Previous employment in the US

[mattjones2856 0]

Hi all,

I am currently putting together my I-485 AOS package and I have a question about the form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization.

One of the questions asks "Have you ever applied for employment authorization from USCIS?" Now, a few years ago, when I was a student, I worked in the US on a J-1 visa so I am guessing that this counts as a yes. It then asks which USCIS office I applied to and says to atttach all documentation. As I did it through an organization that helps students with the paperwork to get the visa, I have no idea which office it would have gone through. I do know that the visa was issued by the London embassy but I dont know if this counts as the USCIS office. Also, the only documentation I still have is the J-1 visa that is in my passport.

I am guessing its a long shot that anyone else will have been in the same circumstances as me but I would be grateful for any suggestions as to how I should answer these questions.

Many thanks,

Matt

[zyggy 9]

Hi all,

I am currently putting together my I-485 AOS package and I have a question about the form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization.

One of the questions asks "Have you ever applied for employment authorization from USCIS?" Now, a few years ago, when I was a student, I worked in the US on a J-1 visa so I am guessing that this counts as a yes. It then asks which USCIS office I applied to and says to atttach all documentation. As I did it through an organization that helps students with the paperwork to get the visa, I have no idea which office it would have gone through. I do know that the visa was issued by the London embassy but I dont know if this counts as the USCIS office. Also, the only documentation I still have is the J-1 visa that is in my passport.

I am guessing its a long shot that anyone else will have been in the same circumstances as me but I would be grateful for any suggestions as to how I should answer these questions.

Many thanks,

Matt

Actually the answer for you is "no"

The question should read, "Have you ever submitted an I-765 for Employment Authorization before?"

[Yodrak 7]

Matt,

Did you apply to the USCIS for that J-1 visa? And was the purpose of that J-1 visa to obtain employment authorization?

Read the question that you quote again - it is not asking if you have worked in the USA. It is not asking if you have ever had a visa that allowed you to work in the USA.

Yodrak

Hi all,

I am currently putting together my I-485 AOS package and I have a question about the form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization.

One of the questions asks "Have you ever applied for employment authorization from USCIS?" Now, a few years ago, when I was a student, I worked in the US on a J-1 visa so I am guessing that this counts as a yes. It then asks which USCIS office I applied to and says to atttach all documentation. As I did it through an organization that helps students with the paperwork to get the visa, I have no idea which office it would have gone through. I do know that the visa was issued by the London embassy but I dont know if this counts as the USCIS office. Also, the only documentation I still have is the J-1 visa that is in my passport.

I am guessing its a long shot that anyone else will have been in the same circumstances as me but I would be grateful for any suggestions as to how I should answer these questions.

Many thanks,

Matt

[mattjones2856 0]

Thanks for the advice.

I see what you mean about the applying for a visa and not work authorisation but I am sure that the work authorisation was part of it. My memory is a little hazy as to what documents I actually had but I know that I had the usual visa stamp in the passport that is the same basic design as the K-1 but says J-1 instead. I also had some other document in triplicate that, I think, had one copy go to immigration at the POE, one copy stapled into my passport during my stay and another one that went to the Social Security office when I got my SSN. I think that might have been my EAD. I still have my original social security card that I got six years ago and that says "Not valid for work without permission" or words to that effect. Thats what makes me think I had some form of EAD before.

Just to clarify, the J-1 visa allows students to visit the US and work for up to three months, normally during the summer vacation from university.

You guys are probably right in that they only want to know if you have done this specific process before but I am concerned that it will raise a flag if they see I have a SSN but have not (apparently) had work authorization before.

Matt

[Clarax 0]

Thanks for the advice.

I see what you mean about the applying for a visa and not work authorisation but I am sure that the work authorisation was part of it. My memory is a little hazy as to what documents I actually had but I know that I had the usual visa stamp in the passport that is the same basic design as the K-1 but says J-1 instead. I also had some other document in triplicate that, I think, had one copy go to immigration at the POE, one copy stapled into my passport during my stay and another one that went to the Social Security office when I got my SSN. I think that might have been my EAD. I still have my original social security card that I got six years ago and that says "Not valid for work without permission" or words to that effect. Thats what makes me think I had some form of EAD before.

Just to clarify, the J-1 visa allows students to visit the US and work for up to three months, normally during the summer vacation from university.

You guys are probably right in that they only want to know if you have done this specific process before but I am concerned that it will raise a flag if they see I have a SSN but have not (apparently) had work authorization before.

Matt

I was over here on a J-1 for 18 months, and my lawyer told me to put "no" also.

[americangirl 0]

It is possible for you to get an SSN without work authorization, just FYI. My husband got his when he came here as a student. And he's already gotten one EAD, so I don't think it caused any problems.

His says "valid for work only with INS authorization." That doesn't mean anything other than the fact that the SSN alone does not give you work authorization. It doesn't necessarily mean you had an EAD in the past.