I AM CURIOUS TO KNOW. THOSE OF YOU WHOSE SO CAME IN TO OUR COUNTRY THAT DID NOT GET AN EAD AT THEIR POE, WHAT DID THEY DO FOR EMPLOYMENT. HOW CAN YOU BE EXPECTED TO MAKE ENDS MEET ON ONE INCOME, ESPECIALLY IF THAT INCOME IS NOT ENOUGH TO SUPPORT ONE PERSON LET ALONE TWO. MY BROTHER IN LAW WAS THE ONE THAT FILED OUT THE AVAIDAVIT OF SUPPORT.

probably not the best question to ask on a public forum. under the table work is illegal and not supposed to be talked about here.

No employment before the EAD. No exceptions. Working before the EAD is a deportable offense I think. Any experts in this area?

Jackie

If I remember correctly, any unauthorized employment is actually forgiven upon adjustment of status based on marriage to a USC.

But just say no.

I GUESS I WASN'T THINKING WHEN I ASKED. SORRY

To prevent boredem and depression there are options, but not paying ones. Habitat for Humanity and other charities are always looking for volunteers, and the contacts made there could lead to a paying job once the EAD arrives. I happened to have the house in a state of renovation when Abdel arrived, so he worked on that until he could get a job.

renovating a house is an excellent idea until work authorization comes. working illegally brought our economy extremely down not that they dont work hard but illegal can never benefit anybody. That's why we have laws made for a reason.

I just have to tell you guys something. My husband was a nervous wreck coming into the POE and forgot to ask about the EAD. Which until the adjustment is made we are fine with this. I was doing it before him and I can continue. He can help by saving daycare and taking care of our son.

My husband was here just a few days and we went down to the Islamic Society. He walks out and there is a man with him ( he was from Palestine and had been here 10 years) and I could tell my husband was getting a little aggravated. This man approaches me and hands me this piece of paper with a name of a restaurant on it. He says bring him to my cousins restaurant tomorrow at 3 for work. It's an Arab restaurant he will be fine, very nice restaurant. He said he doesn't need a work permit to work for an Arab. I didn't argue with the man because we were kind of in a rush to leave and thats just not how I am but when he got in the car I asked him what did he say to you? He said I asked for information and he talked a few minutes and asked if I had a job and then offered me to work for his cousin. I explained to him what could happen if he was caught doing that and he said he would never have anyways. I just thought it was so strange for this man to meet him and within minutes try to persuade him to work for his cousin. They wouldn't give up either. That night my husband went to a meeting there and at the potluck dinner the cousin and the wife were there talking to him about it and trying to tell him it was legal. I told him to tell them that you aren't discussing this with them any longer and that you aren't interested.

Sorry this was so long but I wanted you to know how strange I thought they were and maybe the kind of things that your SO may hear.

This is why we are going for the CR-1/IR-1 even if it takes longer - we cannot afford to live on only my income for long.

No work before EAD. To keep busy my husband has been studying the driver's manual, researching different companies that he's interested in working for, spending time at the career center in our area getting his resume, interview and english skills perfected and in general just settling in by getting to know the area, visiting various mosques trying to find the one he likes the best and learning more about our culture.

Average time for ead going through vsc without applying for aos at the same time has been about 30 days so inshallah our case will come to completion soon and because of the prep work he can immediately go apply for a job that he thinks is right for him instead of just the first one he sees and inshallah have a good outcome. He's getting a little ansy around now because of the dire situation in Cairo with the increase in prices wanting to help his sisters out but he's a patient man and when he gets depressed about it he delves into prayer and reading the Quran.

He has been approached for a few under-the-table jobs but honestly I think they just see a newbie and they want to exploit all the hard work they can out of him. One guy wanted him to "train" for two weeks but wasn't going to pay him. hahahahaha. I told him nothing in this life is free you do anything for anyone and there's a pricetag on it, unless it is a GOOD friend.

I can't imagine waiting months like some have and hopefully we won't have to go through that but if for some reason we do he has talked to me about volunteering just to keep busy. He hates sitting in the house so lately he's been going into Boston walking around the city or going to the beach and walking around there.

Thanks - It is hard right now, I miss Govi so much. It has been over 10 months since we last saw each other, and the dicey phone and electric in Nepal don't help matters... I just think even if it is harder now then it will be better when he gets here, he can look for work and we can spend our time and effort on really building our life together instead of another bureacratic nightmare(AOS) - I know we are not completely done with USCIS/NVC once he arrives but I am happy we can get as much of this red tape done with at once - besides that extra $1000 could go towards an apartment rather than to NVC ...

For volunteering try volunteermatch.org and idealist.org - you can search by neighborhood and by interest.

My husband brought a fairly good amount of cash with him so money wasn't tight for us in the beginning, thank God. He was able to help with the bills and groceries, buy himself a cell phone, buy himself cigarettes, etc. He did a little networking at the local mosque and watched a good amount of TV (he was unable to drive and public transit sucks here). He was quite antsy by the time EAD was approved though. It took nearly 4 months for us.

Husband has worked in New York city, than went to Kuwait, now he married me and will come back, and he drives, here and in Kuwait. But truth be told I am the better driver, I always want to drive, butttttttttttttttttttttttt, for some reason he gets ansty, even my ex-husband was like that. wtf MEN