..another problem adjustment time going to drive you nuts because you will not be able to work,which for most busy russian girls is worst punishment ever!

stay strong zaika,nikto ne govoril chto budet legko:(

[dkrivosheyev 0]

Hey thank you kotenochek!!!

I am already here and very happy. I had my work authorization stamp put in my passport ay POE, and now I already know that I am definaltely getting a job, i already applied. I know it may be hard to get a job, but as long as I am here with my baby I feel great and no lonely any more!!!

Make sure you are strong enaugh to go through this,because its whole different story.As slim said here all is expensive,stuff like nails and hair is considered as a luxory.

Moreover people here are way different than in europe..another problem adjustment time going to drive you nuts because you will not be able to work,which for most busy russian girls is worst punishment ever!

stay strong zaika,nikto ne govoril chto budet legko:(

Congratulations! Did you go through JFK to get the work authorizations? My fiancee went through Atlanta and did not get one, however, apparently you can work with K1 visa even without the stamp, at least that's what they are saying at russian fiancee forums.

[slim 1,514]

It seemed here there wasn't really an issue with having the stamp or not having the stamp or anything like that. It was finding an employer willing to hire a potential Immigrations Fine candidate for less than three months. My wife applied at several places and they all said basically the same thing:

"So are you allowed to work here after your three months is up or you can only work for the three months or what if you can work for the three months and then are you still supposed to keep working or.... when you get married are you still allowed to work? What happens if you get married and then it's been like four months and........ you know what? We'll call you. Thanks for applying."

If you can find someone that understands the immigrations process and the legality of employing those on K-1s, etc., than you should be able to work just fine. But what we ran into was most places not wanting to take the chance of getting in trouble over hiring an illegal worker. Even fast food places were very reluctant to hire.

This was also during the big crackdown on illegal immigration last year so maybe that played a big part in it. If it's on TV.... it must be true. So maybe you'll be better off now. Good luck finding a job, and if you do get hired, please share what type of job you got and specifically how you filled out the interview forms and if you were interviewed, how you "passed" the interview process pertaining to your immigration and work eligibility status.

[Nancy2015 2]

"So are you allowed to work here after your three months is up or you can only work for the three months or what if you can work for the three months and then are you still supposed to keep working or.... when you get married are you still allowed to work? What happens if you get married and then it's been like four months and........ you know what? We'll call you. Thanks for applying."

Did your wife disclose her immigration status at job interviews? Did they ask her about it?

[Satellite 1]

Apparently you can work with K1 visa even without the stamp, at least that's what they are saying at Russian fiancée forums.

Don't forget you can always work for cash. Many in the Russian community who came over as refugees are still on public subsidies, section 8 housing, and work for cash allowing them to go on vacation three times a year and drive fancy cars. Just home ownership is out of the question.

Even here in San Francisco, local Russian stores will pay cash under the table for work! House keepers, handy men, etc. can all get work for cash. If they haven't caught the other 12 million they won't catch you either, plus during AOS all unauthorized work is forgiven, it's the law!

Edited December 2, 2007 by Satellite

[slim 1,514]

Did your wife disclose her immigration status at job interviews? Did they ask her about it?

That's exactly where all the problems came from. They didn't understand her immigration status and were too chicken-$#!T to hire her. They thought they'd be fined for hiring her at worst, and would only have an employee for three months at best. So, they just wouldn't hire her.

And working for cash here is out of the question. To work for cash, she'd have to drive somewhere which would defeat the whole purpose of working in the first place. We live near the university so all the cash jobs are filled by hungry college kids.

So, end result, no work for about nine months and then an hourly wage at a small place within walking distance from the home. She doesn't make a lot of money, but by not driving to work, it's like she makes more. She's going to start driving soon (and buy a car) but it's kind of a dual-edged sword... paying for the car means getting a better job which means more monthly expenses which means "the more you make the more you spend."

I don't know if I can win this battle.