How long until my fiance can work in the US?

[amelynn43 0]

I would appreciate any help anyone could give me on this topic. I'm somewhat new to this whole process, and I feel like I have so many questions. My question right now is once our I-129F form is approved and we receive our K1 and get married, how long is it before Rich and start working legally in the US? Can he start right away, or does he have to wait for his green card?

[sweetee 0]

Hi and welcome to VJ!

As per your question, your hubby can start working immediately depending on whether or not he has a SSN and most of all, if he received the EAD stamp at his POE. The greencard doesn't arrive until after he gets approved for the AOS. To get an idea, just look at my timelime below this reply. Hope this answers your questions.

Sweetee

[no name 1]

Hi and welcome to VJ!

As per your question, your hubby can start working immediately depending on whether or not he has a SSN and most of all, if he received the EAD stamp at his POE. The greencard doesn't arrive until after he gets approved for the AOS. To get an idea, just look at my timelime below this reply. Hope this answers your questions.

Sweetee

May I ask....

I've seen some get POE EADs & some don't. WHat determines this? Then, after you're married, don't you have to stop working while you re-file for a more permanent EAD?

[zyggy 9]

Hi and welcome to VJ!

As per your question, your hubby can start working immediately depending on whether or not he has a SSN and most of all, if he received the EAD stamp at his POE. The greencard doesn't arrive until after he gets approved for the AOS. To get an idea, just look at my timelime below this reply. Hope this answers your questions.

Sweetee

May I ask....

I've seen some get POE EADs & some don't. WHat determines this? Then, after you're married, don't you have to stop working while you re-file for a more permanent EAD?

Do not count on your fiancee working until at least 6 months after you arrive in the US. Plan for this gap in employment accordingly...

The EA that people talk about that is sometimes given at different POE's across the country is worthless. It is only valid for the 90 days the I-94 from the K1 is valid. No one is going to hire you with the assurance of only 90 days of Employment Authorization. If you want to speed up the time, then get married as soon as you arrive and file the I-485 and I-765 thereafter.

[no name 1]

Hi and welcome to VJ!

As per your question, your hubby can start working immediately depending on whether or not he has a SSN and most of all, if he received the EAD stamp at his POE. The greencard doesn't arrive until after he gets approved for the AOS. To get an idea, just look at my timelime below this reply. Hope this answers your questions.

Sweetee

May I ask....

I've seen some get POE EADs & some don't. WHat determines this? Then, after you're married, don't you have to stop working while you re-file for a more permanent EAD?

Do not count on your fiancee working until at least 6 months after you arrive in the US. Plan for this gap in employment accordingly...

The EA that people talk about that is sometimes given at different POE's across the country is worthless. It is only valid for the 90 days the I-94 from the K1 is valid. No one is going to hire you with the assurance of only 90 days of Employment Authorization. If you want to speed up the time, then get married as soon as you arrive and file the I-485 and I-765 thereafter.

6 months? EADs are 90 days & if not, you can go to INfoPass....or so I've heard.

[zyggy 9]

Hi and welcome to VJ!

As per your question, your hubby can start working immediately depending on whether or not he has a SSN and most of all, if he received the EAD stamp at his POE. The greencard doesn't arrive until after he gets approved for the AOS. To get an idea, just look at my timelime below this reply. Hope this answers your questions.

Sweetee

May I ask....

I've seen some get POE EADs & some don't. WHat determines this? Then, after you're married, don't you have to stop working while you re-file for a more permanent EAD?

Do not count on your fiancee working until at least 6 months after you arrive in the US. Plan for this gap in employment accordingly...

The EA that people talk about that is sometimes given at different POE's across the country is worthless. It is only valid for the 90 days the I-94 from the K1 is valid. No one is going to hire you with the assurance of only 90 days of Employment Authorization. If you want to speed up the time, then get married as soon as you arrive and file the I-485 and I-765 thereafter.

6 months? EADs are 90 days & if not, you can go to INfoPass....or so I've heard.

That is not correct...

You cannot get an interim EAD until 90 days have passed from the date that the I-765 was filed.. even then, most DO's have taken the stance that that 90 days does not begin until the biometrics have been taken, while usually takes about 60 to 90 days after filing. Even then, the minimum is 90 days after you file while takes some time after you arrive...

On top of that, most employers won't even talk to you (as a courtesy you shouldn't even talk to them) until you have Employment Authorization. They don't want to hire you, and then wait for months on end for the EAD to come.

Couples should budget for 6 months without employment. If you get the EAD sooner, good for you. If you don't, you're prepared for it. Better to expect the worst and get pleasantly surprised, than to be caught in a pinch..

Edited June 6, 2006 by zyggy

[Joey559 1]

I've got to agree with Zyggy. Cases where someone got the POE stamp are few and far between and they only allow for 90 days...after that you would be working illegally. Zyggy's right - no one is going to hire someone for a 'career' position when they can only work 90 days so if your fiance were lucky enough to get an EAD then the very most they could hope for was a temporary part-time/seasonal position. As your fiance can't get a further work permit until you are married you'd have to get married, apply and get it back all in that 90 days and does anything in this process move that fast...umm, NO. So we all hope for the quickest turnover possible but plan for anywhere between 4 to 6 months of your fiance not being allowed to work. Sorry, I know it's not something anyone wants to hear. You'll find as you go through this process you're going to get that a lot. But don't give up - it's worth it.

Joey

Edited June 6, 2006 by Joey559

[no name 1]

I've got to agree with Zyggy. Cases where someone got the POE stamp are few and far between and they only allow for 90 days...after that you would be working illegally. Zyggy's right - no one is going to hire someone for a 'career' position when they can only work 90 days so if your fiance were lucky enough to get an EAD then the very most they could hope for was a temporary part-time/seasonal position. As your fiance can't get a further work permit until you are married you'd have to get married, apply and get it back all in that 90 days and does anything in this process move that fast...umm, NO. So we all hope for the quickest turnover possible but plan for anywhere between 4 to 6 months of your fiance not being allowed to work. Sorry, I know it's not something anyone wants to hear. You'll find as you go through this process you're going to get that a lot. But don't give up - it's worth it.

Joey

Most days I feel like everyone is so negative on here, always assuming the worst. I did my research, I asked friends who've gone thru, I read VJ EAD timelines & 2.5 - 3 months seems standard.

I do appreciate the help I've gotten but the negativity is overwhleming.

[UmmSqueakster 54]

If you get married right after your fiance enters the US and send out the AOS/EAD stuff the second day after he arrives in the country, he'll get the EAD in 3 months. That's a lot of ifs.

We got married 2 weeks after my husband got here, began gathering all the necessary paperwork (marriage certificate, immunization forms) as soon as we could, and still couldn't file the AOS/EAD until he'd been here for a month and a half.

Then, it took more than 90 days to get our EAD.

Then, it takes time to look for a job. For some, it can take months to find one.

So, if we're negative, it's because we've been there, done that, dealt with all the crud. It would be wonderful if everything went exactly as USCIS estimates timewise, but from the experiences people post here, most of the time, it doesn't happen that way. That's just the reality we deal with when we chose to marry someone from another country. *shrugs*

Just wanted to add:

It's always best to plan for the worst. I wasn't active on VJ prior to my husband arriving, and I thought he would have a job before 2005 was out (3 months from his arrival). That wasn't the case at all.

Edited June 6, 2006 by rahma

[Joey559 1]

Thanks Rahma for giving them a first hand story. No one on VJ is trying to be negative. It just happens that a lot of the FACTS are negative. I've gotten plenty of blunt answers about times that I don't like either but everyone on here is going to give it to you straight - it's just that it's often not going to be what you want to hear. Plan for the worst, hope for the best. Wouldn't you rather having savings/plans for six months and not need them then only plan for 3 months then try to start a marriage and live together stressed and worried about money, etc? It may look like negativity, but it's really an effort to try to help you.

Joey

Edited June 6, 2006 by Joey559

[frndly1 1]

Do not count on your fiancee working until at least 6 months after you arrive in the US. Plan for this gap in employment accordingly...

No one is going to hire you with the assurance of only 90 days of Employment Authorization. If you want to speed up the time, then get married as soon as you arrive and file the I-485 and I-765 thereafter.

This is not a correct statement my now husbsand has been hired and has been working for about 9 weeks now. He will have to leave his job in a few weeks because of the expiration of his Temp Work Authorization.

To the person that started this thread, please remind your fiance that he/she will not be able to work our anything and that they will need to be fully prepared to be out of work for a period of time. I know my husband is having a hard time of letting go of his job. The people like him and he likes them. I just hope they will hold the position open for him once he gets his EAD.

Please sign he/she up with ESOL Classes or have a laundry list of things to keep him/her occupied. I know its going to be tough so I say to you please be prepared.

Kathy

[Shari 6]

REALITY sometimes is not nice, but it prepares you. We got married a month after my husband got here. We applied for AOS/EAD/AP that same week. We did not get biometrics letter for EAD until the 89th day so biometrics was actually done on the 95th day and we didn't get EAD in the mail until another 7-10 days. My husband got his EAD in January and STILL does not have a job. It's been 10 months since he came over. He was an engineer in the UK and can't get an engineering job here (as of yet) because he doesn't have a BS degree, but he has even applied for peon jobs and still his only replies are "you are overqualified". So PLEASE don't think of REALITY as negative. We want you to be prepared. My huband brought over money in September, but after Christmas it was all gone and we have been living off my measly paycheck since (along with a nice income tax refund in April). We are not negative. We are realitic. Please don't take offense when we disagree with things you have heard. We on VJ are/have been living it.