January Filers at the CSC - How are you doing?

[Levi_Heather 0]

Good morning everyone! How's every little thing today? It's rainy and cold here...apparently there was even some snow in parts of Salt Lake this morning!

Good morning Cloudy here and warm.... Thanks for the info it was very helpful!

No problem I'm glad it was useful. I'm such a plan-aheader...I made a completely organized spreadsheet of everything we need for each of the remaining steps. I sent it to Dennis so that we would stay on the same page since I'm a bit of a control freak.

Thats a really good idea... I really need to do something like that would help to reduce the stress level some Lol... I was looking at timelines to get an idea of how much longer it would but still not really clear to me.

It also gets hard at this point because a lot of people don't schedule ASAP. From what I understand Vancouver schedules about a month from when you get Packet 3 back to them. Since they accept P3 returned by fax, you're probably looking at 2-3 months. I even heard of someone whose interview was scheduled 9 days after they faxed P3 back.

Yeah because looking at the timeline for Canadian consulates receiving to actual interview was at 113 days! But they would all be lumped together plus as you said some don't return the packet as quickly....

Do you want me to send you a copy of mine? Most of it is just a basic list of requirements, you could just change the names on it.

Oh that would be great! Thanks Andrea

[aravis227 1]

Oh that would be great! Thanks Andrea

It's on it's way.

[Pandora01 0]

Oh that would be great! Thanks Andrea

It's on it's way.

Andrea, can I be so bold as to ask you if I could get a copy of your list too? I've been wanting to do one but I just have too many things to take care of and, to be honest, I'm still confused about a few things and it makes it hard to put something together.

[aravis227 1]

Oh that would be great! Thanks Andrea

It's on it's way.

Andrea, can I be so bold as to ask you if I could get a copy of your list too? I've been wanting to do one but I just have too many things to take care of and, to be honest, I'm still confused about a few things and it makes it hard to put something together.

No problem...just PM me with your email addy. Put the USC's name anywhere it says "Andrea" and the fiance/e's name anywhere it says "Dennis". Anyone else who wants it is also welcome, though it is geared towards what the Vancouver embassy requires.

[Pandora01 0]

Oh that would be great! Thanks Andrea

It's on it's way.

Andrea, can I be so bold as to ask you if I could get a copy of your list too? I've been wanting to do one but I just have too many things to take care of and, to be honest, I'm still confused about a few things and it makes it hard to put something together.

No problem...just PM me with your email addy. Put the USC's name anywhere it says "Andrea" and the fiance/e's name anywhere it says "Dennis". Anyone else who wants it is also welcome, though it is geared towards what the Vancouver embassy requires.

Thanks a lot, Andrea. I really appreciate this I'll send you a PM right after I post this.

[aravis227 1]

Pandora and Heather-I just noticed a typo in my list. On line 30 where it lists DS-145...it should be DS-156.

[Pandora01 0]

Pandora and Heather-I just noticed a typo in my list. On line 30 where it lists DS-145...it should be DS-156.

Got it, just made the correction. Thanks!

About the online one (DS-156K), is there a printed version somewhere? I'd prefer preparing all the info I'll need for it beforehand rather than running around to find it while entering the info online Or is it the same as the DS-156, just an online version?

One thing is sure, once I'll have gone through the whole process, I'll be happy to forget all these form names. There are so many, it makes my head spin!

[aravis227 1]

So I know that work permits get discussed to death, but I'm gonna bring it up again anyway...everything I've ever read on a government website indicates that K-1 immigrants "are authorized to work in the U.S. without specific authorization from DHS. The person’s I-94 will not have the DHS employment authorization stamp and the alien will generally not have an EAD." That's directly from the SSA Website. So is this just another case of two government agencies contradicting each other? Couldn't we cite SSA policy to a potential employer? Is this really as dumb as it sounds or is there something I'm just not getting?

BTW...if you read that page, it says that K-1's do NOT require specific authorization, but that K-3s DO. If you go to the website, scroll about halfway down to section C-1, where it lists the people who do not need additional permission. Section C-2 lists people who do.

(I know...that bordered on a rant...but we all get them sometimes. )

[Pandora01 0]

So I know that work permits get discussed to death, but I'm gonna bring it up again anyway...everything I've ever read on a government website indicates that K-1 immigrants "are authorized to work in the U.S. without specific authorization from DHS. The person’s I-94 will not have the DHS employment authorization stamp and the alien will generally not have an EAD." That's directly from the SSA Website. So is this just another case of two government agencies contradicting each other? Couldn't we cite SSA policy to a potential employer? Is this really as dumb as it sounds or is there something I'm just not getting?

BTW...if you read that page, it says that K-1's do NOT require specific authorization, but that K-3s DO. If you go to the website, scroll about halfway down to section C-1, where it lists the people who do not need additional permission. Section C-2 lists people who do.

(I know...that bordered on a rant...but we all get them sometimes. )

From what I remember reading somewhere else in the forum, the fact that K-1s don't need an authorization is a recent change. Probably why you see some contradictions. Also, I've read that K-1s are authorized to work but only for the duration of their visa. Once the visa expires, they have to stop working and wait 'til they receive their GC.

Hope my memory serves me well here. If I made a mistake, everyone is welcome to put me back on track!

I'll do a search and see if I can find those posts again.

[KimandRuss 0]

Courtesy of Yu and Dan....

K-1 is not a work visa, it is a fiancee visa for entry to the USA and marriage, K-1 is "Work Auth" primarily to be able to get the SSN, some states are strict in their interpretation of a federal law that requires persons applying for a "license" to have SSN, this can cause a problem with marriage license if only one person has SSN and the other (the K-1 holder) does not.

A K-1 can apply for EAD card before marriage and filing AOS, however, this costs $340, and results is a 90 day EAD card that expires 90 days after entry, and since it can take nearly 90 days to get the card, the card will either have expired before it can be issued, or expires shortly after getting it.

So basically it says to the DHS that this person is able to work per your authorization. I'm sure you can find employers who will accept just a social security # but many will want to see EAD from the DHS authorizing you to work legally.

Edited June 5, 2008 by KimandRuss

[Levi_Heather 0]

Thanks for all the info Andrea its very helpful So they can work once they get here but only until the visa expires?

Courtesy of Yu and Dan....

K-1 is not a work visa, it is a fiancee visa for entry to the USA and marriage, K-1 is "Work Auth" primarily to be able to get the SSN, some states are strict in their interpretation of a federal law that requires persons applying for a "license" to have SSN, this can cause a problem with marriage license if only one person has SSN and the other (the K-1 holder) does not.

A K-1 can apply for EAD card before marriage and filing AOS, however, this costs $340, and results is a 90 day EAD card that expires 90 days after entry, and since it can take nearly 90 days to get the card, the card will either have expired before it can be issued, or expires shortly after getting it.

So basically it says to the DHS that this person is able to work per your authorization. I'm sure you can find employers who will accept just a social security # but many will want to see EAD from the DHS authorizing you to work legally.

So really that would be a waste of time and money!

[aravis227 1]

Courtesy of Yu and Dan....

K-1 is not a work visa, it is a fiancee visa for entry to the USA and marriage, K-1 is "Work Auth" primarily to be able to get the SSN, some states are strict in their interpretation of a federal law that requires persons applying for a "license" to have SSN, this can cause a problem with marriage license if only one person has SSN and the other (the K-1 holder) does not.

A K-1 can apply for EAD card before marriage and filing AOS, however, this costs $340, and results is a 90 day EAD card that expires 90 days after entry, and since it can take nearly 90 days to get the card, the card will either have expired before it can be issued, or expires shortly after getting it.

So basically it says to the DHS that this person is able to work per your authorization. I'm sure you can find employers who will accept just a social security # but many will want to see EAD from the DHS authorizing you to work legally.

That makes sense except for the quotes from the SSA saying that a K-1 visa holder can work without further authorization from DHS. Direct quote from the SSA website "The following sections list nonimmigrants, by alien class of admission codes, who are authorized to work in the U.S. without specific authorization from DHS. The person’s I-94 will not have the DHS employment authorization stamp and the alien will generally not have an EAD." The list immediately following INCLUDES K-1 visas. (There is a link in my last post.)

I've never had an employer request proof that I was legally able to work beyond my SSC. I'm not sure why they would ask for it without the K-1 holder volunteering additional information.

[KimandRuss 0]

Yes, I've read that several times over the last year trying to better iterpret the law. It's also been posted here quite a bit. I'll try to find the post but I think it was rebeccajo who cleared it up best basically stating that ultimately it is the responsiblity of the Department of Homeland security that gets to say who can and can not work. So, while the K1 authorizes you it basically just authorizes you to be authorized! ... I know!

[aravis227 1]

Yes, I've read that several times over the last year trying to better iterpret the law. It's also been posted here quite a bit. I'll try to find the post but I think it was rebeccajo who cleared it up best basically stating that ultimately it is the responsiblity of the Department of Homeland security that gets to say who can and can not work. So, while the K1 authorizes you it basically just authorizes you to be authorized! ... I know!

I think I'd rather be able to claim plausible deniability.

[KimandRuss 0]

I've never had an employer request proof that I was legally able to work beyond my SSC. I'm not sure why they would ask for it without the K-1 holder volunteering additional information

Sorry, forgot to mention that although i'm self-employed and have no personal knowledge, one of my tenants is a manager for an employment agency and she MUST request an EAD and run it through certain databases from every person who applies.

Yes, I've read that several times over the last year trying to better iterpret the law. It's also been posted here quite a bit. I'll try to find the post but I think it was rebeccajo who cleared it up best basically stating that ultimately it is the responsiblity of the Department of Homeland security that gets to say who can and can not work. So, while the K1 authorizes you it basically just authorizes you to be authorized! ... I know!

I think I'd rather be able to claim plausible deniability.

I guess that depends on what you do for a living.