Can I do volunteer work without a work permit

L

little_britain

Registered Users (C)
Hi Everyone,

Little Britain here,

I'm going nuts waiting for my work permit :eek: I'm doing the usual checking my email 10-12 times a day for the approval email and on that stinking USCIS webiste like 20 times a day. I'm wondering can someone tell me if I'm allowed to legally volunteer for an organisation or a group. It would be helping out at a local government helping out at their sports camp.

My timeline:

Sent to Chicago lockbox
Then onto MSC
Day 01 Recv date 31st march 06
ND 5th april 06
Biometrics 4/19/06
RFE (1-485) letter dated 5/10/06 (I693 required)
RFE arrives at USCIS/NBC 5/25/06
RFE (I485) received (processed) by USCIS 5/26/06
LUD I-765 5/18/06 - no status yet
LUD I-485 6/03/06 – informed that I’m now waiting to receive their decision in the mail.
LUD I-130 5/18/06 – no status yet
Day 063 Infopass - 31st May 06 (Informed FBI background check fine!!)

Day 092 Friday 30th June – infopass

Still no EAD!! Closer to a GC and EAD I hope ????
 
Yes, you can. There are certain groups that offer a small contribution (money) to the volunteers for transportation and food, you cannot received those contributions and you should explain that to the responsible/coordinator of the organization or group,unless they offer you the transportation (car or pick up bus) and meals, that's fine.

If they feel that they own you something, what you can do is to make a follow up activities chart and after you received your work authorization then they can make up an extra activity so they can be able to give you some contribution back, but that is up to you and the organization/group.

In general, you can work or participate in whatever organization or group as long as you don't receive any payment for that and of course is not like a type of organization or group that is in problems with the law.
 
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Yeah, usually you can.
I tried to volunteer at the local library. But because of the area I live in (high crime rates), they wanted to do a background check, but because I didn't have the GC yet, they couldn't, at least that's what they claimed.
 
Hey litt brit,
Have patience.I got my card yesterday in mail and so will u,soon.Yes u can do volunteer work.I worked in a clinic as an observer for 8 months its good to be in ur profession whether or not u get paid.
There is a right time for everyone.U wont believe it but in may 2005 my visa number was available and I was ready to file I-485 with medical and everything and I called the uscis 800 number(3 times) and they told me that I cannot file since my I-130(filed in jan 01 at TSC) has not been approved.Since then I made so may inquiries for I-130 but no use ,still its pending .This feb I saw a lawyer and he said I didnt have to wait for its approval and he filed for me and now I have work permit(after paying $2500 to the lawyer,thanx to USCIS) but I might waste another year since the residency positions for 2006 have already been filled out.I have medical licence since DEc 04 and I have been waiting for work permit.In March I called a few programs where there were unfilled positions but they wanted EAD in hand.
My I-130 was sent to CSC since may 2005 for faster processing and then they sent me a RFE without specifying what they wanted so I sent them everything we initially mailed with the form and that they received in sept 05 since then I havent heard about it.I dont know they might have even lost the file ,only God knows.Now maybe the DO will be able to get the file from CSC when they process I-485.Now I am waiting for greencard as I havent seen my family for more than 5 yrs.
So just wait and pray.
juno
 
Thank u

Hi Juno, Hi Patty,

Thanks for your responses. Greatly appreciated.

Juno, you have had a nitemare!! I guess I should be more patient. How does the EAD look? I bet it glows like a heavenly object :D
I called USCIS helpline spoke to one of their people I asked about volunteering and they also said it was ok. I trust this forum, more than that hotline.

Patty please post the second you get your approval email. I really think we will get the email in the next week or 2. (I hope)

Thanks everything guys
 
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