Work authorization while waiting for green card

[Weng Foong 0]

Hello, i have a very tricky question and hope someone could answer it. In 2007, i was working in US with L1 visa (3 yrs expired) for assignment in US. However, i was sent back to my home country Malaysia in 2010 after the contract is ended. BTW, i was married to a US citizen in 2010, she helped me to applied IR1 some time around Nov 2010, now that i will be going for my interview at consular Malaysia in July.

My question is - can i work in the US while waiting for my green card to be mailed to the US address? Since i do have SSN and have been paying US tax.

My second question is - how long does it take to mail the green card after the interview is approved? Do i need to physically entry US then only they will start the mailing process?

Thank you.

[Inky 1,111]

You get an I-155 stamp in your passport on entry. This stamp serves as a temporary green card till the actual one arrives in the mail. You can use this stamp to work and travel.

Edited June 25, 2011 by Inky

[Done--Really 331]

You must enter the US before the green card processing starts. You will get a satmp in your passport at the POE that is a temporary green card, so since you have a SS#, you can start working immediately--you do not have to wait for the actual green card to arrive in the mail. If there are any legends on your SS card, you will have to visit a SS office to have a new card issued, but that does not prevent you from working immedaitely.

[Weng Foong 0]

Thanks for the quick respond and good answers!

[Ryan H 3,812]

You get an I-155 stamp in your passport on entry. This stamp serves as a temporary green card till the actual one arrives in the mail. You can use this stamp to work and travel.

That stamp is I-551. Everything else is correct.