Apply for EAD right away or wait until after marriage?

[Alabamak1 688]

1 minute ago, Oakmen said:

We have our whole families coming over for a large wedding in February, we aren't just waiting for no reason.

I didn't mean it like that. What I was trying to say is.....all the USCIS cares is the marriage certificate to file for AOS. Ceremonies are not necessary and are just proof for bonafide marriage for your later interview. 

 

From what i can read of your post, you would like to look for a job sooner than later, the only way on speeding this is getting married at the courthouse and filing for AOS

[icanbenobody 187]

8 minutes ago, Alabamak1 said:

I didn't mean it like that. What I was trying to say is.....all the USCIS cares is the marriage certificate to file for AOS. Ceremonies are not necessary and are just proof for bonafide marriage for your later interview. 

 

From what i can read of your post, you would like to look for a job sooner than later, the only way on speeding this is getting married at the courthouse and filing for AOS

I agree with you. Op could do courthouse wedding and file aos and have a large renewal of vows later/on the date that they plan.

 

And if the OP intend to work right away in the US they should have went to CR1.. K1 is not a good choice for this plan.

[Crazy Cat 39,261]

22 minutes ago, Oakmen said:

Of course it costs, I could be working, creating value and paying taxes and be a productive member of society.

Instead I have to sit here completely idle, there's a huge loss there for both the individual and society as a whole.

Not everyone who sets foot in the US is immediately authorized to work. Unfortunately, as a K-1 visa holder, you have no legal status in the US after 90 days here....until your I-485 is adjudicated ........but the sooner you file that I-765, the sooner you can get authorization to work.....  Good luck.....

Edited January 2, 2019 by missileman

[FluffyBalls 52]

17 minutes ago, Alabamak1 said:

first thing first and go to social security office and apply for SS# as of right now. After you have applied for SS# then get married in the courthouse and file immediatly for AOS/EAD/AP, so you can get these documents sooner than if you wait pointlessly till February 16

Don't you need the EAD to get an SSN? My wife got her SSN along with her EAD/AP card. Saved a potentially lengthy trip to the SS office.

 

The whole K1 process is a total deal nowadays. 9-12 months to get the K1, 90 days to marry and file AOS, and then back of the line for the I485, which can take 12+ months in some areas. And then ROC two years later. Worst part is if someone needs to take an emergency trip out of the country before they get AP, the whole process will be reset. 

 

What irks me is that there is literally zero benefit to doing things the "right" way by going the K1 route (vs AOS-ing from VWP/B2/F1 etc.) At the very least EAD/AP should be issued with the K1 visa. Or K1s should be given priority in the I485 queue.  

Edited January 2, 2019 by FluffyBalls

[icanbenobody 187]

29 minutes ago, Oakmen said:

That really sucks, I'll have to wait several months before I can start looking for jobs then. 

Thats the downside of k1 visa..you should have aware of this already.

29 minutes ago, Oakmen said:

How long is the processing time for the work permit when you send in the whole AOS thing after marriage right now??

 

It depends to your case,local office etc.

Like what other said mostly 5-7months

 

[Crazy Cat 39,261]

This is a pretty good guide...

https://www.visajourney.com/content/ssn

 

[Alabamak1 688]

1 minute ago, FluffyBalls said:

Don't you need the EAD to get an SSN? My wife got her SSN along with her EAD/AP card. Saved a potentially lengthy trip to the SS office.

 

the reason to get SS# is to be able to collect evidence for the AOS interview. Almost everything in this country is related to some degree as to having a SS# handy. My wife got one in 4 weeks after getting here. We didnt wait 7 months for EAD to get SS#. She had a bank account, credit card and other stuff almost immedietly, because I filed at SSA for her number. 

[FluffyBalls 52]

1 minute ago, Alabamak1 said:

the reason to get SS# is to be able to collect evidence for the AOS interview. Almost everything in this country is related to some degree as to having a SS# handy. My wife got one in 4 weeks after getting here. We didnt wait 7 months for EAD to get SS#. She had a bank account, credit card and other stuff almost immedietly, because I filed at SSA for her number. 

Good to know I guess. My wife didn't need one (she was pregnant) so we just waited for it to arrive. We filed in March 2017 and got the EAD/AP exactly 4 months later, 5-7 months seems high.

[Alabamak1 688]

I agree with @missileman and others....CR-1 is better choice for working right away. In most cases you wait longer with k-1 to get work permit and AOS done, but that will all have different factors. In my given month of filing AOS there was already 3 VJ members that got GC. My wife is waiting for her interview that is scheduled already. All being considered....we where happy with k-1 and a little more than CR-1 for the GC. 

[Boiler 43,438]

Get a job offer and seek an expedite,

[nastra30 1,984]

1 hour ago, Oakmen said:

Of course it costs, I could be working, creating value and paying taxes and be a productive member of society.

Instead I have to sit here completely idle, there's a huge loss there for both the individual and society as a whole.

I know you mean well but you are just one fish in a big pond of fishes going through the same thing. If this was about society and value USCIS/state department would have approved every petition or application within days. I get from your view that the whole system sounds unfair but that's just the nature of the beast (AKA US immigration). You as an individual or as a couple could have gone the CR1 route if you wanted to work right away but you chose the K1 route and unfortunately that's one of the disadvantages of K-1. 

[geowrian 22,335]

Don’t do the crime unless you can pay the time.

Not working for a while is a cost of the K-1 process.

[jdaveh 58]

2 hours ago, Oakmen said:

This whole process is just unbelievably stupid. 

Must cost society a fortune to have tons of people not being able to join the workforce for the better part of a year. 

How did you not know all this when you started the process? I researched and saved cause I knew my wife would not be able to work, Process is written down in black and white before you set foot in our country

[payxibka 10,044]

2 hours ago, FluffyBalls said:

Good to know I guess. My wife didn't need one (she was pregnant) so we just waited for it to arrive. We filed in March 2017 and got the EAD/AP exactly 4 months later, 5-7 months seems high.

A few years ago, green cards were 4 months.  Timelines expand and contract all the time.  Ead is currently in expansion mode

[Scandi 3,970]

2 hours ago, Oakmen said:

Of course it costs, I could be working, creating value and paying taxes and be a productive member of society.

Instead I have to sit here completely idle, there's a huge loss there for both the individual and society as a whole.

That's why it's important for the applicant to choose the right visa and do all the necessary research (which very much includes processing times). When you decide to apply for a K-1 visa instead of getting married and file for a CR-1 visa, you accept the conditions and plan for the process accordingly. If working right away, or soon, after entry - you choose the CR-1 visa. 

 

Only the one who didn't do enough research before filing will be surprised and upset when they do start to actually read up on it and realize it's not what they wanted.