November filers

[dirtyweebesom 8]

Congratulations darling!! It's about hight time for that EAD, no? sheeezz you've been waiting!

Yes, it has been a long wait....not so much for the EAD card itself, but for saving up enough money to send the damn application off. If I'd had more money, I'd have had the greencard months ago!

So weird that you got your interview letter before the EAD or AP approvals, eh?! But in a way getting the interview letter is more exciting!

[noirdior 0]

whoa! its nice to see some of you are progressing nicely, for the rest of dont worry the sun will shine on us very soon! have a great new year with your loved ones people!

[FortLaudy 10]

So weird that you got your interview letter before the EAD or AP approvals, eh?! But in a way getting the interview letter is more exciting!

yeah I thought so too, but checked the October/September threads and that seemed to be a common thing: getting the IL before any EAD/AP approvals...

[marie09 5]

I just got a text and an email to say that my EAD has been approved, and the card production has been ordered. Hurrah!

Still no sign of an interview letter, though.

I feel so bad for you, Marie, because I want you to have good news, too. It wasn't fair you couldn't do a biometrics walk-in, and now you have to wait longer for news, too!

But don't worry. I just think your postman has a hard time getting through all that snow you have up there. I've got a feeling you'll be hearing something very, very soon.

Yay Congratulations Dirtyweebesom!!! That's such wonderful news... I'm so happy for you - you really deserve it, and I know how much you need that EAD... So now your job search begins, best of luck - do you have any ideas of what you're going to do before the teaching programs start? Your IL should be here any day now - i'm sure

I think my case is maybe assigned to an IO that's gone on Christmas vacation. Which I understand but is making me anxious all the same I don't think it's the biometrics as Spongebob/Maddy applied the same day as us, didn't do a walk in and did biometrics a few days or so after me and have had no problems. Really happy for them, you, Shani and Istanbulls. Go celebrate you guys

Hopefully me & my hubby just have to be patient a little bit longer. I can't wait to have some good news to share with you guys too

whoa! its nice to see some of you are progressing nicely, for the rest of dont worry the sun will shine on us very soon! have a great new year with your loved ones people!

Thank you Noirdior really appreciate the support, hope you get good news soon too

oops that was a lot of smilies! Sorry about that but really excited for all of you...

Edited December 29, 2009 by marie09

[Mestis 1]

Congrats to everybody that got good news! Encouraging to see some people are moving along!

I am in the same case as Marie.. Nothing since I did the biometrics :-(

But then, as I said, I should not complain. I'm still in status so I am still working. I'm just nervous since adjusting from a TN is not a comfortable position with the non-immigrant intent *sigh*. I have a feeling the day I get the Interview letter, I'm gonna start seriously freaking out ...

Edited December 30, 2009 by Mestis

[dirtyweebesom 8]

Yay Congratulations Dirtyweebesom!!! That's such wonderful news... I'm so happy for you - you really deserve it, and I know how much you need that EAD... So now your job search begins, best of luck - do you have any ideas of what you're going to do before the teaching programs start?

As regards working before the teaching programs start, well, I will probably try to get work as a substitute teacher. The bad thing about looking for teaching positions in January is that there usually aren't very many because they were all filled in late summer/autumn. But I'll look around and see what I can find.

I am in the same case as Marie.. Nothing since I did the biometrics :-(

But then, as I said, I should not complain. I'm still in status so I am still working. I'm just nervous since adjusting from a TN is not a comfortable position with the non-immigrant intent *sigh*. I have a feeling the day I get the Interview letter, I'm gonna start seriously freaking out ...

I hope that both you and Marie hear something soon! What's a "TN", by the way? I've racked my brains, and can't think what it is.

[Laura & Kyle 16]

As regards working before the teaching programs start, well, I will probably try to get work as a substitute teacher. The bad thing about looking for teaching positions in January is that there usually aren't very many because they were all filled in late summer/autumn. But I'll look around and see what I can find.

Grats on the EAD, Dirtyweebesom! What kind of teaching position are you looking for. If it is in the K-12 field, I know that some areas are tight and hard to find positions because of the recession.. however, I know that a lot of places keep applications on file if they need them in the future. The county I am in isn't "advertising" that they are hiring, but they really start looking in Jan.-April as that is when teachers generally have to send in notification that they won't be coming back next year, or when reviews of probationary teachers occur (and aren't asked back).

Also, if you substitute teach, get to know the administration, because sometimes they may know of something in the future opening up, and can sometimes pull a few strings or specifically request for you to interview for a full-time position. Don't give up! So very happy for you!

[marie09 5]

I am in the same case as Marie.. Nothing since I did the biometrics :-(

But then, as I said, I should not complain. I'm still in status so I am still working. I'm just nervous since adjusting from a TN is not a comfortable position with the non-immigrant intent *sigh*. I have a feeling the day I get the Interview letter, I'm gonna start seriously freaking out ...

Hey Mestis, ooo you applied the day after me, hoping we get some good news soon. It's good you're working - I have waaaay too much time on my hands. But am trying to stay busy... Had some gift cards from Christmas and my hubby took me shopping and to dinner last night - retail therapy definitely helped ... Plus new years eve tomorrow night.

I wouldn't worry about the immigration intent part so long as it wasn't marriage immigration intent. I know the H1B is dual intent and people get approved just fine. I would have thought it might help, because hey if your company could have sponsored your green card eventually anyway why would you have got married unless it was for real...

As regards working before the teaching programs start, well, I will probably try to get work as a substitute teacher. The bad thing about looking for teaching positions in January is that there usually aren't very many because they were all filled in late summer/autumn. But I'll look around and see what I can find.

I hope that both you and Marie hear something soon! What's a "TN", by the way? I've racked my brains, and can't think what it is.

Good Luck with the substitute teaching, hope you find something...

I think a `TN' is maybe the NAFTA visa or a visa for canadians to come work here, I could be wrong though...

[FortLaudy 10]

I have waaaay too much time on my hands.

I can relate to this, lol !!!!

[dirtyweebesom 8]

Grats on the EAD, Dirtyweebesom! What kind of teaching position are you looking for. If it is in the K-12 field, I know that some areas are tight and hard to find positions because of the recession.. however, I know that a lot of places keep applications on file if they need them in the future. The county I am in isn't "advertising" that they are hiring, but they really start looking in Jan.-April as that is when teachers generally have to send in notification that they won't be coming back next year, or when reviews of probationary teachers occur (and aren't asked back).

Also, if you substitute teach, get to know the administration, because sometimes they may know of something in the future opening up, and can sometimes pull a few strings or specifically request for you to interview for a full-time position. Don't give up! So very happy for you!

Hi, Laura and Kyle. I would be looking for a teaching position as a high school English teacher. Yup, you are dead right about there not being many teaching jobs around at the moment. I was in an alternative teacher certification program up until August (had to drop out because I didn't have a work permit yet) and there were hardly *any* jobs around, even for people in fields that generally have a huge shortage of teachers - special ed; maths; science etc. Trust me to pick the worst time ever to find a teaching job.

As regards your other advice, that was all really helpful, thanks, but I am actually quite keen on the idea of moving to another state to get certified. I did get accepted into the program I was in before (very surprising, as the main teacher hated me! Ha ha!), but the problem with getting certified in an alternative program is that many other states wouldn't allow me to teach there unless I had three years' experience. In other words, I'd be stuck in Texas for another three and a half years before I could leave! I'm currently looking into applying to the "Baltimore Teaching Residency" and I've got an interview already for "New York City Teaching Fellows".

I take it you are a teacher, too! Cool! What do you teach?

Good Luck with the substitute teaching, hope you find something...

I think a `TN' is maybe the NAFTA visa or a visa for canadians to come work here, I could be wrong though...

Thanks, Marie! And, oh, yes, you're right as usual (you and Shani know so much that you should start your own immigration law firm!). I googled TN after posting my question.

[Raj456 0]

We went for a walk-in at Dallas office but they did not allow us, asked us to go to the specified FP location on the scheduled date. They said they do not do walk-in's........

Will wait till the scheduled date...not that far....

Finally recieved FP notice for my MIL. Notice Date on the receipt 12/15/2009 and FP Date is on 01/08/2010. No update online (FYI) still the same 11/20/09.

Also have a question on FP. The FP office is in Fortworth which is 50 miles away from my home even though there is one closer to us in Dallas which is 15 miles away. This was the case at our USC process too....

Do you guys suggest to do a walk-in at Dallas office and explain them that the Fortworth location is 50 miles away compared to the Dallas one....do you think they agree and will let us do walk-in. Any one out their who did walk-in at Dallas office. Appreciate your help.

11/10/09: Mailed I-130, I-485, I-864, G325A, I-693

11/12/09: Delivered signed by J.CHYBA

11/17/09: Notice Date on the receipts

11/18/09: Checks Cashed($1010, $355)

11/21/09: Rcvd Notice for I-130 and I-485

12/22/09: FP Notice Rcvd for 01/08/2010 at 3:00 PM.

Thanks,

Raj

[Laura & Kyle 16]

I take it you are a teacher, too! Cool! What do you teach?

I am not really a teacher anymore, although I'm on a teacher contract. I used to teach Special Education for 7 years, and then became an elearning integrator for the school system. I am helping to develop courses for high school students to take online. I became a special education teacher by actually teaching after four graduate-level special education courses and then took 1-2 courses a semester while teaching on a conditional license. Good luck with the different programs you are applying to. I tend to take my "teacher's hat" off during winter break and will research them when I go back to work.

Laura

[Mestis 1]

I have been on TN status since February 2006 (renewing every year). I know my husband since May 2004. Been working in a different state for a while. I'm hoping that they will consider that my goal was just to stay in the Us, I would have get married right away in 2006 and do the AOS then... We just wanted to get married when we were ready. And since I could work under TN (Nafta visa for professionals from Canada & Mexico), even if it was even further in distance than me being in Canada, I decided to try it. See if I could survive the US and the language (I'm French Canadian).

The compagny I was working for in Florida was ready to sponsor me for a green card, but I wasn't ready to settle with one compagny for that long. Having a master degree would have helped but still.

I have the same issue as a B1... I have to prove I did not plan to immigrate when I last renewed my TN in at the beginning of August. Oh well, we did decide to get married AFTER and planned a 50 people wedding in less than a month. We decided than since my parents decided to come visit for the first time, might be a good timing to get married And at that point, we decided to stay in the US instead of Canada because we were both working in the same state, and job are hard to find these days.

Good luck to everybody that just got their EAD.

[FortLaudy 10]

I have a question I thought one of you bright ones might have the answer to...

If you're here on work visa and have an EAD/or SS Card saying you can work in the USA that's still valid, can you at AOS apply for a new EAD?

I mean unless it's expired I don't see why someone would, right? because if the card is still valid throughout AOS, it will just be replaced by a GC, right?

[marie09 5]

We went for a walk-in at Dallas office but they did not allow us, asked us to go to the specified FP location on the scheduled date. They said they do not do walk-in's........

Will wait till the scheduled date...not that far....

Aw Raj - that sucks - my ASC said the same still not too much longer for you to wait now. Fingers crossed for a fast approval after biometrics.

The compagny I was working for in Florida was ready to sponsor me for a green card, but I wasn't ready to settle with one compagny for that long. Having a master degree would have helped but still.

I have the same issue as a B1... I have to prove I did not plan to immigrate when I last renewed my TN in at the beginning of August. Oh well, we did decide to get married AFTER and planned a 50 people wedding in less than a month. We decided than since my parents decided to come visit for the first time, might be a good timing to get married And at that point, we decided to stay in the US instead of Canada because we were both working in the same state, and job are hard to find these days.

Hey Mestis I think you'll be fine especially as you turned down a company sponsored green card in the past. I think it reinforces that you're emigrating because of your husband, plus you have been together a loooong time! Years of history!

I wouldn't worry about the visa renewal either. i have a friend who was on a work visa back in 2007, she got married in February 2007. Back then AOS was a lot cheaper, but you had to pay several hundred $'s for an EAD. Her work visa ran out in April '07 and since she had a company who were prepared to sponsor her for another 6 months (at no cost to her) she applied for the visa extension - it was approved even though she had pending AOS and was already married. Her AOS interview was also super easy too.

I have a question I thought one of you bright ones might have the answer to...

If you're here on work visa and have an EAD/or SS Card saying you can work in the USA that's still valid, can you at AOS apply for a new EAD?

I mean unless it's expired I don't see why someone would, right? because if the card is still valid throughout AOS, it will just be replaced by a GC, right?

A lot of work visas don't issue EADs. I know the F1 OPT does, but i don't know of any others. Mine was a H work visa - (H2B category) they issued me a visa and I-94 - the visa said which company I could work for legally. Mine had to be renewed every 6-9 months. When I renewed it they sent me a new I-94 with whatever company's name on that I was legally allowed to work for. The new I-94 established my work eligibility. If mine was still valid I could still be working for whatever company it was sponsored by.

You can still apply for an EAD though even if your work visa is still good - as an EAD would give you the freedom to switch employers etc... Especially in the unlikely event of your work visa sponsor laying you off.

As far as I know unless Social Security screws up the social security card is restricted and doesn't show you're eligible to work until you become a permanent resident. Even when we have our EAD's the social security card will still say `only valid for work with DHS permission.' Which kindof sucks as if my SS wasn't restricted I could totally work right now as my Driver license is good until 2012!

Edited December 30, 2009 by marie09