We were going to worry about all this after I got back to the US, but I am wondering- If I go back on the K3, can we file the AOS right away? Or do we have to wait a certain amount of time?

You can file right away - but I've heard that it's recommended to file for the EAD first then apply for the AOS because your EAD will last longer based on the K3 status than it would based on the AOS application itself.

Granted I've had a few glasses of wine, so you may want to hear some other advice I definitely know that you can file right away though

My husband will enter tomorrow on his K-3. It's a Sunday. I hope to have his AOS in the mail as soon as the Post Office opens on Monday. The EAD will be included in the pile of docs and it's all going to the Chicago lockbox. Hope I'm doing the right thing...

Hope he has a good trip! At least the bitter cold will help him transition a little better. Are there any Post Offices near you open on Sunday? There's one at the mall that has Sunday hours.

I'm filling out the I-765 (EAD) and it requires 2 photos less than 30 days old. So he'll be getting those on Monday. The Post Office here is open until 7:00PM, so the AOS package may still go out that evening.

As for the bitter cold, well, he never felt a thing in Toronto ... was always warm blooded ... never wore any of the toques or sweaters I knitted for him. His only compliant was that he didn't like to shave when it was cold. We both laugh at the way people in Jersey go nuts when the temp dips to freezing.

Mel was here for 4 days last week. He LOVED the cold and snow. It was me who was shivering and complaining, and I am supposed to be used it! I really miss the cold during summer when I'm in Louisiana. It is so hot and humid. You always feel dirty and sticky and bloated.

That is great we can file the rest right away after I return. Those can take as long as they want to process, I'll be back and it won't be as stressful as this is now.

send the EAD and AOS applications separately. That way the EAD will be valid 2 years, rather than 1 year.

Okay, I'm confused. Right now I'm getting ready to send the AOS (I-485) and EAD (I-765) together, listing the category as c (9).

But Reba and riblet -- you seem to be saying to send EAD first. To Chicago? Listing the category as (a) (9)? Because the EAD will last the life of the K-3?

What happens if you send them together? Only a one-year EAD that needs to be renewed?

If I send the EAD first, how soon afterards would I send the AOS (I-485)?

Sorry to be such a dunce today...

Just send them in different envelopes, you don't necessarily need to send them at different times. If you send the EAD in the same package as the AOS, they'll base the EAD on the AOS, and only make it one year. If you send it in a separate envelope, he should get a 2 year EAD instead.

But you won't need the EAD if you get approved for the AOS why confuse things. I got my EAD in december and my AOS interview is in Feb. By the time I got my SSN I am only a month away from my AOS. I found EAD pointless to spend the money on. But that's just my opinion. I wish I just would have waited for the AOS appointment.

depends on the district office though. My AOS took about 10 months to process, so having my EAD long before that was more than helpful!

Thank you for the valuable insights. I've decided to mail AOS and EAD separately, in order to get a 2-year EAD.

Newark is showing processing times of 7 months to a greencard and 3 months for EAD. Posted dates are always a tease, in my opinion, to be taken with a grain of salt. But they're all we have to base a decision on. So I'm forking over $180, hoping an EAD really does come in 3 months.

As for all the forms, I feel like Al Pacino in Godfather III: "Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in!"

Hey! Congrats on your reunion, Jersey!!!
I missed your big day... give him a 'Welcome to America, man' from me!