So I heard JFK is the only airport that gives the temp EAD if your lucky I believe. I also heard you can't work until you have a SSN which could take over a month to get. so is the Temp EAD stamp worthless? JFK is a bit of a drive for us and I am wondering if we should just forget about it and just wait until AOS. I would like others opinions please.

We got the Temp.EAD at JFK but ended up not really using it - the real EAD only took about 90 days...

I think there are actually a couple other POE's that give the stamp still, someone said awhile back, but JFK's the one you always hear about...but even they don't give it every time, so if your SO goes through there make sure and have him request is special, which I don't even think they'll necessarily give it then.

The thing is it's free if you get the stamp at the POE whereas if you want to file for the EAD it's like a $400 + fee isn't it? That's what I think is not worth it.

I guess it just depends on your own personal finances and how quickly you think SO will settle in and want to start trying to find a job. He can always fly into JFK and then catch a connector closer to where you live, if you want. Keep in mind how high gas prices are. Or maybe make it a romantic weekend in/near JFK as a yay you're here sort of welcome thing if you drive up anyway? Then it won't seem like such a waste of bucks.

The cost of the EAD is included in the cost of the AOS when you file for it. There is no seperate fee. The total cost if $1010.00 for EAD, AP and AOS.

The risk you take with getting the EAD stamp and start working is that your actual EAD might not be processed within the 90 days of your arrival and will therefore make your stamp void and you will no longer be allowed to work.

However, right now they seem to be taking approx 2 months to the EAD's out after filing so if you were to file AOS immediately upon arrival you will probably be fine.

Depends what kind of job you want. I flew into JFK on saturday, they gave me the stamp, I went to social security today (I know you are supposed to wait two weeks, but I just wanted to check...) and I now have a piece of paper from social security saying I am authorised to work while I wait for my card, but I have to wait up to 8 weeks! If you get married and file AOS straight away, and just do casual work, it is worth it in my opinion. However, even though I have a job offer, and work authorisation, the computer says no in my case - my job can't enter me into the system without the cocial security number...

Also, even if it only gives you 3 weeks extra work, that can be a fair bit of money...

Oh yeh, the EAD is included in the AOS fee, but isn't there a way where if you don't get married for the full three months you have so you don't adjust for awhile, you can file for the EAD early? I think THAT's like 400 bucks or something. That's what I was talking about. And it takes weeks to send out or could I mean so that's dumb...

Have heard people say too that even if you have the EAD in some cases or maybe a lot of the cases, an employer still won't touch you with a ten foot pole, because of what MarknAshley are talking about - that they might hire you and then there'll be a gap there where you can't work.

i just cant decide if its worth it.. its either JFK or Newark.. they're pretty close. I believe JFK is only 40 miles farther but we have Newark down because thats where we always flew outta. So i really wanna make it as painless as possible and I am unsure if hes even going to use the temp EAD.

Kris is going to be going through Jfk and will hopefuly get the temp EAD. To me it would be worth it. When applying for work the employer is required to fill out an I-9 form. It asks for proof of identity and ability to work. This can be sufficed by the EAD stamp and passport. The SSN# can be provided to them down the line. Unfortunatley most employers do not understand this. To me its worth trying if it is doable though.

If you file for EAD before getting married it is only valid for the length of your I-94 (3 months). If you really want it, it would be worth your while to just go through JFK and get it instead of wasting the $400.

Got my EAD stamp at JFK,in my opinion it was not worth it at all (with the intention to work).
I did not get my SSN# in time.

See, i'm unsure whether it's worth it or not too....

If I fly to New York then it's an 8 hour round trip for my SO to come and get me... We aren't planning on getting married until July 19th so there is absolutely no way of me getting EAD within the 90 days that the EAD stamp at JFK gives me...

Is that true what someone said above though? About still being able to apply for EAD before AOS? If I do it the way i'm planning, then I will be out of work for 5 months at least (Which is going to be a bit tough financially speaking) So I would actually find it worth it to pay the $400 and get it earlier...

Do you have to be married BEFORE you apply this way though?

thanks everyone for your input.. Damian's been coming here 3 months at a time so we're used to him not working so we have changed our minds and are flying him into Newark that way we know exactly where to meet and how to get too and from. we know Newark like the back of our hands now so it won't be anything new. maybe a little longer wait from customs but thats understandable.

I don't know if it'll be worth it, but Alasdair is going to try to get it, just in case. We're having two weddings, the first being our "legal" wedding where we get the paperwork signed within a few days of his arrival, and then the "official" wedding in September. We'll consider ourselves still engaged until the "official" wedding, though we'll actually be married for all legal purposes. So basically we'll file our paperwork almost immediately and hopefully that will give him the ability to get some sort of tempwork until the EAD comes through.

I guess we'll see how it goes. Tentative entry is May 7th.

I think it's worth it...especially if your POE would be Newark otherwise - they're close enough.

We are entering through JFK to get it. I have a SSN so I can start working with the EAD straight away.

We are also having 2 wedding - the first inside a week of landing in July-ish - the second in October. Keeping quiet about the 1st wedding (don't want to ruin the big day for friends and family traveling from Ireland) will be a killer.

Seems that EADs are being approved - when applied for with AOS - within 2 months and currently shortening. Fingers crossed.

R

PS If you pay the $400 after you arrive to file for EAD, that EAD is only valid for the validity of your K-1, the same period as the free stamp at JFK.

yah if you were already going to fly into newark, why not go a little further for jfk. my husband received his SSN within a week or two.

it's worth it if you have a job lined up. But then again, you're gonna have to quit the job when it expires, so I wouldn't waste my time.

I didn't bother with the temp EAD, I didn't think it was worth the hassle. I enjoyed taking a couple of months to settle in to living here without having the worry of scrambling around to find someone to employ me.

Maybe this is a stupid question, but I am just getting to this part of our process (my fiance's k-1 interview is at the end of July). Anyway, my question is, how does he go about applying for a SSN?

Depends somewhat on if it is practical to go through JFK, AND if the beneficiary feels comfortable doing so.

• For Pras--not; swapping from customs and then changing flights would have been intimidating
• For Canadian K-1 beneficiaries--definitely not; means a trip outside of US and Canada, followed by a landing at JFK, which adds both expense and inconvenience (compared to the "generally simple" experience of going through a PFI, and knowing before flying the status of acceptance/denial by USCIS; also customs doesn't "go shopping" on you)
• Irish K-1 beneficiary, again not; as with Canuck know acceptance/denial status before flying to US--though you do have to worry about customs "going shopping"

best wishes.

my husband(was then fiance) went through jfk, but at this point has not been able to benefit from the ead... jobs are hard to come by these days.. still looking.. he got his ssn around 04/28/08, he arrived here on 04/08/08.. i feel let down because the card doesn't last longer and he will have to stop working until he gets his new one if he were working.. bummer.. but that's just my opinion though.. i really wish we could have not gotten the stamp and just immediately filed for aos after his arrival...it was more money spent on a ticket from new york to come here when he just could have booked his flight in cairo to come straight to birmingham..