Gaita

Thanks. I was hoping someone would say that its no big deal, but its good to know the truth

many thanks again for your help

Gaita

Hi everyone,

I'm in a really tricky situation. I enter the States as a student and then began to work as a professor with an Optional Practical Training Visa. Then I married my husband. My OPT expired in July and I've been on an unpaid leave of absence since. This has been fine since its the summer and I don't do any official work anyway (just work at home). However classes are now about to begin on Monday and I still don't have my EAD.

My school wants me to teach my classes, even though I'm still on an unpaid leave of absence. But I don't want to do anything illegal that might complicate my AOS.

Any advice about how to handle this? Should I just teach my classes and hope that my EAD arrives sooner than later (90 days will have passed on September 24)? Can I get in trouble for this (since technically I'm working even though I'm not getting paid)? Or is it not a big deal?

Thanks so much for your help!

Gaita

Hi everyone,

I just found out that I am scheduled for my AOS interview on September 11 (unfortunate date though it is) - which is great! However, I still haven't gotten my EAD yet. I'm wondering how long after my interview it will be before I can start working with my Green Card.

Right after the interview, does the stamp they put in my pass port allow me to work, or do I have to wait until the card arrives? Any sense of how long I'll have to wait after the interview before I can stop worrying about everything (ie until I get my green card)?

thanks for your help!

Gaita

The text everyone is quoting about just having to show a NOA1 if for renewals of EAD not for people waiting for inital applications... even people with a K1 EAD are not renewing it when they apply for AOS... they are 2 diffrent applications and are not linked....

Beware doing anything to cause you problems that could come back to bite you....

Kezzie

I would also be cautious. I am in a similar situation. After reading your post, I asked both an immigration lawyer and the person at my school who deals with work authorizations and they both said unequivocally that one can't work without the actual card. Its possible they're wrong or have never heard of this loop hole, but I would be very cautious if I were you. I'm going to make an info pass appointment for Thursday to ask someone about this and will let you know what I hear

Gaita

Hello everyone,

I've been living in the US as a student before I married my husband ( a citizen). We've recently applied for our AOS and EAD. I currently have a work authorization with my student visa (an OPT) that expires on July 31. I applied for my EAD June 20, and had my biometrics on July 11. I'm really hoping that the visa will arrive in the next few days but I'm expecting that it won't. My question is, what should I do between july 31 and receiving my visa?

I am currently employed at a university and though it is large, they seem to be completely incompetant when it comes to immigration. I know I can't teach or get paid, but can I still go to school and attend meetings? How strict are they about "not working"? What should I ask my university to do?

Someone at my school suggested I take a voluntary leave of absence which means that I don't get paid, but still get benefits. Is this enough or will it still appear that I'm working for the USCIS?

My big concern is that I don't want to do anything to disqualify my Green Card application.

Has anyone been in this situation?

thanks in advance. all the advice on this site has been tremendously helpful

Gaita

now that's a loaded question.

We applied for AOS and EAD at the same time. Both apps I think wanted two photos.

We only included two photos in the package. Not four as one would assume they want. But what the hell do they want them for anyway when they do all this ####### for biometrics?

Jeezus. I could've sent in photos of UBL and they would've passed muster it would seem.

Dunno the answer to your question, but If they want it/them, then they'll definitely send you a notice for it.

Lol... I can see getting an RFE for two photos one day, then the next day an appointment letter for biometrics.

Worse yet, having biometrics completed, then getting an rfe for photos.

Hi,

Thanks so much for your response. Did your application end up being delayed? (I actually did the exact same thing -- two photos with AOS but none with EAD)

Gaita

Hi all,

Your posts have been really helpful to me. Thank you all very much.

I realized recently that I forgot to include photos with my work authorization (I-765). Does anyone know what I should do? Will they send me a request for more evidence or will they just take my photos when I get finger printed? Should I try to send them in rightaway?

Is there anything I can do to avoid delays?

Thanks very much for your help

Gaita

Hi,

I was wondering about the advanced parole so that I can travel while my AOS is being processed (I had a student visa and then married a citizen). I can't tell if its something that is quite hard to get or merely a formality. I don't have any trips planned in the near future, but was wondering if I should apply in case I have to go home for a family emergency. Do I have to have a specific trip in mind when I apply or can I apply just in case I feel like traveling? How long does it take to process?

Any advice on this topic?

thank you!

Hi,

I was wondering about the advanced parole so that I can travel while my AOS is being processed. I can't tell if its something that is quite hard to get or merely a formality. I don't have any trips planned in the near future, but was wondering if I should apply in case I have to go home for a family emergency. Do I have to have a specific trip in mind when I apply or can I apply just in case I feel like traveling? How long does it take to process?

Any advice on this topic?

thank you!

Gaita

Hi everyone,

I currently have a work authorization that expires on July 31. I was told that if I send in my adjustment of status (filed because I was a student and married an american) and work authorization (I 765) by June 15, I'd get the new authorization before the old one expires (someone at the school I'm working at told me that). Now they say it takes 90 days which means that I'll have to stop working during that time. Does anyone have experience with this?

1. does it really take 90 days or are they saying that so I won't bug them?

2. I realized just yesterday that in the rush to send everything in on time, I forgot to submit two photos (have been kicking myself very hard for this since I realized it). Do you think that will delay things significantly?

3. What exactly does it mean to stop working? I teach at a university and so I don't really work at school during the summer. Do I just not get paid or do I have to be taken off the books so to speak? Someone suggested I could take a 'voluntary leave of absence' where I wouldn't get paid but would still get health insurance, but I wasn't sure if this would be enough

thanks in advance for your help

Gaita

If you came across the border in the back of a semi with 96 other people, then you wouldn't have been inspected, and then you'd have something to be concerned about.

Too funny

Anyway-

We were concerned about that as well, so we called customs and borders in Washinton DC to get clarification.

The cause of concern? At the Champlain NY land crossing, they RARELY, and I mean rarely stamp the passport.

In 34 trips, (I'm a USC) I was only stamped twice! My wife has only been stamped once.

Anyway, they said it wouldn't be a problem, inspected means you saw a cusotms inspector,

and they allowed you to cross, with or without a passport stamp.

Thanks everyone! You made me feel so much better! Much appreciated

Hi,

I recently married an American citizen and sent in all the forms. On the I-485, it asked when the last time I entered the US was and if I was "inspected". For someone reason I thought inspected meant that they pulled me over and searched me. But after reading some blogs, I learned, I think, that it just means that I entered legally (ie showed my passport and student visa). Now, I was "inspected" in this sense, and it is clear from my I-95 (which is stamped). Will this cause any problems or delay my application?

This is such a frustrating process! I read the forms a million times, read everything on line that I could, called the USCIS for help a dozen times, but still feel like I didn't get it right. Any help is greatly appreciated. Thank you very much

Gaita