unauthorized work on cash

[hopeanddream]

Hi,
Filing for my green card application marriage based, and have worked on cash during my school days, I never had a social security at that time. There is no way to find out anything about it, as far as i know. Should I mention it in my application ? If i did, would they ask for more information? because I cannot provide any. Any replies would be really appreciated.
Thanks
PS: married a USC

[hopeanddream]

Hi,
Filing for my green card application marriage based, and have worked on cash during my school days, I never had a social security at that time. There is no way to find out anything about it, as far as i know. Should I mention it in my application ? If i did, would they ask for more information? because I cannot provide any. Any replies would be really appreciated.
Thanks

more info: Married a USC

[azblk]

Yes you should. why lie over non consequential things?

[Cheburashka]

So, you were effectively breaking the law.. I would not mention it.

[krypton9591]

Hi,
Filing for my green card application marriage based, and have worked on cash during my school days, I never had a social security at that time. There is no way to find out anything about it, as far as i know. Should I mention it in my application ? If i did, would they ask for more information? because I cannot provide any. Any replies would be really appreciated.
Thanks
PS: married a USC

Honesty is always the best policy

[UScitizenFilingforspouse]

Hi,
Filing for my green card application marriage based, and have worked on cash during my school days, I never had a social security at that time. There is no way to find out anything about it, as far as i know. Should I mention it in my application ? If i did, would they ask for more information? because I cannot provide any. Any replies would be really appreciated.
Thanks
PS: married a USC

Mentioning it will not get your application denied. That's not it. Everything that you list on the application has to be verified. Unless the work you were doing was illegal, I would just leave that out of the application. Keep it simple. If you're worried the ISO is going to ask you during the interview how you supported yourself, that will not happen. They're going to verify what's on the forms.

[newacct]

Hi,
Filing for my green card application marriage based, and have worked on cash during my school days, I never had a social security at that time. There is no way to find out anything about it, as far as i know. Should I mention it in my application ? If i did, would they ask for more information? because I cannot provide any. Any replies would be really appreciated.
Thanks
PS: married a USC

As you are in the Immediate Relative category (spouse, unmarried under-21 child, or parent of US citizen), having been out of status and having worked illegally are both completely irrelevant to your AOS. So being honest about it can't hurt you, but lying about it can be very bad for you. The only information you need at this point are the name of the company (or "self-employed" if you were self-employed) and periods of time you worked. Which information can you not provide?

[azblk]

So, you were effectively breaking the law.. I would not mention it.

terrible advice

[UScitizenFilingforspouse]

Hi,
Filing for my green card application marriage based, and have worked on cash during my school days, I never had a social security at that time. There is no way to find out anything about it, as far as i know. Should I mention it in my application ? If i did, would they ask for more information? because I cannot provide any. Any replies would be really appreciated.
Thanks
PS: married a USC

Are you concerned the business(es) you worked for may face consequences? I do not know the answer to that. Before doing my AOS 20 years ago, I worked for a few months at a few places. I wasn't anywhere long enough for it to matter. I do not recall submitting any work history back then. It didn't matter then. However, technology wasn't where it is today.
Were they issuing you checks? Did you get forge documents? If the work you did is the equivalent of a lemonade stand, meaning that it was all cash and 100% off the books, then why clutter your application. But if you provided forged documents and all of that, then maybe you ought to speak to a lawyer.
Google yourself with your name in quotation marks "Joe Smith" and see what comes up.

[hopeanddream]

Honesty is always the best policy

Thanks for the advice, I thought the same.

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As you are in the Immediate Relative category (spouse, unmarried under-21 child, or parent of US citizen), having been out of status and having worked illegally are both completely irrelevant to your AOS. So being honest about it can't hurt you, but lying about it can be very bad for you. The only information you need at this point are the name of the company (or "self-employed" if you were self-employed) and periods of time you worked. Which information can you not provide?

It was a restaurant for cash owned by my friends parents. That is why I am worried.

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Are you concerned the business(es) you worked for may face consequences? I do not know the answer to that. Before doing my AOS 20 years ago, I worked for a few months at a few places. I wasn't anywhere long enough for it to matter. I do not recall submitting any work history back then. It didn't matter then. However, technology wasn't where it is today.
Were they issuing you checks? Did you get forge documents? If the work you did is the equivalent of a lemonade stand, meaning that it was all cash and 100% off the books, then why clutter your application. But if you provided forged documents and all of that, then maybe you ought to speak to a lawyer.
Google yourself with your name in quotation marks "Joe Smith" and see what comes up.

I have not forged any documents. It was a restaurant, worked for cash owned by my friends parents only for few months, got paid for my rent, thats it That is why I am worried for my friends parents, and I do not want to lie either.

[kukumjacka]

Thanks for the advice, I thought the same.

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It was a restaurant for cash owned by my friends parents. That is why I am worried.

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I have not forged any documents. It was a restaurant, worked for cash owned by my friends parents only for few months, got paid for my rent, thats it That is why I am worried for my friends parents, and I do not want to lie either.

How long ago was this?

The question in the application is arguable to a point... if you were unauthorized to work and your friend's parents enlisted your help to fix his roof then paid you 100 dollars, would you say you did unauthorized work?
What if the same parents asked you to mow their lawn once a week for 5 months and paid you for it. Is that unauthorized work?
And what if if said friends parents owned a restaurant and suddenly got in a bind and needed someone to oh... wash dishes, do deliveries, whatever, for a few months, and paid you for it, would that be unauthorized work?

There's a distinction there, and it's up to you to decide what you want to do with it.

The whole gist of working under the table is just that... under the table. Only the people under that table know what's going on, whereas anyone above the table has no clue. And that's all I'm going to say.

[UScitizenFilingforspouse]

Thanks for the advice, I thought the same.

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It was a restaurant for cash owned by my friends parents. That is why I am worried.

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I have not forged any documents. It was a restaurant, worked for cash owned by my friends parents only for few months, got paid for my rent, thats it That is why I am worried for my friends parents, and I do not want to lie either.

Was it 100% off the books? Is there any record of it? If they paid you cash, you were probably never on the books. You might want to know for sure. Sure, honesty is the best policy but you know, I would be irate if I or my business were to get fined for hiring you.

You were paid cash. You were not issued payroll checks. No I-9 was filled out or processed to verify employment eligibility. In my book this falls under the "lemonade stand" category. I personally wouldn't clutter my application but then again, I am not you. This is not legal advice but my personal opinion.

[hopeanddream]

How long ago was this?

The question in the application is arguable to a point... if you were unauthorized to work and your friend's parents enlisted your help to fix his roof then paid you 100 dollars, would you say you did unauthorized work?
What if the same parents asked you to mow their lawn once a week for 5 months and paid you for it. Is that unauthorized work?
And what if if said friends parents owned a restaurant and suddenly got in a bind and needed someone to oh... wash dishes, do deliveries, whatever, for a few months, and paid you for it, would that be unauthorized work?

There's a distinction there, and it's up to you to decide what you want to do with it.

The whole gist of working under the table is just that... under the table. Only the people under that table know what's going on, whereas anyone above the table has no clue. And that's all I'm going to say.

Yes, there is no way anyone can find out, but it is perjury to lie on the form too. I am in a dilemma now.

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Was it 100% off the books? Is there any record of it? If they paid you cash, you were probably never on the books. You might want to know for sure. Sure, honesty is the best policy but you know, I would be irate if I or my business were to get fined for hiring you.

You were paid cash. You were not issued payroll checks. No I-9 was filled out or processed to verify employment eligibility. In my book this falls under the "lemonade stand" category. I personally wouldn't clutter my application but then again, I am not you. This is not legal advice but my personal opinion.

Thanks for your advice. yes this was lemonade stand category but I did get good amount comparatively which paid my room rent for few months. but I don't want to risk my application by lying. Actually I don't know what to do now.

[hopeanddream]

How long ago was this?

The question in the application is arguable to a point... if you were unauthorized to work and your friend's parents enlisted your help to fix his roof then paid you 100 dollars, would you say you did unauthorized work?
What if the same parents asked you to mow their lawn once a week for 5 months and paid you for it. Is that unauthorized work?
And what if if said friends parents owned a restaurant and suddenly got in a bind and needed someone to oh... wash dishes, do deliveries, whatever, for a few months, and paid you for it, would that be unauthorized work?

There's a distinction there, and it's up to you to decide what you want to do with it.

The whole gist of working under the table is just that... under the table. Only the people under that table know what's going on, whereas anyone above the table has no clue. And that's all I'm going to say.

Yes I totally agree to what you are saying. But not writing it and waiting for application to approve will kill me. Actually like i said I am confused, thats why I created this post.

[UScitizenFilingforspouse]

Yes, there is no way anyone can find out, but it is perjury to lie on the form too. I am in a dilemma now.

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Thanks for your advice. yes this was lemonade stand category but I did get good amount comparatively which paid my room rent for few months. but I don't want to risk my application by lying. Actually I don't know what to do now.

Then I would suggest taking your question up to a lawyer during a free consultation.