AOS, EAD and the dreade wait

[chrisandamye 0]

Hey everyone.

So, yesterday was my K1 interview in London. Everything went swimmingly, interview itself was quick and painless though the long waits were less so. Of course, my fiancée and I were overjoyed that we were finally going to be back together (i fly out on 24th of January) after our 6months+ apart. That joy is turning into despair, however, as I read accounts of how long it is taking people to get their work authorisations.

I have to admit that we had both been concentrating so much on the initial K1 application that we may have let the details of the next stage elude us. I, like many partners moving to the US, require to begin work there as soon as possible both to contribute to our household expenses and to get going with my career which has been on hold for the past 6 months of waiting. It now seems I face further delays. As such, I have been searching through the guides and forums to try and get an accurate picture of both the order of the next steps to take and the likely period I will have to wait for each one. We intend on getting married the day after I arrive. Our home is in Arlington, VA, and from what we gather I don't need an SSN to get married only my passport. Other than that I have a some questions that a few of you may be able to answer.

Q- Do I require to have an SSN to apply for my EAD/AOS? I ask because I understand that I should wait two weeks after entry to apply for a SSN and would like to apply for my EAD/AOS as soon as I arrive ( I intend upon getting married on the 25th Jan - i arrive 24th Jan)

Q- Does anyone have any experience of the Washington DC local office? I have read that an application for EAD may be made to some local offices on the basis of an NOA from your AOS application. Does this apply to the DC office? If so, anyone have evidence of it being worthwhile or not?

Q- From what I understand, as long as I can demonstrate to an employer that the K1 visa is work enabled I should be able to work legally for the 90 days of its validity without any further documentation needed. Does anyone have experience of this?

If anyone can help with answers to my questions, or be able to offer any other information you think I might find helpful then please post a response or contact me directly. My fiancee and I are both young and in love and just want to get on with our lives together but there seem to be so many barriers! Hopefully someone out there has information that will smooth that process.

Chris (for ChrisandAmye)

[Kez/JWolf 6]

Hey everyone.

So, yesterday was my K1 interview in London. Everything went swimmingly, interview itself was quick and painless though the long waits were less so. Of course, my fiancée and I were overjoyed that we were finally going to be back together (i fly out on 24th of January) after our 6months+ apart. That joy is turning into despair, however, as I read accounts of how long it is taking people to get their work authorisations.

I have to admit that we had both been concentrating so much on the initial K1 application that we may have let the details of the next stage elude us. I, like many partners moving to the US, require to begin work there as soon as possible both to contribute to our household expenses and to get going with my career which has been on hold for the past 6 months of waiting. It now seems I face further delays. As such, I have been searching through the guides and forums to try and get an accurate picture of both the order of the next steps to take and the likely period I will have to wait for each one. We intend on getting married the day after I arrive. Our home is in Arlington, VA, and from what we gather I don't need an SSN to get married only my passport. Other than that I have a some questions that a few of you may be able to answer.

Q- Do I require to have an SSN to apply for my EAD/AOS? I ask because I understand that I should wait two weeks after entry to apply for a SSN and would like to apply for my EAD/AOS as soon as I arrive ( I intend upon getting married on the 25th Jan - i arrive 24th Jan)

Q- Does anyone have any experience of the Washington DC local office? I have read that an application for EAD may be made to some local offices on the basis of an NOA from your AOS application. Does this apply to the DC office? If so, anyone have evidence of it being worthwhile or not?

Q- From what I understand, as long as I can demonstrate to an employer that the K1 visa is work enabled I should be able to work legally for the 90 days of its validity without any further documentation needed. Does anyone have experience of this?

If anyone can help with answers to my questions, or be able to offer any other information you think I might find helpful then please post a response or contact me directly. My fiancee and I are both young and in love and just want to get on with our lives together but there seem to be so many barriers! Hopefully someone out there has information that will smooth that process.

Chris (for ChrisandAmye)

1. You do not need a SSN to file for AOS.... but you will need to wait for your Marriage Certificate before you file for AOS and EAD/AP

2. Local offices stopped issuing EAD in Sept 2006...

3. This is a grey area as new requirements for the completion of the I-9 when you start a new job... some say you will still need the temp EAD stamp on your I-94, other say you will not... but either way you would only be able to work for 90 days from entry then you are no longer EA until you get approved for the EAD that you filled for along with your AOS....

You say you plan to marry the day after your arrival... have you checked the laws in your state, because some require a waiting period after you apply for the Licence to get married.... also some states do not issue the certificate of marriage on the day you get married, they mail it to you days or weeks later....

Kez

[Jeremy + Kristy 0]

You say you plan to marry the day after your arrival... have you checked the laws in your state, because some require a waiting period after you apply for the Licence to get married.... also some states do not issue the certificate of marriage on the day you get married, they mail it to you days or weeks later....

Good point on that. There is a three day waiting period in Michigan. But, I went and got the license three days before hand (just needed me and my fiancee's birth certificates) and then got married the day after arrival.

[waitingbee 0]

Hey everyone.

So, yesterday was my K1 interview in London. Everything went swimmingly, interview itself was quick and painless though the long waits were less so. Of course, my fiancée and I were overjoyed that we were finally going to be back together (i fly out on 24th of January) after our 6months+ apart. That joy is turning into despair, however, as I read accounts of how long it is taking people to get their work authorisations.

I have to admit that we had both been concentrating so much on the initial K1 application that we may have let the details of the next stage elude us. I, like many partners moving to the US, require to begin work there as soon as possible both to contribute to our household expenses and to get going with my career which has been on hold for the past 6 months of waiting. It now seems I face further delays. As such, I have been searching through the guides and forums to try and get an accurate picture of both the order of the next steps to take and the likely period I will have to wait for each one. We intend on getting married the day after I arrive. Our home is in Arlington, VA, and from what we gather I don't need an SSN to get married only my passport. Other than that I have a some questions that a few of you may be able to answer.

Q- Do I require to have an SSN to apply for my EAD/AOS? I ask because I understand that I should wait two weeks after entry to apply for a SSN and would like to apply for my EAD/AOS as soon as I arrive ( I intend upon getting married on the 25th Jan - i arrive 24th Jan)

Q- Does anyone have any experience of the Washington DC local office? I have read that an application for EAD may be made to some local offices on the basis of an NOA from your AOS application. Does this apply to the DC office? If so, anyone have evidence of it being worthwhile or not?

Q- From what I understand, as long as I can demonstrate to an employer that the K1 visa is work enabled I should be able to work legally for the 90 days of its validity without any further documentation needed. Does anyone have experience of this?

If anyone can help with answers to my questions, or be able to offer any other information you think I might find helpful then please post a response or contact me directly. My fiancee and I are both young and in love and just want to get on with our lives together but there seem to be so many barriers! Hopefully someone out there has information that will smooth that process.

Chris (for ChrisandAmye)

This may sound crazy, but I think it may just work out for you. Book or change your flight to fly into JFK (New York City). From what I can figure out this is one of the few if not only place that will stamp your passport "work-authorized" with the I-551 stamp. Yes, K1s are issued SSNs that are work authorized, yet you do not have the proof of being work authorized as per the I9 form. Perhaps K1s are work authorized just to get the SSNs, who knows. After you arrive at JFK, have your work authorized stamp, get on an AMTRAK train to DC. 2.5 hours you are there, work authorized, and what I lovely way to see America! I would do it if I was desperate to be work authorized right away. With your plans to get married quickly, you stand a very decent chance to never go a day without being work authorized, file your AOS/EAD/AP as soon as you can after marriage. Good luck!