is AOS ever awarded before the work permit?

[aoifemc 2]

I'm applying for my AOS this week.. Could it ever happen that my AOS papers were approved before the work permit? I don't mind how long the work permit takes but want to have permission to travel by christmas. So do they all get approved together or work permit separate from AOS? And could anyone give me a rough timeline please for how long ill be waiting thanks

[TBoneTX 45,324]

Typically, the EAD & AP (if you're applying for them with the AOS, as you should) will be approved sooner. My wife's took a hair over 3 months, and the green card came after just under 5 months. We had no RFEs and no interview. If you apply now, you should have permission to travel (the AP) before Christmas, si man.

[VanessaTony 3,567]

I'm applying for my AOS this week.. Could it ever happen that my AOS papers were approved before the work permit? I don't mind how long the work permit takes but want to have permission to travel by christmas. So do they all get approved together or work permit separate from AOS? And could anyone give me a rough timeline please for how long ill be waiting thanks

It appears you're confused.

AOS (Adjustment of Status) is the process to obtain your GC (green card). When your AOS is approved you will get your GC. Your GC is proof of legal presence and also permission to travel and work.

EAD (employment) and AP (travel) documents are issued BEFORE your AOS is approved. They are so you can travel and work while AOS is pending.

So to answer your question, yes you CAN get your GC before the work permit (EAD) and they just won't send you the EAD because that's what the GC does. They WILL issue the AP and EAD together as they are now a joined card.

Your AOS process is around 5 months. Your process for EAD and AP is around 2 months.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Yes.

Alla and Pasha both got their green cards before they got their EAD (only Alla applied for this) or AP (both applied)

It happens but it not too common I would say

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

It appears you're confused.

AOS (Adjustment of Status) is the process to obtain your GC (green card). When your AOS is approved you will get your GC. Your GC is proof of legal presence and also permission to travel and work.

EAD (employment) and AP (travel) documents are issued BEFORE your AOS is approved. They are so you can travel and work while AOS is pending.

So to answer your question, yes you CAN get your GC before the work permit (EAD) and they just won't send you the EAD because that's what the GC does. They WILL issue the AP and EAD together as they are now a joined card.

Your AOS process is around 5 months. Your process for EAD and AP is around 2 months.

Not necessarily so. As I stated we filed for all at the same time. We got the green cards issued in 2 months and the EAD and APs came in the mail a week later. If all are applied for at the same time (as is usual) it is entirely possible to get the Green card before the EAD or AP. Just depends on how fast the GC is processed.

Our other son, (K-2 to follow) got his AP in 22 days (from filing) and green card in 7 weeks. He did not apply for the EAD

IN all cases we did not wait for biometrics letters, we filed the AOS, got the NOA1 and made an infopass appointment and did the biometrics on a walk-in basis. As long as you have the NOA1 for filing you can usually just go in and have biometrics done. The local office is just a few minutes from our house so why not?

When you get your interview letter (if any) take it to the local office and ask for an earlier appointment. Local ofiices give a certain number of appointments to the national office so that is what you get assigned. Local offices can assign other times as they see fit. They usually have plenty of other appointments available. I bet I could get online and get an appoitnment for Monday yet at our local office.

You can easily cut weeks off the process by doing this.

[VanessaTony 3,567]

Not necessarily so. As I stated we filed for all at the same time. We got the green cards issued in 2 months and the EAD and APs came in the mail a week later. If all are applied for at the same time (as is usual) it is entirely possible to get the Green card before the EAD or AP. Just depends on how fast the GC is processed.

Our other son, (K-2 to follow) got his AP in 22 days (from filing) and green card in 7 weeks. He did not apply for the EAD

IN all cases we did not wait for biometrics letters, we filed the AOS, got the NOA1 and made an infopass appointment and did the biometrics on a walk-in basis. As long as you have the NOA1 for filing you can usually just go in and have biometrics done. The local office is just a few minutes from our house so why not?

When you get your interview letter (if any) take it to the local office and ask for an earlier appointment. Local ofiices give a certain number of appointments to the national office so that is what you get assigned. Local offices can assign other times as they see fit. They usually have plenty of other appointments available. I bet I could get online and get an appoitnment for Monday yet at our local office.

You can easily cut weeks off the process by doing this.

Bear in mind your process was a long time ago (at least 2 years given you have ROC'd). Mine was last year, and I'm basing the timelines off this years data (so far).

I would never recommend using the NOA1 to do biometrics. People HAVE tried that, when their biometrics letter hadn't been sent yet (usually a month or so late and happened a lot during the Haiti stuff) and were told it wasn't possible and to wait. Great it worked for you but INFOPASS if you don't have the letter, sometimes they'll generate the letter, other times they don't. I DO recommend walk-ins if you're close by but if you're not it could be a waste of a long drive (3 hours one way for us).

Also, K1's don't always have an interview so the OP might not need to worry about that either.

[aoifemc 2]

Thank you for the replies!!! I'm not really confused... just wondering which would come first because I need to go home by Christmas. So with my work authorisation I will get a card that allows me to travel and work? Am I understanding this correct? I took AP as advanced parole, which means permission to travel?

[VanessaTony 3,567]

Thank you for the replies!!! I'm not really confused... just wondering which would come first because I need to go home by Christmas. So with my work authorisation I will get a card that allows me to travel and work? Am I understanding this correct? I took AP as advanced parole, which means permission to travel?

Yep. EAD and AP come as a single card now. When you get the EAD card it will say something like "Serves as I-512 advanced parole" or something like that. here:

[Juan & Nan 12]

I'm applying for my AOS this week.. Could it ever happen that my AOS papers were approved before the work permit? I don't mind how long the work permit takes but want to have permission to travel by christmas. So do they all get approved together or work permit separate from AOS? And could anyone give me a rough timeline please for how long ill be waiting thanks

No the work permit gets approved before the green card. So that you can work while you wait for your green card.

[Little_My 464]

Just to note, there is a separate application form for the AP even though it is now essentially one and the same card with the EAD. You will need to fill out the I-131 form to apply for the AP. Won't cost you anything extra when filed with the AOS application.

Edited August 24, 2011 by Little_My

[VanessaTony 3,567]

Just to note, there is a separate application form for the AP even though it is now essentially one and the same card with the EAD. You will need to fill out the I-131 form to apply for the AP. Won't cost you anything extra when filed with the AOS application.

Yes thank you I should have specified that. If you apply ONLY for EAD the card will say "NOT valid as.." whereas if you apply for AP as well as the EAD it will serve as both (as stated above).