Hello
I have a question about POE. As far as I understand, a POE is where the fiancé is going to first arrive in the USA and go through all the immigration questions about the K1 visa and receive the EAD. Am I right?
I just got approved and hopefully will soon get an interview at the US Embassy in Paris. I'd like to buy now my plane tickets to the USA. I would like to leave from Paris and arrive at Anchorage in Alaska. Going to Alaska from France is really really long (it usually takes about 25hours), unless I use Condor Airlines - the plane takes off at Frankfurt, Germany, goes all over the north pole and land at Anchorage. So my itinerary would be Paris-Frankfurt, then Frankfurt-Anchorage, and it would take maximum 12 hours to do so. The lenght of the trip doesn't really matter to me. But, the reason why I'd like to take this plane is that I am going to travel with my two kitties, and I really don't want them to suffer from the trip
Anyway, I was wondering if Anchorage can be my POE for K1 visa?? I don't know if with the K1 visa, we are only supposed to use certain POE or not...
Thanks a lot for your help!!!!
Have a beautiful day

Faustine

It can be any POE you want... They are all able to process all visa types

You are free to chose any POE you wish when entering the US with a K-1 Visa.

Only a very small few POE's give the EAD stamp, though (JFK, for one, and I'm not sure which others).

All the immigrations questions about K-1 happen at the consulate for the visa interview. The POE tends to ask a few simple questions, and reinforce that a marriage needs to happen within 90 days. The POE officer wall also take the immigrations envelope.

Yes Anchorage will be your USA POE, it is an international airport. You can enter the USA ate any POE be it by Air, Land or by Sea.

You probably will not receive an EAD stamp at the POE, you will need to apply for EAD when you adjust status. K-1 should not apply for EAD before AOS because EAD takes about 90 days to get, and K-1 (Pre-AOS) EAD is a 90 day temp EAD with expiration 90 days after arrival on the K-1, essentially a useless $340 EAD.

NOTE: K-1 is not a work visa, it is a fiancee visa for entry to the USA and marriage, K-1 is "Work Auth" primarily to be able to get the SSN, some states are strict in their interpretation of a federal law that requires persons applying for a "license" to have SSN, this can cause a problem with marriage license if only one person has SSN and the other (the K-1 holder) does not.

Hello YuAndDan!
Many thanks for your answer. I guess I misunderstood, I thought that if the POE gave EAD stamp that would mean that I would be allowed to work? I doubt that Anchorage will give me the stamp anyway, but what if I would arrive by a POE that gives the stamp? That would just be usefull to get SSN, but people who get the EAD at their POE cannot work until they adjust their status, right? Could it be an issue for me not to go through a POE that grants the EAD? Sorry, lots of questions...
Thanks

Unless you want to work within the first 90 days after arrival, there is no issue one way or the other as it relates to the "stamp" or which POE you choose as you do not need the "stamp" to get a SSN....

If you get EAD stamp at the POE, you can work while the I-94 card is valid, that is 90 days from entry, after that you will not be work authorized until you have an EAD card or Green-card.

K-1 can get SSN without the EAD stamp, as far as SSA is concerned the K-1 is work auth with or without EAD.

However, Anchorage has not been one of the POEs that supposedly gives the work stamp.

Thanks to all of you for your help.
However, I have another question: If I go through a POE that doesn't grant EAD stamp, how long will it take after getting married to be allowed to work in the USA?? I don't want to stay unemployed for too long!!
Thanks!

Faustine

It'll be about 3 months after you submit your AOS application.

Wow, it is pretty long.... But thank you very much for the info!!

Yes Faustine Anchorage is a good POE. Good luck up there, I lived there for 15 years and loved it.[size="4"][/size]