Immigration Site

Hi everyone,

I have immigration questions and i hope someone will be able to help me.

I came in to the U.S in 2003 as an F1 student. I faced hard economic time and requested my college for Financial help but unfortunately they had none for international students, but they help me get a Social security # so that i can work the the college for 20 hrs. The money i got was not enough to meet my living cost and therefore by December of 2003 and went to look for a job out side the college which is not allowed for F1.

I have been working ever-since then as a Technician but my employer had no idea that Im working illegally or am not a citizen.

Last year July i married a U.S citizen.

We are scared of adjusting my status because we understand that Working without authorization is illegal, and that can result to INS deporting me and we will never be able to see each-other again.

Please Help.

well to be honest with you, its not favorable and some officers dont like it at all, and may give you a hard time because of it. but theres no need to not start your process. as long as you prove that you came into the country legally and you are law abiding citizen by paying your taxes, you can explain your case, that you had hardship blah blah. lots of ppl work illegally. its not a good thing, according to the law, but i highly doubt that your going to get deported because of it. just dont go and tell them that you worked illegally unless they ask you. then be honest. otherwise keep it to yourself. so dont stress!!

Hi everyone,

I have immigration questions and i hope someone will be able to help me.

I came in to the U.S in 2003 as an F1 student. I faced hard economic time and requested my college for Financial help but unfortunately they had none for international students, but they help me get a Social security # so that i can work the the college for 20 hrs. The money i got was not enough to meet my living cost and therefore by December of 2003 and went to look for a job out side the college which is not allowed for F1.

I have been working ever-since then as a Technician but my employer had no idea that Im working illegally or am not a citizen.

Last year July i married a U.S citizen.

We are scared of adjusting my status because we understand that Working without authorization is illegal, and that can result to INS deporting me and we will never be able to see each-other again.

Please Help. Overstays and unauthorized employment are usually forgiven to spouses of USC. There is a form, called the I485A, which can be filled out as a sort of amnesty if you were employed illegally ---- it comes with a whopping filing fee of $1000. As far as I remember, it says in the instructions of the form that spouses of US citizens do not need to file it, implicitly implying that it is forgiven to them anyway.

Download the form from the website and read the instructions and the form itself carefully ---- I think youll get the answer there. I would do it for you, but I am tired ---- have a big memo due for Monday and have been carving my way through it.

That does not apply to him. Cyrus, you will be okay.

Cyrus does not have to fill out any I-485A.
For more information on Adjustment of Status you should go to www.uscis.gov and read the instructions carefully. Seat down and read all the instructions and forms, can be confusing at first but they are not.

Check this please, go to the part that says "otherwise eligible immediate relatives"

http://www.uscis.gov/graphics/howdoi/LPReligibility.htm

Immediate relatives of USC (e.g. spouses, parents and children under 21) are ELIGIBLE to apply for adjustment of status even they overstayed their I-94 and worked illegaly. The most important part is that in any case you must be INSPECTED by the time you enter, which I think you are okay since you entered as F1.

The I-485A is within the provision of the 245i (a.k.a. amnesty) that does not apply in this case. This form is use if the person is not a spouse or child (see below) of a USC, its eligible because is within the factors that apply for this provision (e.g. enter without inspection) and had a petition filed in s/he behalf before April 2001 as per instructions when this came up. There is a note on the first page of the form of I-485A that states the following: "If you are applying to adjust as the spouse or unmarried minor child of a US citizen or the parent of a US citizen child at least 21 years of age, and if you were inspected and alwfully admitted to the United States other than in C-1 or S nonimmigrant status, yo do not need to file this form".

In any case the eligibility list on the first link still rules.

Good luck,