manish1980

I am currently in Sydney, Australia.

My LCA got approved few days ago. Now I have apply for E3 visa. But my wife is trying to get a separate E3 for herself to avoid potentially 3 months of unemployment ( while waiting for EAD). But there appears to be a slowdown in recruitment activity in US due to the holiday season.

I am thinking of following different options now.

1) Apply E3D now along with my E3 and continue search job from Australia for another month or so. then apply for a separate E3 once she finds an employer.

2) Incase, she is unable to find employer from Australia, she comes over to US as E3D and apply for EAD and parallelly search job while in US and apply separate E3 once she finds an employer. ( while she has E3D and waiting for EAD)

3) Come over to US as E3D, apply EAD and return to Australia and come back once EAD is approved.

Does anyone knows if above 3 options are technically possible i.e apply separate E3 while on E3D or E3D+EAD and exiting US while waiting on EAD? Any help will be highly appreciated.

Cheers
manish

augigi

1) Yes. Although not sure why you'd try to apply for an E3 from Australia rather than the US.

2) Yes, of course. Although she'd be best off to leave the US to apply for a new E3 (versus changing status within the US) as it's faster and cheaper.

3) Why would you need to return to Australia and come back when EAD is approved? This makes no sense. You'd just come over as E3D and then get your EAD sent to you.

You can always apply for a new E3 at any time regardless of your current status (as long as you're happy to risk your current status for the new one if you leave to go to an outside US consulate).

manish1980

Thanks for responses.

Regarding point number 3, I thought you have to come back for biometric stuff as it can be done only in US? Do we know long EAD time is taking on average these days ? 2 , 3 , 4 or 5 months?

augigi

Wait time depends entirely on where you apply, I imagine. Generally 60-90 days. I don't know what you mean about the biometrics. You'd enter the US as E3D, apply for EAD, take biometrics, and wait for EAD to be approved and sent.

Bellthorpe

Because you can't apply for an E3 visa in the US.

As I understand it the OP was describing options for his wife - this option would be to allow her to continue working (in Australia) until her EAD was issued. But as I've pointed out to him elsewhere:

A problem with option 3 is that after applying for the EAD, she will be called to provide fingerprints (and potentially an interview, but unlikely). It might just be on a week's notice.

While not spelling it out, some of the questions assume that she's in the US at the time of application. US address; I-94 details; current immigration status; date and place of last entry.


'Where you apply' would normally be online, so they'll all be about the same.

I have an EAD, it took 2 months and 1 week.

The question about biometrics was in relation to the option of her spending the intervening time in Australia, which is not practical.