K-1 Visa Question

[jordanianprincess 0]

I read somewhere that when you arrive in the USA on a K-1 visa, depending on the port of entry, you can obtain a EAD card for 3 months. I also read that they can apply for a SSN. Is that true???????

We were anticipating that he would not be able to do anything for the first 3 months! Does any know about this or have any expericance about this. Also if you have experiance with this, please let me know what your port of entry was. I specifially read that could get the EAD in JFK airport.

[noura 0]

JP, that's what I've heard/read too... if POE is JFK, then he can get a temp EAD stamp and apply for SSN after a couple of weeks (give them time to get his info in the system). That's what we're planning on for Said when he comes. But I think JFK is the only POE to do this...

Anyone else have further info on it?

Noura

[UmmSqueakster 54]

It's not worth it getting the temp EAD. Even if you get married the day he gets there, and file for the AOS the next day, he still probably won't get the one year EAD before the temp one expires.

He won't be able to get a social security number for at least 3 weeks. As Noura mentioned, it takes at least 2 weeks for the arrival to be logged in the system, so a Social Security number can be applied for.

So, at most he would be able to work for 2 months and then he would have to quit, unless he was terribly lucky and got his one year EAD faster than everyone else.

Definately get the Social Security number at least a month before the I-94 expires, since it's very useful for bank accounts, drivers license, leases, etc.

My husband just got his EAD, and he's been here for almost 6 months.

[honeyblonde 0]

I agree with Rahma. Abdel got his temp EAD but never used it. He got his SSN# about 3 weeks after he got here, but we were getting married about 2 weeks after that, so there was no point in trying to get a job and then take 2 weeks off. Then it was January and he was starting ESL classes in the day, and his EAD expired in just a month, so there was no point in trying to find a job for just a month. JFK is the place to enter if you want it, but if another POE is more convenient I would go there unless you have a job lined up for him to start right away.

[kerewin21 2]

Majid got the EAD at JFK. When you enter through JFK, they stamp the back of your I-94 form (that's the card you fill out when you come in, that they then staple in your passport) to say "Employment Authorized". It's debatable whether it's worth it or not; best case scenario is you get to work a little more than 2 months before having to stop temporarily. However, if you get married and file AOS right away, you might end up only having a few weeks' break in work before you get your EAD, so it may be worth it. Some people have been able to make this work.

Regardless, you can get a social security number, and most jobs won't take you without one. Maj's information got messed up in the computer on his entry so we had to wait 5 weeks for the card (in addition to the 2 weeks we waited to apply), but most people go after two weeks and get the card a week or so later. The SSN is definitely useful to have.

I wouldn't *count* on your fiance being able to work, but it's a possibility you can keep in mind.

Sharon

[jordanianprincess 0]

He actually does have a couple of jobs lined up. family connections I remember that my ex-husband was able to get his EAD card in one day at our local CIS center. We just went in and applied, they took a pic and gave us the card, I guess that has changed.

The other thing I thought of was, at a previous job I had as an HR Mgr, we had several employees from Central American that were in the USA on Asylum. They all had EAD cards that they had to renew each year, consequently, there was always a gap between the time the card expired and the the time they recieved their new card. Our attorney advised me that application recipt was sufficent to let them keep working.

However, I was really more concerned about the SS# than anything else. Getting him on bank accounts, insurance, drivers licences, etc is gonna take alot of work so the sonner the better!

[Bosco 1]

The other thing I thought of was, at a previous job I had as an HR Mgr, we had several employees from Central American that were in the USA on Asylum. They all had EAD cards that they had to renew each year, consequently, there was always a gap between the time the card expired and the the time they recieved their new card. Our attorney advised me that application recipt was sufficent to let them keep working.

The receipt legally covers the employer only. The K1 visa holder is not legally able to work from the time the temp EAD expires and the one-year EAD arrives, with or without I-765 receipt. It may be different when renewing a one-year EAD, I don't know; but it definitely doesn't cover the person between the temp EAD and the one-year.

Rebecca

[kerewin21 2]

He actually does have a couple of jobs lined up. family connections

In that case he should definitely be able to get in a few months' work, that's great! I'm assuming your family won't mind if he only works for 2 months.

Now, off-topic...I want to know about your avatar! Is it a photo of a flower? A black flower? The first time I saw it I thought it was a dog in the grass, but on closer inspection I'm voting flower. Am I right? For some reason it's driving me nuts not knowing

Sharon

[jordanianprincess 0]

Hi Sharon - It's actually a black Iris and its the national flower of Jordan. I thought it was weird at too, a black flower, but now I think its pretty cool

[kerewin21 2]

Hi Sharon - It's actually a black Iris and its the national flower of Jordan. I thought it was weird at too, a black flower, but now I think its pretty cool

Cool! I would love to see one someday! I don't think it's weird, just unusual

Sharon

[Jasman0717 9]

JFK is the only POE I've heard of that issues a temp EAD. Good luck

[sara535 15]

Adnan got his temp EAD at JFK without even asking, and his SSN 2 weeks later.

[jordanianprincess 0]

I'm definitly gonna tell him to book his flight through JFK, even if he can only work for 2 months. I think for him, it's better than staying home which he will hate! I think it may just work out. We are planning to get married as soon as he gets and apply for AOS. Since we still want to have the religious ceremony, my attorney told us we could apply for early parole travel? something like that. So he can work for a few months, we can take a break a fly back to Jordan and then hopefully when we get back it won't be that long of a wait for the EAD card.

I just hope Murphy's law doesn't come, bcz he was not invited!

Thanks for the advice ladies...I really appreciate it. The only thing that sucks is that I can only find one flight that comes through JFK and he would arrive into San Francisco at 12:29am oh well, even if its 5am, as long as he is here it don't matter!!!!

[myfellah 0]

My husband (then fiance) entered through JFK in 6/05. He was given the EAD stamp. We went to the Social Security office 3 days after his arrival and put in for his Social Security card and he received it 3 weeks later.

Doreen

[kerewin21 2]

I'm definitly gonna tell him to book his flight through JFK, even if he can only work for 2 months. I think for him, it's better than staying home which he will hate! I think it may just work out. We are planning to get married as soon as he gets and apply for AOS. Since we still want to have the religious ceremony, my attorney told us we could apply for early parole travel? something like that. So he can work for a few months, we can take a break a fly back to Jordan and then hopefully when we get back it won't be that long of a wait for the EAD card.

If all goes well, that might just work for you, since AP processing times are supposedly 30-90 days. It sounds like a great plan, but just remember that you never know what's going to happen with USCIS (I'm sure you've figured that out by now if you've been hanging around here!)