Gundog100

We got our E2 visa end of Oct 2017 and moved to Florida on 1 Nov last year, my wife STILL hasn't got her work authorisation OR SSN and it's really affecting us financially.
How long did you guys wait for this?
We have tried calling the relevant dept but just keep getting told we have to wait....?

civilservant

It's taking 4-6 months right now.

Fred16

SSN time seems a long time so I will ask the question

You did apply for them right

What is the status of the EAD on the USCIS case status
https://egov.uscis.gov/casestatus/landing.do

What are the processing times for the EAD ( albeit these are nearly always out of date )
https://egov.uscis.gov/cris/processTimesDisplayInit.do


Our most recent EAD took 103 days (very recent )

Gundog100

Thanks Fred, yes we just had a letter dated 21 Feb which says they have our request and we just have to keep waiting.
It's a landscape business we have do the profits will start going down and if my wife can't start earning money soon we will have to sell the business and go home.
It's extremely unhelpful that the process takes so long, it feels like they don't want Brits here really!

Rete

You got it, Toyota. The British accent has become as common in the US as fleas on a dog and this is Trump's way of culling the influx of islanders.

Noorah101

Can't she apply for the SSN without the EAD? SSN should have only taken 2 weeks.

Rene

Noorah101

It's not just Brits. "America" doesn't really want ANY foreigners.

Rene

Twinkle0927

Why would the profits start going down? My husband is in landscaping and they are heading into their busiest time of the year (in fact they are always busy - in winter they do ice melt and snow shoveling as well but this is obviously not necessary everywhere). From spring they start working 7 days a week and still can't keep up with it all. They draft in temps for the spring and summer.

Pulaski

If you're that close to the edge, financially, it sounds like you have bought a subsistence business. Don't be surprised if your visa isn't renewed when the time comes.

scrubbedexpat099

Did not think she needed EAD to work in the business?

Nutmegger

Many couples on E-2 don't go into the visa as a partnership, so that the other spouse can apply for an EAD with the hopes of catching on somewhere and being sponsored for a green card.

scrubbedexpat099

Would have solved the OP's issue is they need two incomes.

Rete

Unlike other areas of the country where there are 4 or 3 seasons, Florida is one of those states that gardening is required all year round. From what I know of Florida having a sister who has lived there in a gated community for several years and whose husband is on the board and a daughter who lived in Naples for several years, if you are a small mom and pop establishment, you will only be doing individual homes and there's no money in that. Gated communities contract out to large lawn service companies who employ legals and illegals to do the crap work. I've been there to see for myself and to substantiate my sister's complaints, that the workers who are employed by the HOA's choice of lawn care service do not speak English. Their foreman does and will translate the homeowner's request to the worker. This is the only type of company that makes money with this type of service in Florida, at least in my opinion.

Lawn service and pool cleaning are two of the most popular businesses for foreigners to buy into and/or start up as a means of getting an E2 visa. And they are also two of the most likely to fail within a year or two.

scrubbedexpat099

Agree, you are at an immediate disadavantage if you can not use the illegal labour pool, significant increase in your labour costs.

Twinkle0927

I wonder what was put into the business plan to show how they would sustain the business through the lean months. Somehow the business plan was approved so it must have been thought-out beyond the first 4 months. Doesn't look good if they are already running out of money.