When after EAD approval is it OK to start work?

[mattjones2856 0]

Hi all,

Admittedly I may be getting ahead of myself a little bit but I am starting to get antsy!! I got an email today from the USCIS case tracking website saying that my AP had been approved. I checked my account and saw that my EAD application had also been touched today. Of course, now I am frantically checking every email that comes in hoping that I will get the EAD approval one next!!

My question is, does the email saying that my case is approved entitle me to begin work. I am fortunate in that I already have an SSN from when I worked on a student J-1 visa a few years ago. As I understand it I will be mailed an approval notice and then the EAD card itself but does the fact that I know my case is approved entitle me to start work and then sort out the paperwork with my employer later? Or do I need to wait until I can present the EAD card to my employer?

Many thanks,

Matt

[Kez/JWolf 6]

You need to have the card in hand....

Hope you get it soon

Kezzie

[rob&ana 0]

Well...

You might be asked for the actual card when you're filling out the paperwork when you're being hired. So I'd wait til you had it in hand.

Good luck!

[Dr_LHA 3]

You need to have the card in hand....

Hope you get it soon

Kezzie

Actually its OK to start work as soon as you are employment authorized. You are employment authorised as soon as you recieve the email from USCIS stating that you are. You don't need the card in hand, as you have 90 days after signing an I-9 to provide documentation that you are employment authorised, and in that time the EAD should show up.

Of course, most employers probably won't take it on trust that you are employment authorized, but I know for a fact that my employers look up your case status online, and if the USCIS website says your authorized, thats good enough for them.