How long to work?

[demiurgician 0]

Hi everyone,

My fiance and I are about half-way through the process, he has received his packet 3 and is just waiting for his police certificate to arrive before returning it to the London Embassy.

My question is this: On average, how long should we expect to wait from the time he enters the country on the K-1/Adjusts status to the time he is given work authorization? He will (hopefully!) be coming at the beginning of May, we will be married on May 26th, and hope to begin the AOS in early June, after returning to Chicago from our honeymoon.

I've tried to search for this, but frankly I'm confused about what exactly he needs, e.g. EAD (what does that stand for?) vs. greencard, and what role (if any) a SSN plays. If anyone could give me an idea about the average range, or even just point me in the right direction to do more research myself, I would appreciate it. I'm trying to figure this out now so that I know how much I should start saving for the time period when I have to support us both.

Thanks!

[TracyTN 237]

We're planning for a few months of him not having work authorization after we get married. Its really hard to predict an average.

[*julez* 124]

Check out this link to the guides:

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.ph...mp;page=k1k3aos

It tells how K1's file for EAD & AOS, plus has a link on the page for processing times.

Good luck!!!

[KarenCee 3]

My husband got his EAC in September and has just now found a job. The EAD took about 90 days to be approved, so all totoal about 4.5 months more or less from the NOA1 on his EAD to employment.

[demiurgician 0]

Check out this link to the guides:

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.ph...mp;page=k1k3aos

It tells how K1's file for EAD & AOS, plus has a link on the page for processing times.

Good luck!!!

Thanks, I had been to that page before but clicked on the wrong office links. Does anyone know how reliable the processing times are? For example, I'm in Chicago, and it says it's processing forms from August 29th (which freaks me out, 'cause 4 months is a long time to not even be able to *look* for a job), but the CSC still says June 1 for I-129F, and while there are of course some (very unfortunate!) people from June who do not have their NOA1s yet, I would venture to say that on average they have moved far beyond that...

[no name 1]

All you can do is check timelines.

http://www.visajourney.com/timeline/eadlis...;op4=1&op5=

[*julez* 124]

Check out this link to the guides:

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.ph...mp;page=k1k3aos

It tells how K1's file for EAD & AOS, plus has a link on the page for processing times.

Good luck!!!

Thanks, I had been to that page before but clicked on the wrong office links. Does anyone know how reliable the processing times are? For example, I'm in Chicago, and it says it's processing forms from August 29th (which freaks me out, 'cause 4 months is a long time to not even be able to *look* for a job), but the CSC still says June 1 for I-129F, and while there are of course some (very unfortunate!) people from June who do not have their NOA1s yet, I would venture to say that on average they have moved far beyond that...

I am sure they are processing for more recent applications, but if they have even 1 outstanding from that time period, that is the processing date they post. With that said, you need to be realistic - it is very likely going to be 4 months before EAD is granted, but you can always *look* for a job, just not accept a position! I know it stinks, but sadly, thats just the way it goes.

[1HappyGuy 45]

I assume that since you posted in this forum, your fiance is coming strictly on a K-1 visa. If you plan to have him work, then after the marriage you can apply for Employment Authorization Document (EAD) at the same time as Adjustment of Status (AOS). The timeline of course will vary and all that you can really depend on is other people's experience.

In my wife's case we applied for AOS, EAD and AP (Advanced Parole, otherwise known as travel documents) at the same time. It took about three months but we got the EAD and AP first. The AOS was completed three weeks later. Also, you will need to finish biometrics first.

So, depending upon your money situation and local office processing times, you might consider just doing the AOS (or green card) only. They confiscated my wife's EAD at the interview since they said she was approved for a green card. The green card arrived two weeks later.

So, from marriage in January, filing in February, biometrics in March, we received EAD and AP in early May and AOS at end of May and finally green card in June.

I hope that helps.