What do people generally do while the green card is processing? My husband has been here for 2 1/2 months and is going CRAZY without any work. He can't do anything??? This whole situation has taken a hit on our relationship, and it really needs to stop.

Can he tutor people in his native language without getting in trouble? What have you guys/girls done!?

Hi,
Did he apply for an EAD? I think that will come long before his green card.

yes, or worst case, after 90 days, hit up infopass.

I try to keep busy ... I was doing some landscaping in the backyard and now just some maintenance around the house ...

I get to start working soon so I am looking forward to that ...

Yes, he has applied for the EAD card. He did that last Tuesday.... but he has already been here since August 17th. When I come home from work his eyes are red and tired.

I feel guilty that I can't do more. I think he unintentially gets frustrated with me, and I'm running out of resources. We loves each other dearly, but sometimes I wonder where all of this waiting is going to take us in the end.

Can you give me a list of options he could try? (Tutoring, volunteering, etc..)

Staying at home has been a nightmare for me as well. I'm glad they'll probably be sending me the GC within the next few weeks. Your hubby can volunteer, I don't because I don't have a car yet, but that's a great way to stay busy and also to increment his resume. Volunteering is highly appreciated in this country, and also helps people or animals who really need it!

As for the EAD, sometimes it takes longer for them to process it than your GC. I still think it's worth it to apply for it, in case you get stuck in the FBI name check, but it didn't work for me because I was approved last Friday and my EAD was approved yesterday (too late!).

Hope you can find something for your hubby to do, I know it's hard, but you guys will get through it!

hello
my husband is in the same boat... he's been here since july, we've been married since august and s t i l l w a i t i n g...
he spends his time rearranging the apartment (it looks different every day) and cooking and reading about his favorite football team from scotland on the computer...
he has bad days, but we try to get outside (go for a walk or the park on a good day or go to the mall or my parents or anywhere to get him out) every day after i get back from work.

it's rough but best of luck to you...
happy thursday

Anywhere that takes volunteers and wouldn't normally pay someone is accepted ...

I can understand how frustrated he is ... I find that I have days where I am depressed ... My wife works alot of hours and also does one night a week of night school and homework on other nights ... Just be patient with him and understand what he is going through ... Maybe try to get out one or two nights a week and it doesn't have to be anything that costs just something to get him out of the house ...

When I start complaining my wife looks at me and says "your here with me so thats all that matters" ... Mind you my wife makes good money so we are not struggling for cash so that makes it alot easier ...

Go to the Local Library, Sign up for a course to update your skills, check with your local community board, some of them have adult classes, something to keep the mind busy. preferably do those chores when the other partner is not at home, online courses, go out meet new people, volunteer at a local church or something you are fond off, all those skills and contact will come handy when it's time for a job interview you can use them as reference

Bonne Chance!

I try to keep myself busy by keeping our family home looking lovely. I also go to the gym most days, am teaching myself guitar (I suck, haha), and thought it might be fun to learn Spanish via some CDs I bought in the bookstore. I also find websites with advice and support I can go on (like this one), and have my poor hubby phone and email his congress people and contacts for the latest updates on a regular basis, while I have contact with the UK MP and MSP (parliament people) to see if they can't help get our FBI name check higher up the 'to do' list.

Mostly I just wait. Sometimes it is so frustrating I could cry, and sometimes I can waste whole days watching reruns of my favorite TV shows - I try and avoid the soaps as I think they're crazy, and I don't watch chat shows unless I want to remind myself how 'normal' I am in comparrison to all those people who want to air their dirty laundry on national television. Sometimes I hang out with my friends, or watch those chick-flick movies that come out that I know it would be unfair beyond words to force my husband to endure . And sometimes I just write to my friends back home, pen and paper style, since I have all the time in the world to send them something a little bit more personal than an email. And sometimes I read the DMV handbook in preparation of that awsome (and terrifying) day when I finally get to start learning to drive .

I also remind myself how lucky I am that I have great friends who love me, and an awsome husband who is more than I could ever dream of, and that one day, way down the line from now, I will wish for those days when I could simply kick back and do nothing for hours at a time. Nothing is forever, not even waiting for a GC.

- to show my support and understanding,

Annie
x

I'm having a hard time coping as well, but I'm gonna start looking into taking some classes or doing some volunteer work.

Sorry I have to ask, but what took him so long to apply for EAD?

I'm in the same boat as well. Applied for the EAD and Aos so back in the waiting room so to speak. Every now and then I am absolutely bored out of my brains. I keep myself busy by bike riding, walking, going to the beach and doing stuff around the house, but there is only so much you can do of that before it starts to get boring. I have been doing some volunteer work as in helping out in neighborhood events and a sport event, but the volunteer work that I would like to do require for me to have a drivers licence which at the moment I don't have and unfortunatly my hubby can't just take me anywhere all the time since he does have to work himself. I am looking forward to getting the Ead so I can go to work, but that probably won't be until the end of the year I am afraid. To me, the feeling lonely part is the worst though. I don't have any friends here. I know people through my husband, but that's not the same. I miss hanging out with friends, going shopping together, gossiping etc. I do meet people when I am out and about during the day, but very rarely it is someone of my own age (30something), mostly I seem to run into 'old' people (the retired 60+). Nice people and don't get me wrong, I have nothing against old people but it's not the same . Ah well, I just needed to vent my little bit of frustration.

Take care all!