Confused and worried....

[belinda63 3,038]

You must get married within 90 days of hitting US soil. If you don't you have to start from scratch.

Your authorized stay expires when the I-94 states. At any point after that you are considered out of status and subject to detention. The answer to the question of how long you would be safe depends upon a huge number of factors such as where you live, how much you travel, do you plan to travel near a border, etc. The sooner you apply the better.

[David & Diana R 1,005]

Her visa expired at POE. It is the I-94 which defines her 90-day stay legal stay in US. To be able to work, she needs to apply for AOS. Since processing time may take 6 or more months for this, it is highly advisable that people apply for the EAD and AP as well, and the fees for these are waived if the intending immigrant is also applying for AOS.

VJ guide for AOS from K1: http://www.visajourney.com/content/k1guide

To apply for a driver's license, she will have to wait for at least the EAD/AP card to come through. Validity of the license is always tied up with the immigration docs she has at hand.

It's just so great when someone provides the correct answers in such a helpful and concise manner!! Nice job sweet cakes!!

[sweet cakes 326]

It's just so great when someone provides the correct answers in such a helpful and concise manner!! Nice job sweet cakes!!

Just trying to pay it forward. Did a little flip with the definition of "overstay" though. Blame it all on the limited vocabulary! I know better now, and hopefully, people will be more informed in the future too.

[Fan_Dancer 171]

My 90 days expired in October, and I applied only in February. Got approved in April for the combo card, and used it to travel outside the US in August (because I applied before 180 of over stay had passed). Had no problems whatsoever.

Edited May 14, 2014 by Fan_Dancer

[Caryh 5,206]

That was so enlightening as my fiance and I want a nice wedding and as soon as we our married, I would have to appy for AOS, EAD and AP..but getting up that $1000 is crazy...how long do you think it's safe to apply after getting married could we go out a month or two?

If you're not in a border area with immigration check points, and stay away from those areas, currently you go a very long time with adjusting status. People have gone years that way. I have personally known some that have waited until they've been married 2 years, after a K-1 entry, and gotten the 10 year card for the first green card. But there will be no working, doing so can get her deported, no driving, few states allow driving without a legal status check now, no ID, this is just like driving. You will trap your spouse keeping them totally dependent on you, with the extra expenses of supporting them and trying to raise the $1070. This fee is really something you should do your best to set aside before a K-1 entrant even gets here. You'll find there are a lot of new extra expenses that pop up when a new immigrant hits USA shores.