Questions before departure

[Ben & Heidy 1]

Good afternoon everybody,

I am under the K-1 process. I had the visa and I will be flying to the USA on january 12th. I have some questions before my departure.

1/I will be flying from France. The ESTA website is for the travellers flying through the Visa Waiver Program (exemption of Visa). Do you confirm that I don't have to fill the form on this website ?

2/I took a return ticket flight as it was cheaper. Did you guys do the same thing ? Will it constitute a problem for the US border that I have a return flight I will not take?

3/ I have very good contacts with companies in the US which are willing to hire me. Unfortunately, They cant hire me with the EAD. They say I need the green card. As you know, I dont really know when the green card will be delivered. I work in the aerospace engineering.

I was wondering if I should join a letter along with my AOS explaining this. that even if companies are interested in me, it is very difficult for me to have a job without the green card, and request if this could be taken into account in the process of the green card delivery.

Can you give me advice please?

4/ I have a driving license here in France. Am I obliged to re-pass the driving license once in the US, or can I have an equivalence from the one that I have in France? If yes, I have to go to the french embassy to ask it ?

Thanks a lot and regards,

Ben

Edited November 28, 2010 by Ben & Heidy

[Barbara J 115]

Good afternoon everybody,

I am under the K-1 process. I had the visa and I will be flying to the USA on january 12th. I have some questions before my departure.

1/I will be flying from France. The ESTA website is for the travellers flying through the Visa Waiver Program (exemption of Visa). Do you confirm that I don't have to fill the form on this website ?

2/I took a return ticket flight as it was cheaper. Did you guys do the same thing ? Will it constitute a problem for the US border that I have a return flight I will not take?

3/ I have very good contacts with companies in the US which are willing to hire me. Unfortunately, They cant hire me with the EAD. They say I need the green card. As you know, I dont really know when the green card will be delivered. I work in the aerospace engineering.

I was wondering if I should join a letter along with my AOS explaining this. that even if companies are interested in me, it is very difficult for me to have a job without the green card, and request if this could be taken into account in the process of the green card delivery.

Can you give me advice please?

4/ I have a driving license here in France. Am I obliged to re-pass the driving license once in the US, or can I have an equivalence from the one that I have in France? If yes, I have to go to the french embassy to ask it ?

Thanks a lot and regards,

Ben

Hey Ben first off congrats on K1 visa. now to your questions.

1-you do not need ESTA as you have a visa your K1 visa stamped in your passport.

2-Some people do buy return as it is cheaper and am sure all BPO know that people do this as one way is so expensive. With me I opted one way was cheaper for me.

3- After your marriage you will apply for AOS adjustment of status where you will also apply for AP and EAD along with your application. You will have to wait for your EAD to work which takes roughly 2-3 months depending on backlog. You would normally get this before GC.

4- You can drive on an international license (valid 1 year only) depending on what state you are in but yes you will have to apply for a US license in your state. Test and all in some.

Hope this helps you out. Oh and a time line would really help to see where you are at regards your application.

Edited November 28, 2010 by barbarajlw

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

Good afternoon everybody,

I am under the K-1 process. I had the visa and I will be flying to the USA on january 12th. I have some questions before my departure.

1/I will be flying from France. The ESTA website is for the travellers flying through the Visa Waiver Program (exemption of Visa). Do you confirm that I don't have to fill the form on this website ?

No ESTA because you are traveling on a VISA

2/I took a return ticket flight as it was cheaper. Did you guys do the same thing ? Will it constitute a problem for the US border that I have a return flight I will not take?

Immigration won't ask about your ticket when you arrive in th US. Just cancel the return.

3/ I have very good contacts with companies in the US which are willing to hire me. Unfortunately, They cant hire me with the EAD. They say I need the green card. As you know, I dont really know when the green card will be delivered. I work in the aerospace engineering.

I was wondering if I should join a letter along with my AOS explaining this. that even if companies are interested in me, it is very difficult for me to have a job without the green card, and request if this could be taken into account in the process of the green card delivery.

Can you give me advice please?

You are fully authorized to work for 1 year with EAD, but if company policy won't allow them to hire you then you'll have to wait. There's no expediting the GC for K1. Best thing you can do is get all the forms filled out now (as much as you can), then marry quickly and file immediately. We filed less than two weeks after he entered the US, so it's possible.

4/ I have a driving license here in France. Am I obliged to re-pass the driving license once in the US, or can I have an equivalence from the one that I have in France? If yes, I have to go to the french embassy to ask it ?

Driving depends on your state laws, so rules vary. You will probably need at least your EAD and most likely take the state's tests. You should also check if your state allows you to drive as a "visitor" until you are approved as a resident....you know, like what do tourists from France do who want to rent a car while on vacation.

Google " [state] drivers license" and find the official state site.

[baron555 934]

Good afternoon everybody,

I am under the K-1 process. I had the visa and I will be flying to the USA on january 12th. I have some questions before my departure.

1/I will be flying from France. The ESTA website is for the travellers flying through the Visa Waiver Program (exemption of Visa). Do you confirm that I don't have to fill the form on this website ?

No ESTA, you have the K-1

2/I took a return ticket flight as it was cheaper. Did you guys do the same thing ? Will it constitute a problem for the US border that I have a return flight I will not take?

Most folks do this; it's the cheapest route. We did it, no problems.

3/ I have very good contacts with companies in the US which are willing to hire me. Unfortunately, They cant hire me with the EAD. They say I need the green card. As you know, I dont really know when the green card will be delivered. I work in the aerospace engineering.

I was wondering if I should join a letter along with my AOS explaining this. that even if companies are interested in me, it is very difficult for me to have a job without the green card, and request if this could be taken into account in the process of the green card delivery.

Can you give me advice please?

The EAD allows you to legally work. Either these companies don't have a clue to the real regulations or they have their own rules. You may need to educate them.

4/ I have a driving license here in France. Am I obliged to re-pass the driving license once in the US, or can I have an equivalence from the one that I have in France? If yes, I have to go to the french embassy to ask it ?

Some states will allow you to drive for so many months on the foreign DL but eventually you need to take the tests for the states' DL

Thanks a lot and regards,

Ben

[HeatDeath 430]

The I-9 form specifies in a big boxed warning at the top that companies are not allowed to discriminate based on what documents you are using to show work authorization. If you have an EAD, that's enough to show work authorization and they have to accept it.

Also, make sure you cancel the return leg of your flight once you get here. If you don't, there's a very small chance that the airline could screw up their paperwork in such a way as to significantly complicate your AOS. It's worth a phone call to prevent that.

Edited December 2, 2010 by HeatDeath

[Ben & Heidy 1]

Hi everybody,

thanks a lot. I have all my question replied ! good team work

SO I'll continue preparing my departure I'll be leaving on January 12th.

I may write again just before sending the papers to make sure I dont forget anything.

Thanks again people!

Ben

[raffy 7]

If u havent gotten ur ticket yet, make the return for a future visit date, that way when the time comes u have an extra choice -$$-

Also, most international flight tickets are valid for a year from their issue date- canceled or whatever the situation may be such as not traveling without letting the airline know- in these case, most Airline Companies will charge you about 150US$ to change the flight.

I do agree to make sure you call and cancel your return flight. There are several posts on VJ were they did not do that and the passengers show up on the flight's log, causing HUGE problems cause you then have to prove that u did not leave the US and that it was the airline's fault and mistake...