Work permit?

[jim]

Hi Guy's
I am sure this has been asked before so I apologise.
My wife has been offered a paid position at our church. Which we are considering a change of status to an R1 visa which can lead to perminant status. However, I am the E2 visa holder, I know she is allowed to work with permission. If we were to apply for the EAD how long does it take? How much is it? Can I do this myself? Can she work while we wait for the authorisation?
Oh WOW so many questions....

Jim:D

[chris]

Jim,
When you say 'we' is it you changing status or your wife??
Under the law as it stands, the spouse of the E2 Visa holder is allowed to have a SS# and an EAD and therefore work and be paid for it. As you are the E2 Visas holder, it is your wife that is the spouse. It can be and is often the other way round.
Your wife will need to apply for a SS#. She can one from her local SS#. You will need to take in the ID paperwork, ie passport, Visa , I94, etc. It will take several weeks to get that through.
Your wife will need to apply for an EAD with the USCIS. You can download paperwork from USCIS. gov. Just go on forms and you will find it there. The form is I-765 and it costs $340.00. The forms tell you where to send it and it will take a while. Once you receive the EAD which lasts for one year, your spouse can take up paid employment. You will have renewal costs each year until such time as the R1 bit kicks in.
Hope this helps

[Kriz1]

Is the job to do with kids..that can make the wait longer

[jim]

Is the job to do with kids..that can make the wait longer

Yes....she has already had a back ground check and taken the various emergency/medic type courses. She is also half way through a college course to help with the position. Obviously, this could be a good opportunity for us with a possible GC

jim

[jim]

Jim,
When you say 'we' is it you changing status or your wife??
Under the law as it stands, the spouse of the E2 Visa holder is allowed to have a SS# and an EAD and therefore work and be paid for it. As you are the E2 Visas holder, it is your wife that is the spouse. It can be and is often the other way round.
Your wife will need to apply for a SS#. She can one from her local SS#. You will need to take in the ID paperwork, ie passport, Visa , I94, etc. It will take several weeks to get that through.
Your wife will need to apply for an EAD with the USCIS. You can download paperwork from USCIS. gov. Just go on forms and you will find it there. The form is I-765 and it costs $340.00. The forms tell you where to send it and it will take a while. Once you receive the EAD which lasts for one year, your spouse can take up paid employment. You will have renewal costs each year until such time as the R1 bit kicks in.
Hope this helps


Thanks Chris for the inforamtion.
yes it is my wife who needs the EAD. She already has a SSN. She was given it when we first arrived here. I always thought that was a bonus as other E2 spouces I know don't have one.
Anyone out there understand the R1 visa? or know anybody on it?

[JulieC]

Thanks Chris for the inforamtion.
yes it is my wife who needs the EAD. She already has a SSN. She was given it when we first arrived here. I always thought that was a bonus as other E2 spouces I know don't have one.
Anyone out there understand the R1 visa? or know anybody on it?

There is a lady who used to post, isnt on so much any more, that I met at a meet up a couple of years back, Am pretty sure she was R1. I think her name was Wendy.

[jim]

There is a lady who used to post, isnt on so much any more, that I met at a meet up a couple of years back, Am pretty sure she was R1. I think her name was Wendy.

Just looked back on her posts. yes I think she was on R1 how would I get hold of her any ideas. Her last post was October 2008

[eirelav]

(Quote: Chris Once you receive the EAD which lasts for one year)

Not always the case - I have just received 4th renewal of my EAD and for some unknown reason it is only valid for 8 months, despite having 18 months left on my I 94, and a E2 Visa (dependent) until 2013. I was always under the impression that they would be issued for a 1 year period. I have telephoned USCIS about the problem, and was told to send a cover letter, copy of my new EAD and copies of my I94 and Visa - this I did and received everything back within 1 week with a standard letter confirming receipt of my change of address!!!!!!!! I returned it all to them again informing them that I had not put in a change of address and that my issue had not been dealt with, again this week it has been returned to me, this time with a letter telling me that all enquiries are dealt with on the telephone and that I had to ring the 1 800 number if I have any questions. I called them and was told that the information given to me previously by one of their representatives about sending in a letter was incorrect and the correct procedure is to send in a completely new application and another check for $340 to have it corrected !!!!! So the crux of the matter is that if I did that I will have paid $680 for my renewal instead of $340 - that is daylight robbery why should I have to pay another $340 to have an error corrected.
Eirelav

[JulieC]

Just looked back on her posts. yes I think she was on R1 how would I get hold of her any ideas. Her last post was October 2008

Try Susie. She knew her quite well, may have a tel no or email address for her.

[JulieC]

(Quote: Chris Once you receive the EAD which lasts for one year)

Not always the case - I have just received 4th renewal of my EAD and for some unknown reason it is only valid for 8 months, despite having 18 months left on my I 94, and a E2 Visa (dependent) until 2013. I was always under the impression that they would be issued for a 1 year period. I have telephoned USCIS about the problem, and was told to send a cover letter, copy of my new EAD and copies of my I94 and Visa - this I did and received everything back within 1 week with a standard letter confirming receipt of my change of address!!!!!!!! I returned it all to them again informing them that I had not put in a change of address and that my issue had not been dealt with, again this week it has been returned to me, this time with a letter telling me that all enquiries are dealt with on the telephone and that I had to ring the 1 800 number if I have any questions. I called them and was told that the information given to me previously by one of their representatives about sending in a letter was incorrect and the correct procedure is to send in a completely new application and another check for $340 to have it corrected !!!!! So the crux of the matter is that if I did that I will have paid $680 for my renewal instead of $340 - that is daylight robbery why should I have to pay another $340 to have an error corrected.
Eirelav

Don't you just love this place!!!!

[Ed Tha Brit]

:fit: As I was telling Steve,

I am the E-2 holder so my my wife has the EAD, we just renewed our I-94 for Two years and her EAD has been renewed also for Two years?:doh:

There is no guidelines or rules just what that person feels like on the day.

Just my opinion, have a nice Day

Ed Tha Brit

[Steve in clermont]

US goverment are a bunch of wan***s.

Coming up for 8 months and my wife still hasnt had her work permit renewal back.
When they screw up they all hide their head in the sand and hope you go away.

[Kriz1]

Yes....she has already had a back ground check and taken the various emergency/medic type courses. She is also half way through a college course to help with the position. Obviously, this could be a good opportunity for us with a possible GC

jim

That's good...I had an offer of a teaching post in our local church...great pay and time off but long working hours so I could not take it because of my neck problem ..I hope it all goes well jobs with kids in a local church can be really good for getting free training..

[chris]

Reference the R visa and the woman called Wendy. If memory serves me correct, it was husband who had the visa as he started his own church - he was a pastor (self styled I don't know). I remember her saying that they had to prove they were 'real' and had a congregation, etc (how you prove that is nebulus to say the least?).
Suffice it to say he got the conversion to a GC and so did all the family. I remember her then saying that post any GC's they would make big changes. I recall after they got their GC's, little mention was made of the church and she was pushing some get rich quick investment scheme.
Draw your own conclusions on all that.
When I hear of how some people have got GC's, IMHO they are scurrilous at best, fraudulent at worst. For the rest of us poor suckers, keep hitting the head against the wall and praying for change.

[jim]

Reference the R visa and the woman called Wendy. If memory serves me correct, it was husband who had the visa as he started his own church - he was a pastor (self styled I don't know). I remember her saying that they had to prove they were 'real' and had a congregation, etc (how you prove that is nebulus to say the least?).
Suffice it to say he got the conversion to a GC and so did all the family. I remember her then saying that post any GC's they would make big changes. I recall after they got their GC's, little mention was made of the church and she was pushing some get rich quick investment scheme.
Draw your own conclusions on all that.
When I hear of how some people have got GC's, IMHO they are scurrilous at best, fraudulent at worst. For the rest of us poor suckers, keep hitting the head against the wall and praying for change.

Chris,
How do I get hold of her do you know?

Jim

[chris]

You could look on the member list under WENDY. You can view their posts and that might give a clue. I have no idea where she is. I personally don't think she is anywhere near a church now??

[twen]

Hi,

When I arrived in 2007, I duly went for my ss# and then applied for my EAD card [I am the spouse of the E2 holder] paid the $340.00 and got my card with 2 years it will expire 12 Sep 2009.

I have been looking at the site but could not see a renewal form...so I am guessing it is not any cheaper to renew, exactly the same cost and same process as the original application.

I guess I should really get this started now to avoid being out of authrisation just in case there are any glitches.

Wendy

[Ed Tha Brit]

Hello Wendy,

Welcome back hope you enjoyed your stay in Blighty?

We started our renewal in January for my wife's EAD and we got it back the bigining of May for 2 years so, yes start the process now and people have said already on this forum Company's are looking at USC first?

Git r done!

Have a nice Day

Ed Tha Brit