carjen

I just want to make sure I've got this totally correct-
we are filing a DCF from London, where I (the USC) am resident. Once my husband-UK- has been given his visa, it is like having a green card and he will be able to work as soon as he enters the US, regardless of which port of entry we choose. His SSN will be on its way soon after that and in the meantime he will be able to work as soon as he secures a job.
Is that right?
Please, helpful practical experienced replies only, cos I'm a bit dim and I get easily confused!
Thanks,
Kiera

Rete

right on all counts but the social security card. After entry into the US he has to go to the SS office and apply for one with his passport and I-551 in it as proof of eligibility. He can call the 1-800 a few days after applying to see what the number is so that he can provide this to a future employer.

Rete

mdmd101

Kiera:

Just want to remind you that you have to be resident in the US to sponsor an alien.--Petition and sponsorship are two different concepts.-- You can petition someone while you're living overseas; however, to sponsor (affidavit of support) required during the Consular processing requires that the US citizen sponsor is resident in the United States--no exceptions.

The only exception is that you're working in a merchant ship or working for US Government (armed services) or your US employer has posted you overseas.

I was living in India, but as soon as I decided to get married, I move to the US and took up a job.

I just heard from a Russian (US citizen) friend of mine who is doing business and living in Russia that the Consulate did not allow him to bring his wife to the US as he wasn't resident in the US. -- This is an immigration law, not a local Consular policy.

Hope all of this makes sense.

Rete

That is incorrect. Kiera is a US Citizen who is a legal resident of the UK. As such she has the ability to file directly with the US Consulate in London for her husband's entry into the US as a [C]Permanent Resident. The fact that she is not a resident of the US does not mean that if she does have the assets required to meet the requirements of the affidavit that she cannot use them. That is the exception.

Rete

L D Jones

carjen wrote:
    > I just want to make sure I've got this totally correct- we are filing a DCF from
    > London, where I (the USC) am resident. Once my husband-UK- has been given his visa,
    > it is like having a green card and he will be able to work as soon as he enters the
    > US, regardless of which port of entry we choose. His SSN will be on its way soon
    > after that and in the meantime he will be able to work as soon as he secures a job.
    > Is that right?

Yes.

    > Please, helpful practical experienced replies only, cos I'm a bit dim and I get
    > easily confused!

My wife and I also did DCF in London. We enterted the US in March.

Spouse enters the US with visa. Receives "I-551" stamp in passport. This stamp is the
equivalent of the actual plastic greencard. POE does not matter (we used Newark).
Travel is possible with the stamp, no 'advance parole' needed.

Take the passport with the stamp to the nearest SSA office. Fill out a simple form.
Receive SSN in the post a couple of weeks later (can get it earlier via SSA 800
number). The SSA person we saw seemed to recognize the stamp right away.

Plastic greencard arrives in the post (mail) sometime later (my wife's arrived after
about 6 weeks when we were told up to 9 months at the POE). If you've been married
for more than 2 years the card will be a "permanent" one and good for 10 years. If
the marriage is less than 2 years old at time visa is granted the card will be good
for 2 years.

I don't think one can actually start working without the SSN so get it first. There
may be some sort of new "check" the SSA does with INS before the SSN can be given but
I'm not familiar with that (only in AOS cases?). There was no check in my wife's case
or if there was, it was done very, very quickly since she called the 800 number 2-3
days after we visited the office and was able to get the number.

carjen

Thank you everyone for this information. The parts regarding SSN were particularly helpful, and it's a great relief to know my husband can find out his social security number so quickly.
If anyone's reading this, here's another question:
My husband has a UK driving licence. What will he have to do to convert this or obtain a US one, given that we are planning on settling in California.

L D Jones

carjen wrote:
    > Thank you everyone for this information. The parts regarding SSN were particularly
    > helpful, and it's a great relief to know my husband can find out his social
    > security number so quickly. If anyone's reading this, here's another question: My
    > husband has a UK driving licence. What will he have to do to convert this or obtain
    > a US one, given that we are planning on settling in California.

State laws all differ slightly in this area. Look at the CA DMV website. As a
resident I'm sure he will eventually need (and want to get) a CA license.