Travel Girl

[Michael B]

A slick "Women's magazine", self description (from their website): This is a magazine for women on the go and the men who travel with them—as well as any children or pets who might be along for the ride!

I had never seen that magazine until today, I was picking up a couple of items in the store and one of the teasers on the cover caught my eye. "Is your love an international affair?" (or something like that). Anyway, I stood there and read the whole article (without buying the magazine, cheap, cheap). I was expecting the usual radical feminist MOB bashing, but they did a straight up honest story. They covered two couples, US man/Canadian woman and Argentin man/US woman. They weren't judgemental in any way, mostly just a story about the immigration hassles they had to go through. Both couples met at work, both couples were well educated and worked in decent jobs, both couples could speak to each other in a common language. I did notice one factual error in the story (unless the law has changed since my wife got here). They said that one of the problems was theat the immigrant could not do hardly anything (not even do volunteer work) because she could not get a Social Security number while here on a K-1 visa. They gave my wife (fiancee at the time) a SSN card with no problem at at--That's what the law says (at least that's what it said in December 2003) they are suppossed to do.

[Ray]

... in response to Travel Girl, posted by Michael B on Nov 20, 2005

Michael,

You are correct that the article contained erroneous information about obtaining an SSN while here on a K-1 visa. It is a common misconception that you can’t work on a K-1 visa and a big part of the reason is ignorance of their own policy on the part of many SSA employees.

The law specifically allows a K-1 visa holder to work and they are eligible for a restricted SS Card if they apply within 75 days or so of arrival. Even though the SS Card will say that it’s valid for work only with DHS authorization like Chris F pointed out, the work authorization is automatically implied for K-1 (not K-2, K-3, or K-4) visa holders during the first 90 days of their stay. After 90 days, they will need to apply for an EAD Card (I-765) as part of their Adjustment of Status.

Another problem is that many employers are not aware of the implied work authorization for K-1 holders, and they may be reluctant to hire them. I have heard of some K-1 visa holders who were issued temporary EAD Cards, valid for the first 90 days, at their local CIS office at no charge.

I would recommend that all K-1 visa holders apply for an SS Card within the first week or so of arrival if they have any intention of working. They will need to have a new SS Card issued after the marriage, but it’s a fairly simple process and unlike immigration services, it’s free.

Ray

[Chris F]

... in response to Travel Girl, posted by Michael B on Nov 20, 2005

My wife arrived on July 9th on a Fiance visa as well. My wife was allowed to get a Socoil security card after she had been in this country for ten days...which she did.

The card however clearly states on it..."Valid for work only with DHS Authorization".

We are her 485 paperwork now...as well as her EAD document...which will give her work authorization.