“Does it make sense to apply for a work permit or wait for your green card instead?”

Definitely still apply for your work permit. We do that for all of our clients. The best practice when you’re filing your adjustment of status case is to file your work permit application.

Immigration is so random that you just never know. Things constantly are in flux and are changing. Before, the wait times were well over a year and then, it has shortened. Maybe things will pick up and things will get better and processing times will speed up.

If you have your work permit filed, that’s great because then you could receive it before your green card. We’ve had many clients who have received their green cards in less than six and eight months sometimes. This is an estimate from what we’re seeing from many different USCIS offices.

While some clients have received their green card in less than eight months, there are some jurisdictions that are very slow in getting the green card issued.

It’s still good to have your work permit as part of that application so that can arrive first. In some of the places after the interview, if it takes them a long time to issue the green card, you might receive your work permit. It will at least give you the benefit of being able to have your work from it while you’re waiting for that final green card.