After the beneficiary enters the U.S.A. on the K1 Visa, he or she should apply for a Social Security Number (SSN) no sooner than 2 weeks after arrival. I personally would recommend 3; this ensures that the beneficiary is entered into the SAVE database, and there will be no extra processing times. After applying for the SSN, it should take 2-4 weeks to arrive in the mail, if there is extra processing time, it can take up to 8 weeks. The beneficiary will receive a "conditional" Social Security Card (SSC) which states that he/she is not valid to work in the U.S.A. without an Employment Authorization Document (EAD).
After you are married (and within the 90 days), it is recommend that you file for the Adjustment of Status (AoS) as soon as possible. If you file for the Employment Authorization Document (EAD) and the Advance Parole (AP) at the same time as the AoS, there is no fee for the EAD and the AP, so you'll only have to pay for the AoS and Biometrics. If you file for the EAD and the AP separate from the AoS there will be additional fees. The EAD and AP are typically processed in 3-6 months, most see it around the 3 month mark. The AoS can take upwards of a year, but it is typically 8-12 months.
The AoS, if approved will give the beneficiary a Conditional Green Card (CGC): 8-12 months on average, can be longer.
The EAD, will give the beneficiary permission to work and earn money in the U.S.A.: 3-6 months on average; bundled with AoS, not additional time.
The AP, will give the beneficiary permission to leave the U.S.A. temporarily whilst processing the AoS; 3-6 months on average, bundled with EAD, not additional time.
Filing all three will not effect your processing time, the times are concurrent.
After you've filed for the AoS, if an emergency arises and the beneficiary needs to return to his or her country you can make an infopass appointment to expedite the AP. Emergencies are typically: Medical issues which need to be address in the beneficiary's country, the death or sudden severe illness/injury of an immediate family member, court proceedings which require the beneficiary's presence.
If the benficiary is granted a CGC he or she will need to lift the conditions in 2 years. A CGC is assigned to new immigrants who have been married less than 2 years. Once the conditions on the Green Card (GC) are lifted, it will be a standard 10 year card. There are additional fees and processing times associated with lifting the conditions on the CGC, please refer to the guides, and the USCIS website.
It is recommended that you request a replacement passport prior to your arrival in the U.S.A. It is a pain, but it will save you some time and worry in the future. In addition if your passport expires within 6 months of your K1's expiration date, many embassies/consulates will require you to renew your passport, so it will remain valid, whilst you're in the USA and (hopefully) processing the AoS.
