Working in the US with IR1 is Social Security all you need??

[swashbuckler-27 0]

I'm a British national with an IR1 spouse visa and entered the US recently and have my social security card my Green card is on its way and should be with me in the next 6 months.

A Brazilian immigrant scared me today by saying I also need a 'work authorisation' as well as the social security number/card and that it takes months to get one, is this true? I just started working somewhere and they didn't ask for this. Any info would be much appreciated!!

[Pitaya 2,577]

Congratulations!

Your requisite "work authorization" document is your Green Card, USCIS Form I-551. To legally work in the US, you will need that and your SSN (card) to present to your employer, who then will complete and send the proper employment verification documentation, Form I-9, to USCIS.

Good luck on your immigration journey.

~Moved from IR1/CR1 Process to Working and Traveling in the US Forum~

~Similar topics are often discussed at this forum~

Edited May 22, 2016 by Pitaya

[aleful 1,905]

hi

don't be scared, you are already authorized to work since you have the i551 stamp in your passport, until your GC

the stamp, which is valid for 1 year, authorizes you to live, work and travel while you are awaiting your GC

did you already pay for the card?

[Pitaya 2,577]

hi

don't be scared, you are already authorized to work since you have the i551 stamp in your passport, until your GC

the stamp, which is valid for 1 year, authorizes you to live, work and travel while you are awaiting your GC

did you already pay for the card?

Agree !!

I tend to forget about the temporary I-551 stamp in the passport, that is your temporary Green Card.

[Ryan H 3,813]

OP, references to some special I-551 stamp in a passport in this thread are not correct, CBP is no longer placing such stamps in passports. At the bottom of the visa itself is the following notation, "Upon endorsement serves as temporary I-551 valid for one year." The referenced endorsement is a standard CBP entry stamp placed on the page next to the visa itself with applicable information written in. This is the temporary green card until the actual card arrives in the mail.

[swashbuckler-27 0]

Thank you all for the reassurance! I think I still have to pay $160 which I haven't done yet because I paid $320 at the London embassy as I was applying DCF which I thought covered everything? Was I wrong?

[mallafri76 1,012]

I'm guessing your Brazilian friend came on a K-1, which does require work authorization. You're here on an IR-1 visa which means when you entered the US, CBP stamped your immigration visa and that immigration visa is now endorsed and act as a temporary green card for up to a year. You can work immediately, you don't even need your SSN to start work but you can't get paid until you have your SSN.

Once your visa was approved, you should have gotten a letter with your visa packet that explained about the green card fee and how to pay it. Your green card will arrive within 60 days of you paying the fee now that you're already in the US.

[NikLR 13,227]

Thank you all for the reassurance! I think I still have to pay $160 which I haven't done yet because I paid $320 at the London embassy as I was applying DCF which I thought covered everything? Was I wrong?

You still need to pay the $165 new immigrant fee on the USCIS ELIS website. Please do so ASAP so you can get your hard copy of the green card.

[dwheels76 5,468]

Thank you all for the reassurance! I think I still have to pay $160 which I haven't done yet because I paid $320 at the London embassy as I was applying DCF which I thought covered everything? Was I wrong?

Here's how to apply for the green card.

How to pay the Green Card Production fee of $165 on the Elis system.

NO NEED FOR ACCESS CODE, that is for other procedures like getting a copy of a green card, etc.

1. Create the ELIS account here: https://myaccount.uscis.dhs.gov/

2. Go here to pay fee: https://www.uscis.go...g-online-filing

3. Click to pay the USCIS immigrant fee icon.

4.Click "continue" at the bottom.

5.Enter the Alien Number and the NVC or DOS case. Use the same email you used on the ELIS account.

This is critical to enable your created ELIS account to receive your payment information.

6. You will get an email confirming your payment.

7. When you log again on the ELIS account, you will see your case number. (It is added automatically).

8. Login into your ELIS account to track or check the status of your Green Card.

Note: Green Card process starts when immigrant enters USA and is processed at POE.