# Sydney to NYC questions...



## fleurr (May 11, 2012)

Hi Everyone

I have done some searching and found tons of answers but just have a few question regarding our big move coming up and hoping someone who has been through it all might be able to help out..

My husband has just signed with a large technology company as part of their NYC office and we will be coming via E3 and E3D for myself. I understand thanks to these forums and the immigration lawyers that we need to wait 10 days after arrival to apply for the SS number's but i'm unsure if that means JUST my husbands SS number and I am ineligible for one (at least until 3 months have passed?) or if we can both get SS numbers after 10 days?

We decided to fund some health insurance of our own as the company also will have trouble enrolling us in the provided health insurance (Aetna OAMC PPO) until the number comes through. Which is sort of concerning me that if I can't get a SS# number for 3 months then I need to fund 3 months of insurance for myself...


Any help is greatly appreciated!


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## twostep (Apr 3, 2008)

You can apply for your social security number with your husband. Your EAD (work permit) will take about three months processing time from application.
I hope you will get reimbursed for the insurance expense.


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## fleurr (May 11, 2012)

Thanks twostep...just to clarify I apply for the SSN same time as my husband but I won't receive it until the EAD is approved (3 months)?

One more question for anyone who might have experienced this is i'm a bit clueless about the health insurance companies over there and wondering if travel insurance from a company in aus might be suitable for that 3 month gap..only thing is maybe you can't buy australian travel insurance when on a USA visa?


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## twostep (Apr 3, 2008)

fleurr said:


> Thanks twostep...just to clarify I apply for the SSN same time as my husband but I won't receive it until the EAD is approved (3 months)?
> 
> One more question for anyone who might have experienced this is i'm a bit clueless about the health insurance companies over there and wondering if travel insurance from a company in aus might be suitable for that 3 month gap..only thing is maybe you can't buy australian travel insurance when on a USA visa?


SS# - apply with your husband after you are in the US for two weeks. This allows your information to be processed. 

EAD - you can apply for it as soon as you have your SS# and it will take about three months to get it. There may be a way to apply for it with your husband's visa application through the employer.

Medical coverage - check with your insurance agent if you can bridge 30 days ore more.


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## fleurr (May 11, 2012)

Ok thanks twostep for your help!

Sure does make it alot easier for me that I don't have to wait 3 months for a #SS!


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## Davis1 (Feb 20, 2009)

get the EAD first 
Application for a Social Security Card - Form SS-5-FS


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## hutais (Jul 2, 2010)

My SS took 4 weeks and my EAD took 3 months. We are here in NYC on a E3 too from Sydney. We have been here 1.5 years and we are coming up to renewal of E3. Its a hassle as I have a EAD and I have a job. With a EAD you have to reapply not renew and it takes 3 months again! So we have to renew the E3 a few months before to give me time to apply for a new EAD so I can continue working. Otherwise technically I could be "illegally working".

Oh and you need your SS to get your NYS drivers licence. Make sure you plan for that as there was a 6 week wait to sit for the test too.

Enjoy your time here is an amazing city!!


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## hutais (Jul 2, 2010)

hutais said:


> My SS took 4 weeks and my EAD took 3 months. We are here in NYC on a E3 too from Sydney. We have been here 1.5 years and we are coming up to renewal of E3. Its a hassle as I have a EAD and I have a job. With a EAD you have to reapply not renew and it takes 3 months again! So we have to renew the E3 a few months before to give me time to apply for a new EAD so I can continue working. Otherwise technically I could be "illegally working".
> 
> Oh and you need your SS to get your NYS drivers licence. Make sure you plan for that as there was a 6 week wait to sit for the test too.
> 
> Enjoy your time here is an amazing city!!


Oh and with health insurance there is this special coverage they have for a few months. You will be fine as we had to do that when my husband changed employers.


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## fleurr (May 11, 2012)

thanks hutais!!

could I ask did your husbands employer provide the special coverage for a few months or did you get it yourselves? would be so great if you could point me in the direction of who you used if you did it solo!

i'm thinking of doing travel insurance just for the first month or so which seems to be a possibility according to the travel insurance company..it's still up in the air though

thanks so much...we will! sounds it's working out nicely for you there


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## hutais (Jul 2, 2010)

fleurr said:


> thanks hutais!!
> 
> could I ask did your husbands employer provide the special coverage for a few months or did you get it yourselves? would be so great if you could point me in the direction of who you used if you did it solo!
> 
> ...


We actually took out own Health Insurance with the first company as it was not part of the package. Its was a whopping $1600 a month. We have two children so we were not risking it. One word of advice the health system here is not only confusing but SUPER expensive. I dont know about Travel Insurance but we simply didn't risk it.
If you have an accident or some sort of emergency you are up for tens of thousands.
Yes things have worked out great for us and we are really happy here. Have you decided where you will live here?


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## fleurr (May 11, 2012)

Yikes $1600 a month! who did you go through? (if we are allowed to say that here)

Absolutely agree it isn't worth risking it!

We have been to NY quite a bit before thankfully so it helps making decisions! we have 30 days serviced apartment provided accommodation but will probably start apartment hunting right away to try and get settled as early as possible. We are thinking east village or west village or possibly les depending what apartments we can find!

I've already got my head around the rent prices....and us Sydney people thought that it was expensive here! the broker fee is completely unfamiliar to us but I guess that's the way it goes

hutais could I ask do you guys come back to Sydney to renew your E3 or do it somewhere closer?

So nice to talk to someone in a really similar situation to us!


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## hutais (Jul 2, 2010)

fleurr said:


> Yikes $1600 a month! who did you go through? (if we are allowed to say that here)
> 
> Absolutely agree it isn't worth risking it!
> 
> ...


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## fleurr (May 11, 2012)

Thanks so much for all your help hutais!it's nice to hear how much your family loves it there and that it's been a positive move..especially the tip about the fee free apartments

we are lower north shore-ians...this is our first time renting though so I guess it takes a little getting used to! getting very excited for the move..only a couple of weeks to go

thanks again!


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## hutais (Jul 2, 2010)

fleurr said:


> Thanks so much for all your help hutais!it's nice to hear how much your family loves it there and that it's been a positive move..especially the tip about the fee free apartments
> 
> we are lower north shore-ians...this is our first time renting though so I guess it takes a little getting used to! getting very excited for the move..only a couple of weeks to go
> 
> thanks again!


Good luck! Oh and everyone rents here too LOL

We have our house back home which we have rented out so it was different to go through the whole rental process here.
Just message me if you have any questions


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## tully (Jan 5, 2012)

hutais said:


> My SS took 4 weeks and my EAD took 3 months. We are here in NYC on a E3 too from Sydney. We have been here 1.5 years and we are coming up to renewal of E3. Its a hassle as I have a EAD and I have a job. With a EAD you have to reapply not renew and it takes 3 months again! So we have to renew the E3 a few months before to give me time to apply for a new EAD so I can continue working. Otherwise technically I could be "illegally working".
> 
> Oh and you need your SS to get your NYS drivers licence. Make sure you plan for that as there was a 6 week wait to sit for the test too.
> 
> Enjoy your time here is an amazing city!!


Hutais - Sorry to jump in on this thread but I have similar queries to Fleurr and can't find an answer yet on this forum or elsewhere. It sounds from your post that your EAD was granted for the period of your E3 (except of course for the 3 months it took to get). Is that the case? I can't seem to get any information on length of EADs for an E3 dependent/spouse but I suspect they are over the usual one year. Can you confirm? I would love to know how you went with the renewal too. Thanks so much


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## hutais (Jul 2, 2010)

Hi There,

Yes the EAD is dependant to the E3. Yes they have renewed however our E3 is due for renewal in March 2013. I will have to apply again as its not a renewal as such you actually have to reapply. Its really annoying as I am working and it does take 3 months. So technically for me not to be working "illegally" we need to renew the E3 earlier to allow my EAD to be issued in time.
We also have found out since that you can actually renew the E3 within the USA but it takes a lot longer. I found this website which has been very useful!

E3 Visa Renewal & Reissue Without US Consulate Interview | E3 Visa

We are considering doing this for the E3 as its so much easier than all of us flying to Toronto for 4 days.


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## tully (Jan 5, 2012)

hutais said:


> . I found this website which has been very useful!
> 
> We are considering doing this for the E3 as its so much easier than all of us flying to Toronto for 4 days.


Thanks so much hutais - I can't believe I haven't come across that website in my daily internet trawls! It's very informative. I note that it says if you renew via USCIS in the US and leave the country on holiday you have to reapply for your E3 to re-enter. I am sure you are aware of that but thought I'd mention it just in case you were planning an overseas holiday in the next 2 years. The system is so bizarre....


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## hutais (Jul 2, 2010)

tully said:


> Thanks so much hutais - I can't believe I haven't come across that website in my daily internet trawls! It's very informative. I note that it says if you renew via USCIS in the US and leave the country on holiday you have to reapply for your E3 to re-enter. I am sure you are aware of that but thought I'd mention it just in case you were planning an overseas holiday in the next 2 years. The system is so bizarre....


Yes the USCIS is a real "joy" at times. I have just been through that while I waited for my E3D to be reissued due to my husband changing jobs. The kids I and I decided not to go to the DR when he reissued thinking it would be simpler and it turned out to take 6 months. Luckily there is so much to do in the US that we vacationed in Florida.

The main thing is when you arrive you wont be able to work fo about 3-4 months while you wait for your EAD. You will have so much time to research.


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## tully (Jan 5, 2012)

hutais said:


> The main thing is when you arrive you wont be able to work for about 3-4 months while you wait for your EAD. You will have so much time to research.


It certainly sounds like I will....!


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