The way I understand it, he can apply for a SSN when he arrives using the k-1 visa and the k-1 actually functions as a temporary work permit. The problem is if it (k1) expires before the employment authorization comes he won't be working legally. One possibility that I"m going to suggest to my fiance is working through a temp agency first, then he can stop if the employment auth doesn't arrive in time.

Yeah, I guess we'll need an AOS thread as well, but I meant specifically for getting a work permit. There are rumors you can sometimes get the stamp at the POE, still other rumors you can walk into a local office and get one...you know, something to tide you over till the actual I-765 would kick in. Does anyone here have any updated info on what can be used temporarily for working and which is the best route to take? Do you need a SSN first? And now I hear you need to get married before the SSN?

That was kinda what I meant about what order we should do things in...even before the AOS is filed.

struggling to believe that in one week tomorrow at this time I'll be somewhere over the atlantic bored out my mind but on my way.

Just came back from the driver´s license written test. The result of the test is ok cuz I made no mistake. But more weird bureaucracy for us. First of all when making the appointment last week we specifically asked about what was needed for them to issue the driver´s license in my new name. They said just to bring the marriage certificate. When we got there today they decided they couldn´t accept that and we had to go back home to get the certified abstract of the marriage certificate. After that they let me take the test but they warned me that if they don´t manage to verify my stuff with homeland security by the time the stamp in my passport expires (which for the K1 is the 90 days from entry) - or by 30 days prior to the expiration cuz they said they can only issue a driver´s license if my documents are still valid for another 30 days at least, then I will have to wait for my driver´s license till after my green card arrives. So I get it either soon (if I pass the driving test tomorrow) or after 6 months or so...Can´t see anybody else having these kinds of problems with social security office and dmv but us

We only needed the last year of those....had 3 years ready with me but they said that their rules changed and only asked for the last year. But maybe that depends on the Embassy...

Yeah I know exactly how you feel. Before I started doing any moving I had my own apartment, furniture, equipment, car, everything. How do you shrink all that in one baggage? Well with our trips back and forth we slowly kept moving some of my stuff but it´s not like they let you with a thousand kg heavy bag on the plane (2 thousand pounds I think ). So every time it was one or a couple of items that got moved, depending on size or weight. And also I often take some of the European "hopper" planes to get to some other airport to catch a cheap ocean crossing flight so the "hoppers" cripple the weight of your baggage even more. I sold some stuff, I gave away some stuff and I still have quite a lot of things stored that might be tranferred sometimes during my lifetime haha It´s just weird. When I wanna do something I know I just need this thing for that that I have in Europe (cuz sometimes they don´t even have it in stores here and even if they do I don´t like getting something again when I already have it) so I try to do the thing without it and find another way how to do it etc. It´s lotsa fun

Good luck with your interview Well I think right now the interview must be over for you so I hope it went well

Well I went through JFK but stupidly enough I flew from Dublin and didn´t know they were processing people there so I got no stamp at JFK although I wanted one. Well I should get used to these things cuz I haven´t had any luck with any paperwork lately. Anyways while I´m at home it´s not like I keep sitting at home all day I have so many things to do everywhere that I hardly ever have free time to just relax...so yeah sitting at home isn´t for me either but on the other hand I know how to use my time in my satisfaction

Yea, I think you're right, but the girl I was responding to didn't send ANY tax info, just employer letter and bank statement (at least that's what I gathered from her post). I was concerned for her delaying things if it's totally missing.

BTW am I right in understanding that if I'm over the 125% I only have to send
tax transcripts
employer letter
few pay stubs

NOT a letter from the bank. Is the letter from the bank for IF you have a big savings account? I don't need that if I have just checking right?
Gosh this is making me nuts!

well - this is only what i am really sure to know:
the ONLY way to be allowed to work prior to EAD is to enter the country via JFK. the old possibility to walk into any USCIS office (via infopass) is not possible anymore.

there is confusion whether a k1 visa qualifies as working permit. fact is, that employers don't take the risk.

plus, you NEED a social security number to be able to work. so: SSN first, then EAD, then job. or: JFK, SSN, and job.

you don't need to be married for your SSN. the way of least trouble is the following:
2 weeks after entry go to the SSN and get your number. then get married. then change your name on the SSN. then go to the DMV.
if you go to the SSN too early you aren't in the system yet, and they will deny it to you. if you go after marriage, they won't do it either.
without AOS you are in general only half a being here

just thinking - what about if your 'employer' isn't one, officially? eg you do some babysitting, or something else casual? I know there'd be tax issues, but as far as USCIS is concerned you'd be in the clear, right? until the initial visa lapsed, of course...?

well, you mean like: babysitting 3 days a week and being paid in cash?
everything the government / IRS / USCIS /DOS doesn't get to should be fine *coughing*

well I couldn´t get the SSN before we got married cuz I was here less than 2 weeks...when 2 weeks passed we went to SS office and were refused service cuz they said we had to wait 4 weeks not 2...so I got the SSN after 4 weeks and after we were married

that sort of thing, but I'm asking about the pure legality of it, not what I could probably get away with


by the way, I think everyone knows, but I had my interview in the London Embassy today and I was approved

balloons fell from the ceiling and everyone cheered and threw confetti and popped champagne corks*












* sentence may not be factual

That was my idea. I just made a couple phone calls, no big deal.

congratulations, stp!!! isn't it a weird feeling to walk out of the embassy thinking: AND THAT WAS IT???????????????!!!!!!!!!

i spent all afternoon in the yard, pulling cacti.

STP....congrats! I'm so happy for you!

In other news, our July thread is locked so I took the liberty of starting the new one titled "ATTENTION JULY FILERS (2)". I hope you guys don't mind.

Jeraly, I hope you feel better soon .....I know you said you were ill....poor bunny *pats your head softly*

Soon we'll all be happy married folks.....a great feeling isn't it! It's like the reward after a marathon! I'm so happy for all of us.

Kirk knows how to make anything happen.

Congratulations Very happy for you (Btw you don´t sound too excited about it? )

I had the intention of doing that anyway - when Jeremy was here he got a paper route to give him a little extra cash



Hahaha It finally got locked!? Awww Hopefully most of us will be hanging out here now and our respexctive AOS threads when we all get to that stage.

Am still poorly sick - have stupid chesty cough that mades me feel like my lungs are trying to escape followed by not being able to breathe and sharp pains in my back and chest from where I have been coughing so hard. And that's without the headache from all the coughing... hoping my abs will be rock hard though - there has to be *some* gratification for the pain, surely!?

Have taken day off work despite totally not wanting to as I need the money sooo badly. Went to store, picked up some medicine, some cakes and some juice and am just checking online stuff before going back to bed. Not normally this ill and I hate it

I can't *wait* til I am over there now. I just feel like being here is nothing but stress. I know that a lot of that is actually going through the process, but still living at home is hard when you want to take ownership of things and do things your way (or argue with your husband over the best way to do things ) but you can't. If you feel like sh*t you want to be able to lie in bed all day without worrying that your mom or dad are going to come home and b*tch about the fact that nothing has been done etc etc...

Found out I might only have my job until the end of the month so am worried now I am not going to be able to afford all the things I need to do without dipping into my savings. Have bought job paper to look through to see if there are any three month temp positions or something as don't want to work any later than 20th June... If anyone has any bright ideas...

So, ssn first. Ok. As for the EAD, do you need to be married to send THAT in, or could we send it in first? See, we have a wedding date of May 1 and are really hoping to keep that date.

EAD is bundled with AOS and you do have to be married in order to get the EAD ball rolling.

poor aly! i hope you feel better soon!
you could try to find a job with a temp-company. they hire people for companies which need temporary workers FAST. i worked for one and basically jumped in for the secretary that quit her job unexpectedly. the pay isn't particularly overwhelming, but it helped me to build up some savings so that i can live here for 2 months looking for nice jobs. (after the 2 months are over i will do ANY kind of job )


i spent most of the day working in the yard yesterday. in southern arizona that means pulling cacti. i have a bunch of these hurting stings in my fingers and can't get them out. OUTCH!!!!



free hugs for everybody!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hello July friends!!! just popping in to tell Aly that your wedding pics are gorgeous! you must be thrilled

AND to get on the AOS spreadsheet! We mailed it all off yesterday March 4th. Oh God please let everything be right!!!! I pulled my hair out in frustration and curses enough to make a pirate blush, but we did it! I also just want to share another bit of experience that came as a total and expensive surprise.....apparently there is a little form called the I-693A which is ANOTHER vaccine form that came as a total shock to me. So you have to take all your vaccine records to an appointed 'civil surgeon' (listed is on the USCIS website) in your local area - and have a doc locally look them over and fill out the form for you to mail off with AOS. this lovely experience cost us another $75.00 for the office visit. I was so stunned angry and frustrated there are not words. I mean we paid 200 pounds for the medical already, he had 2 visits with his GP and got many stabs before the medical even happened to be sure we had all the necessary vaccines, we were APPROVED for heaven's sake, his medical record (is in the brown mysterious POE envelope) was submitted at POE and is now on file with USCIS and I STILL have to track down some random doctor to pay more money to have it documented again???? somebody has got to fix this BS process.....just have to note that as the USC I have totally changed my views on immigration in general!

okay so aside from my rant, I just want to pass the experience along to others because it blind-sided us and delayed our paperwork. I did post many q's in the AOS forum about it and it turns out that some people do go ahead file AOS without this form, just assuming that USCIS will match up the files (some get thru and some get RFE's - I am not willing to risk the RFE), and others are able to send there forms/vaccine records to a doc in Texas who will sign the form and mail it back to you for like $20.00 plus shipping, so much cheaper. I just wanted it over with so we sucked it up and paid

Oh, and as another side note - the "doctor' office" that are listed as an official "civil surgeoun" for USCIS was perhaps the scariest, most back woods, I-can't-believe-this-is-a-bonafied-health-care-professional kind of place I have ever seen! My husband was like "please tell this is not what doctor's offices are like in America!!!" Seriously, it was in this scary part of town, run down building next to a junk yard, he is an acupuncturist/GP(??), the office was crowded with random stuff and tiny, the receptionist had an ancient type typewriter piled on a stack of books she used to fill out our form, there were viles of blood just sitting in a box on her desk, all these notices from USCIS from the mid-1990's posted everywhere and then signs that this office is not equipped to help the disabled! - like a seen from a bad comedy! but whatever, we have a bizarre story and we got it done.

Good Luck to everyone on their continued journeys! We will post on our AOS experience as we go!

@ Debz - YAY!!!! you're almost here

@ Julez - have you filed AOS yet???

Cheers,
Sara

Sara, we haven't filed our AOS yet. I know I'm going to have to suck it up and take more time off work to make it happen, but in the meantime, we've been so busy that we haven't really delved too far into it yet. We have designated this weekend as the one to get up to our elbows in it!

sara, i'm so sorry that you didn't read about my immunization research!
the doctors charge different amounts for that! you really have to shop around and call them and ask how much they charge for that. i called 3 of the USCIS-docs here in town and they charged between 120 and 15 for it. i went to the one that charged 15 and it was SCARY!!!

but always call them and ask!!!!


have to run now!!!

hugs
agnes

Agnes, thanks! I am sorry I missed it too - honestly with all the talk about it I have now found on the forum, I don't how I didn't see it earlier! I just thought I would post my experience to others headed that way because if I missed the warnings/posts about this hurdle, I thought others might too!

Julez - good luck getting into it this weekend!


Hugs to all!
Sara

I'm still not clear on what you have to do - so you have the immunisation record from the visa medical check, and you take that somewhere, and the doctor - does what? puts a stamp on it? does a blood test? points a bone at the moon and howls like a wolf?

What I still can't understand is why he didn't send the bunny with the pancake on its head It would have added that certain je ne sais quoi to the festivities!

no no no silly, first they stick their finger in their mouth and hold it up to test the direction of the current winds, and then while chanting to the tune of ABBA (specific song is doctor dependent) they then stick said finger in your ear to do the 'wet willy, have you had all the right vaccines?' check!

seriously, you have to take the vaccination records (the little book we have in Matt's case) and show it to them, bring a copy of the I-693A form found here http://www.cdc.gov/NCIDOD/DQ/pdf/ti-03/appdx-a_693vacc.pdf and they look through your records, verify you have had all the right vaccines and fill out the form, sign it, and seal it in an envelope, signed over the seal (at least they did for us) to be sent to USCIS with AOS forms (we had them make us a copy before they sealed it up - the least they could do for $75.00! the list of civil surgeons in your area can be found here https://egov.uscis.gov/crisgwi/go?action=of...office_type=CIV

Also, many people use this guy Dr. Arnold in Texas. ask in the AOS forum for contact info. apparently you can fax or mail in your forms and he will sign off on them for $20.00.

Some people do send in AOS without this form and are okay, others get RFE'd. I don't want the delay of an RFE!

I have been told by many people that this is a well-known hurdle since I posted my experience, but I didn't know about it so I thought others of my july/UK friends might not either and wanted to do my part to share info!

Sara

well, I took my little book to the medical, and the woman there filled in a form, and gave me a copy, saying 'you'll need this later when you're adjusting status' - would that mean that's THE form? or just another step along the way?

The bunny's a pretty private guy. He really only comes out for things like ship christenings, Bat Mitzvahs, and that one time he was nominated for an Academy Award for his work on "Watership Down II: The Pancakening."

yep, i think that's the one

it's basically one more unnecessary hurdle in the way of a person that just moved to a new continent: call doctors offices (especially whenever it is not your mother language) and try to figure out the cheapest one, then drive across town in a new city, new continent, in a car you aren't used to.
and then you sit in between a weird crowd in the waiting area: for me it were the uninsured workers of mc donalds, burger king, wendy etc that got hurt at work.

it's all part of the game named: how to make your first weeks in the US as stressful and unpleasant as possible.


*sigh*

but, hey, we have our biometrics apt. next saturday that way eric can come with me. seriously, in this AOS-limbo you really feel like not worthy of being a human.

is the form they gave you the DS-3025?? it is basically a duplicate of the I-693A in a different format. some people of the forum did just send in a copy of that instead of the I-693A to meet the requirement. As with everything in this process, it works for some and others said they were RFE's because needed the actual I-693A. Although, if you have this form, it would be handy to take along with you to the civil surgeon to fill out because it should make it quick to verify you have had all the vaccines!

Passed the behind the wheel test Why am I dancing here? With my experience it was just a piece of a cake anyways

Hope you are feeling better now Aly

Yeah sounds like it. If it´s the one in the sealed envelope. They said USCIS wouldn´t accept it if the envelope wasn´t sealed. Also I don´t know about others but in my case it wasn´t just a check of my vaccinations. They did the entire physical and also all the blood tests and all the other stuff. Basically the K1 medical all over again.


Yeah we haven´t done it either since we have been so busy all the time but want to do it this week too. Maybe you and I send it at the same time

Debz Are you packed yet?

congratulations to the drivers test!

I totally didn't know about this - no doubt I will be picking all your brains when I first move over - we are going to have about 6 weeks before we have the legal thing so plenty of time for me to get things in order - reading some of the posts here I feel like I did before I filed K-1... I mean - I don't even know all the form names off by heart!!



Gratzies!! And thanks! I am feeling well enough to come into work but not so great that I am back to normal - I can speak now though which is a bonus as my job involves phoning people. I have to try and get sneaky coughing fits in when on hold though which is interesting - am sure I will end up deafening some poor soul

where

is

my

passport

I don't understand. I specifically asked that Chuck Norris deliver it to you personally, accompanied by a marching band playing "Stars and Stripes Forever." Have you looked out your window lately?

yes, I have, and if I see Chuck Norris I will throw a raw egg at him

good grief; like I need one more thing to make me tired and stressed... 'between 8am and 6pm', so here I was bright and early at 8am at work, and now it's almost five and still nothing... I'd hoped it would come during the day and then I could have left at four; guess not

the embassy in frankfurt had troubles with the printer for the visa-stickers the week i had my interview. awesome timing. i had to go back to the embassy 3 days before i left for the US because it wouldn't have arrived on time via snail mail.

did you already book your flight?

Visions of "PC LOAD LETTER" come to mind...

my bicycle will arrive today
i hate driving the car here, so i got a really nice nice bike on ebay

still no job for me though

And when are you flying over? And when is your wedding? And, and, and...

Thank you

little steps, but they make you feel so much more like a "normal" person again, don't they?
anthing that brings normality and stability is such a relief!
like getting a bike i HATE driving here.
or like getting a drivers license. or the really simple things like buying a muffing baking form.

At the Embassy in Prague, when you get the tourist visa, they send it to you via courrier and you get it in a day or two or so. Though when you get the K1 visa, they make you go to Prague again and pick it up yourself the day after the interview

yeah makes you feel like you actually live here now although you never did before and so you don´t feel like a visitor or something
we got our bikes too not that I hate driving, cuz I kind of like it, but I love bike and sports in general

Aww - you both sound so much healthier than me... man I feel like a bum

Damn - I think I am going to have to go to bed soon - I feel shabby again - forcing myself into work is all very well for the money but I feel worse again now Need to rest up before work again tomorrow... man this sucks... guess this is what it will be like with my one week's paid leave a year