Eager to work - K1 visa

[Whitakerd1029 12]

Hello all, 

Phew, it's been some kind of process and we're really starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel now with my fiances arrival coming on Saturday but I noticed there's a ton of information on the internet regarding AOS and ability to work. My fiance has a great work ethic and she quit her job a tad early due to some delays with the visa process, leading her to be out of work for almost 2 months now. She is really looking to work ASAP after entry so I'm hoping someone can direct me to a page with the best and most accurate information regarding steps to be taken after her entry into the US in order to work

Thanks

[RJandHamid 1,133]

The AOS guide here on VJ is pretty good. http://www.visajourney.com/content/k1k3aos

If she is hoping to work ASAP after entry, that won't be likely. It's one of the huge downsides of the K1 visa. It's currently taking about 4-6 months for EAD/AP to be issued. And that timelines starts after she enters, you get married, and file the AOS documents. Some have successfully expedited the EAD with job offers, but that doesn't always work out. 

Depending on how quickly your local office is processing AOS applications, she might even get her green card before EAD, but that is somewhat rare and only a few filers are lucky enough to have their AOS processed so quickly. 4 months is about the minimum amount of time that people are currently waiting. 

[J&C2527 6]

We have been waiting since January already. It's very frusterating

[Cyberfx1024 7,980]

34 minutes ago, Whitakerd1029 said:

Hello all, 
Phew, it's been some kind of process and we're really starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel now with my fiances arrival coming on Saturday but I noticed there's a ton of information on the internet regarding AOS and ability to work. My fiance has a great work ethic and she quit her job a tad early due to some delays with the visa process, leading her to be out of work for almost 2 months now. She is really looking to work ASAP after entry so I'm hoping someone can direct me to a page with the best and most accurate information regarding steps to be taken after her entry into the US in order to work
Thanks

You have to file for AOS after marriage and even then the EAD/AP combo card is averaging at least 4 months right now on average. So you have a long way to go.

[Paul & Mallory 1,398]

As others have said, she won't be able to work as soon as she enters on a K1 - she will have to file for EAD (work permit), which can be submitted at the time you guys file her AOS (it's no fee/additional cost to file it all together). While processing times do fluctuate, they are a bit slow right now. We just submitted my husband's paperwork the end of June and expected EAD approval right now is between November and December.

 

Best advice is to start working on AOS process ASAP once she's here so you can get that mailed out and get yourselves in queue sooner rather than later.

[Ben&Zian 4,398]

As others have said... there is no "immediate" way to work. First have to marry then file for AOS.

 

Quickest then would be to expedite if she say got a job offer... how fast that would make it, it still could be a couple months.

 

Some note its a "downside" of the K-1 but for some of us a K-1 is really only option so yea..

[Unlockable 7,315]

1 hour ago, Whitakerd1029 said:

Hello all, 

Phew, it's been some kind of process and we're really starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel now with my fiances arrival coming on Saturday but I noticed there's a ton of information on the internet regarding AOS and ability to work. My fiance has a great work ethic and she quit her job a tad early due to some delays with the visa process, leading her to be out of work for almost 2 months now. She is really looking to work ASAP after entry so I'm hoping someone can direct me to a page with the best and most accurate information regarding steps to be taken after her entry into the US in order to work

Thanks

This is not going to happen with a K1 visa, sorry. It will be a long while before your fiance will be able to work. First you have to marry. Then you have to file for AOS with the work authorization. It could be up to 6 months before your fiance is working depending on when you marry and file. Best thing to do is prepare yourself to be ready to file and as early as possible.

 

As others have said, if working immediately after entry was a priority then you chose the wrong visa. Only the spousal visa (IR/CR 1) allows that. we don't know how the K1 visa became the go-to visa for people new to the process, but we see a great deal of people who are frustrated with the K1 restrictions and extra steps after the file.

[geowrian 22,338]

1) Marry within 90 days.

2) File for AOS + AP + EAD

3) Wait 3-6 months for the EAD.

4) Work

[Whitakerd1029 12]

welllllllllllllllllllllllll , she'll have to really start digging netflix I guess

[Roel 7,193]

Should have done cr1 visa instead of k1. She would be able to work ASAP.  

 

Right now she'll have no choice but wait up to 6 months for her work permit. 

[Valmabe 254]

Hi everyone, very useful information here, thanks to all who posted and answer questions. Here is mine, understanding that work is out of grounds for some time, what about registering for courses o volunteering?  Thanks for your responses  

[geowrian 22,338]

4 minutes ago, Valmabe said:

Hi everyone, very useful information here, thanks to all who posted and answer questions. Here is mine, understanding that work is out of grounds for some time, what about registering for courses o volunteering?  Thanks for your responses  

Taking classes is permitted. Many college/university institutions will charge international student rates, but sometimes you can get them to treat you as a resident instead.

 

Volunteering is a mixed bag. If it does not reasonable displace a US worker,m then it's likely not work. For instance, soup kitchens, picking up litter, reading to children, etc. If it's basically an unpaid internship, then it's crossed the line into unauthorized employment.

Edited July 24, 2018 by geowrian

[MikeMc 38]

2 hours ago, NuestraUnion said:

This is not going to happen with a K1 visa, sorry. It will be a long while before your fiance will be able to work. First you have to marry. Then you have to file for AOS with the work authorization. It could be up to 6 months before your fiance is working depending on when you marry and file. Best thing to do is prepare yourself to be ready to file and as early as possible.

 

As others have said, if working immediately after entry was a priority then you chose the wrong visa. Only the spousal visa (IR/CR 1) allows that. we don't know how the K1 visa became the go-to visa for people new to the process, but we see a great deal of people who are frustrated with the K1 restrictions and extra steps after the file.

It became the go to cause it used to be a really fast process.

Seems its really slowed down over the last few years.

[Unidentified 2,930]

37 minutes ago, Valmabe said:

Hi everyone, very useful information here, thanks to all who posted and answer questions. Here is mine, understanding that work is out of grounds for some time, what about registering for courses o volunteering?  Thanks for your responses  

It's a huge gray area. As long as it doesn't take a job from an American... but that pretty much excludes everything. Courses are fine. 

[Umka36 781]

One can always volunteer at a hospital. Before my wife, I used meetup.com to do things outside work.

 

If you take continuing education courses (for either professional/personal growth), the rate is the same for everyone.