About to File AOS

[NY-Viking]

The $170 fee will be well worth it if she does.

175812[/snapback]

It's actually a $180 fee now.

175969[/snapback]

Well, it's worth that too.

 

Actually, I think it should be free. I mean this is a document saying that someone who is here legally and has already paid several hundred (if not thousand) dollars in other fees is allowed to work. The government takes 3 months (when you can get a temp EAD card if the real one has not been processed yet) or more to process the stupid thing, and in the mean time your choice is to not work and not make money OR to work illegally. And all the while the government denies itself of revenue you would have paid in taxes. IMHO, the employment authorization should be either free or a nominal fee and given as status (not a card that has to be processed) when you've filed for some legal way to stay in the States (such as filing for AOS).

 

But anyway, thanks for correcting the current fee. We should always check on the USCIS website for the current fees so we don't get an RFE for something silly like that.

[yuehan123]

It is certain that a lot of our wives want to keep busy, want to earn their 'own' money and like all of us, they want to feel useful. Maybe attending ESL is enough but many of the wives attend ESL and work. I am sure if we still lived in Calif near the Chinese buffet my wife would be working there 10 hours every day. Now we live in Florida, it is 90 miles to Chinese culture in Tampa and about 60 miles to a smaller community to the south. Sigh........

 

I agree with the trend- get the EAD now. But, refer to David's thread about filing electronically.

[awch]

My husband has thought about taking an ESL class and actually there are a lot of free ones in Chicago but they are all for basic English. He is way above that since he used to be an English teacher. He needs something just to improve his reading and writing skills and for all the places I have checked with so far, he would have to enroll in a local college.

 

For those of you whose SO's are attending ESL classes... are they at a local university? If so, is your wife's immigration status any obstacle to taking classes? Does it cost more if you are not a citizen?

[NY-Viking]

My husband has thought about taking an ESL class and actually there are a lot of free ones in Chicago but they are all for basic English. He is way above that since he used to be an English teacher. He needs something just to improve his reading and writing skills and for all the places I have checked with so far, he would have to enroll in a local college.

 

For those of you whose SO's are attending ESL classes... are they at a local university? If so, is your wife's immigration status any obstacle to taking classes? Does it cost more if you are not a citizen?

176200[/snapback]

The classes my wife is taking are at a local school, and they're free of charge (well paid with tax dollars, but I've gotten out of that the past few years, so free for me). We learned about them from a Continuing Education paper that lists classes available in the community - most are for charge, but at least some of the ESL ones are free.

 

We had the same concerns as you. My wife's spoken English is actually quite advanced. She was never an English teacher, but she did work for a US company in Shanghai for over 10 years. After her initial visit to the ESL class she wasn't overwhelmed with what they taught but she continued to go. She has grown to like it a fair amount because:

(1) It fills in gaps where her English (especially her written English - they have her writing essays and whatnot) needs to be improved - they also teach a lot of coloquial things that you don't pick up by being a Chinese English teacher in China (having studied, taught and worked there, I know this to be true, not saying your husband may not have picked up a lot of English slang, but it is a different kind of environment);

(2) It gives her something to do while she's waiting for EAD. Once she gets EAD, she'll be looking for work, and I imagine it will conflict with her continuing to take these classes, but there are some at night as well;

(3) She's made some friends there - both Chinese and from other countries. I think it's important for her to establish friends that are not directly connected to me, so this has been a great positive of the school.

 

So keep looking - I'm sure in Chicago there must be something that will be more or less his level, and if not, maybe it will be something to do to pass the time and fill in some gaps.

 

Also, if is considering taking any exams to get into a school here (GRE, LSAT, MBA, TOEFL) you might want to check the libraries to see what they offer. There's a library in Minneapolis that offers free classes to study for the TOEFL (and others), but there's a wait list of course. They also offer a program where you can speak to a bona fide native English speaker! This isn't such a plus given my wife can speak to me (it's more for immigrants that come on their own or with families .. not via K1, etc.), but it would be a targeted way to learn some English in a specific area or something.

[awch]

Thanks for the info- it's very helpful.

[tonado]

Working is a good way to learn English. My wife (who is shy) is forced to speak to customers at her workplace. Her English has improved.

[awch]

Working is a good way to learn English.  My wife (who is shy) is forced to speak to customers at her workplace.  Her English has improved.

176283[/snapback]

That's the idea as soon as he gets EAD- hopefully soon since biometrics is next week.

[pkfops]

This one is for David.

 

My wife just got home after spending two days

at her aunt's house in SF.

 

She had a catalog from SF City College and said

she wanted to take 3 ESL classes (free), Mon -

Thu, 10:00 - 15:00 and work part time in the

morning before class starts.

 

I told her I just sent the AOS/EAD off today and

she wants to know when she will get her work papers.

 

Things can change fast indeed; glad I bought the "Insurance".

 

Merry Xmas

[C4Racer]

My husband has thought about taking an ESL class and actually there are a lot of free ones in Chicago but they are all for basic English. He is way above that since he used to be an English teacher. He needs something just to improve his reading and writing skills and for all the places I have checked with so far, he would have to enroll in a local college.

 

For those of you whose SO's are attending ESL classes... are they at a local university? If so, is your wife's immigration status any obstacle to taking classes? Does it cost more if you are not a citizen?

176200[/snapback]

My wife takes ESL classes at the local community college. She goes three times a week.The cost is only 40 dollars per term. These classes are designed for immigrants and only allow non-USC with vaild passport from another country. They are funded by the State of Oregon. I think they charge a nonminal fee so they can control who is allowed and who is not. These are like the free ones in NY-Vikings area. There are many levels based on your level of English. They are designed to help some one become fluent enough to survive and work with the area. Past this you must look at clollege courses in our area.

She has been to some the free classes in our area (Not funded by the state) and finds since the teacher is not paid as much the level of teaching sucks. One of the free classes she attended, the teacher answered her cell phone in the middle of class. My wife never went back. She needs to get her English to a level where she can take the state tests for massage and facial license.

[david_dawei]

This one is for David.

 

My wife just got home after spending two days

at her aunt's house in SF.

 

She had a catalog from SF City College and said

she wanted to take 3 ESL classes (free), Mon -

Thu, 10:00 - 15:00 and work part time in the

morning before class starts.

 

I told her I just sent the AOS/EAD off today and

she wants to know when she will get her work papers.

 

Things can change fast indeed; glad I bought the "Insurance".

 

Merry Xmas

176375[/snapback]

[rosyanne]

We planed to file EAD with AOS. Since we just found a new house which we probably will move into in next month...I will have to spend more time than I could imgine for it so there is no need to have EAD. Work is good but we have whole life to work so... or I am just lazy...

[pkfops]

We received our interview appointment letter, for 04/04/06,

this weekend.

 

Still no EAD so it looks as if I spent $175 for nothing.

[david_dawei]

After 90 days, you can get a temp EAD...

 

Q. My EAD has taken over 90 days, what can I do?

 

A.

I called the National Service Center and they too confirmed the 90 days passed. They advised me to take ALL notices to the local service center to obtain a temp EAD for my SO and my step-son.

 

----

 

We're essentially the same.. got EAD and then interview a month later.

 

But she absolutely loves that card with her picture on it !!

 

If you get it, you'll have to bring it to the interview anyway...

[egolessvegan]

.....]

To Pkfops: We had the same situation. Applied for the EAD along with all the AOS stuff. Went through the entire process right up to the Green Card approval. Never heard a word about the EAD. Wasted $175 dollars. We are still waiting for our refund. HA! HA!

Ken

[pkfops]

After 90 days, you can get a temp EAD...

 

Q. My EAD has taken over 90 days, what can I do?

 

A.

I called the National Service Center and they too confirmed the 90 days passed. They advised me to take ALL notices to the local service center to obtain a temp EAD for my SO and my step-son.

 

----

 

We're essentially the same.. got EAD and then interview a month later.

 

But she absolutely loves that card with her picture on it !!

 

If you get it, you'll have to bring it to the interview anyway...

192532[/snapback]

Since we've had bad luck with the DMV & SSC it would be a great

morale booster to have her EAD show up in the mail.

 

The only thing she has is her medical insurance card.