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Hello, After almost two years of waiting my wife finally got her VISA and boarded on 6/30. Thanks God!!! The issue is that my wife has not yet received the green card and SSN. The social security officer told us that it is not necessary to apply for SSN for my wife's VISA (I-130) but one should come with the green card. However, we have not yet received anything until now. Even worse, my wife can't take the driving test in DMV without SSN. Any idea how long does it take for both green card and SSN to come? What else can I do beside waiting? Regards, Leo

We found this out after a 6 hour wait at our local social security office today. It sounds like (in theory) a good idea to check the box on your immigration form to get your social security card generated. DON'T DO IT !!! DON"T FOLLOW MY STOOOOPIDITY!!! We found out that If you DON'T check the box on immigration form to get your social security card generated then you can get a number immediately and the SSN card will be sent to you within 2 weeks from Baltimore MD If you DO CHECK THE BOX on your immigration form then you have to wait a month, there is a likelihood (based on reports on both this and other immigration forums) that it won't arrive and you will have to go to Social Security office to get a number anyway and you have just wasted over a month of time and still must wait another 2 weeks to get your card mailed from Baltimore MD According to the Soc Security official I spoke to today, they have no way of talking to USCIS. George W Bush had this as a goal, but in practice it is not happening - - - --------------------------------------------- sign me as, Truly Stooooopid Blue in the Face

if i pass away, and she still not us citizen, would she get my social security benefit?

Hi all, been a while. I have a question about getting a SSN, however it requires a short background. The question is simply: can my niece get a SS card? Background. My niece, Wendy, is my wife's brothers daughter. She is a Chinese citizen, but has been living with us in the states for the last four years. We have tried the adoption route with no success and/or future hope. Nonetheless, we are trying to keep her here. She is currently 12 - too young I know - but we are looking towards the time she turns 16. Anyway, she is here on a ten year f-1 school visa and is attending a private school. In the future I am hoping to gain her citizenship, but for right now (or rather when she turns 16) we want her to be able to find a job of some sort. Hey, private schools are expensive! I have done some research and I do find information pertaining to university/college students but nothing on our situation. Come on Dan, still got it in you? Yer old friend Steve

My CR-1 visa has been approved (Woohoo!) My husband (the US citizen) and I have started seeking employment in the US. As he currently has a full-time position in China, we think the best way is: I find a job in the US, then he quit his job in China and come join me. This way, at least one of us would have an income at any given moment. Then it raised a few questions: 1. I read that the US spouse should be present or already in the US when the immigrant is going through POE. Is that a must? 2. If my husband must come with me to the POE, can he return to China right after and continue to work in China for a couple of months while I'm in the US? 3. The most ideal scenario is I get a job offer now (though online applications and interviews), then we go to the US together. But since I haven't gone though POE yet and I don't have a Green Card or a Social Security Number, would US employers consider my job application and make offers? Thanks, guys! Love to hear your advice.

Hello, My wife had a successful interview experience recently for the CR-1 process, and now we are going back to the states. However, she is pregnant and the baby is due in February. We want to get health insurance ASAP when we get back to the states. Does anyone have experience with a similar situation? Can we apply without an SSN, or if not, will that take long to get one? Since we have a limited window of time to take care of everything, I'm just trying to find the quickest way to arrange everything in time. I know there's a one month window in which I can apply for health insurance upon her arrival to the US, but I think that requires an SSN which I sincerely hope won't be an issue getting relatively quickly. I checked off on her forms that we wanted to receive the SSN card once we arrive back in the US, but from some posts I have seen previously I recall it doesn't always happen quickly, which I am worried the window may not be open by the time it's received.

Dear friends, Last week I arrived at the USA, having IR-1 visa. As far as I understood, I need to go to the nearest SSN office and apply for my SSN, what shall I do next? Thank you, Lia

The interview went well and we headed for the US on October 2. Her POE was in Chicago and was very painless. They stamped her passport with the IR1 visa, no issues. When I filled out the application many months ago, I had checked the box to request a SSN at the same time. Other post on CFL let me know that this process may or may not happen automatically, so we waited 2 weeks and head for the SSA office. The lady who helped us there could not find record that my wife's application was already in process, so we asked to apply for one at that time. While we were working through the process, the lady pulled out a list of qualifying visas and could not find IR1 on the list. She told us that in IR1 visa does not allow my wife to work, and therefore she can not get a SSN. Did the person at the SSA office make a mistake, or did we apply for the wrong visa type? Suggestions? Steve

Hi, I am stumped about the name change. Fiance arrived 10 days ago and we went to the courthouse the next day and got married. In Colorado, you merely sign your names on the license and you are instantly married. The clerk said she could not change her name then, but could go over to the SS office and change it there. We went to the SS office yesterday and the clerk there let her change her last name (to mine) but not her first (I expected that). But, I am skeptical that this changed her name in any way. We still need to do the G-325a (bio info), i-131 (travel), i-485 (adjust status), and i-765 (work auth). That is, the AOS procedure for the alien who entered on a K1. My question is: is her name changed in anyway? Or, is is still the English translation on her passport? We need to haul ass on her AOS as she was given a very short window of validity for her K1. So, how are names legally changed? Through marriage/divorce? Or, in state or county (not federal) venues? I would appreciate any light shed on this situation. Thanks, Greg

We just arrived two weeks ago. Like another poster stated in their tread, we were a bit too dazed from 12 hours of flying and 1.5 hours of off-boarding a plane and getting through the Visa line to really take in what the immigration officer told my wife and me. I had paid the $165 immigrate fee, before leaving China. So, we have the following questions. The USCIS website wants a receipt number. Fine. Except it always rejects receipt numbers from Guangzhou, GUZ. I tried using the phone number on the USCIS website. How on earth do you enter letters on a phone? After several attempts, I gave up. So how on earth are we to be able to check up on the green card status? We have this packet of health information, which was barely looked at, then handed some of it back to us, including the health-check DVD. Will that DVD ever be needed? When is the soonest we might expect direct mail from USCIS? At what time do we simply get in a car and start knocking on USCIS doors?

After putting the IR1 process on hold for 6 months while waiting for a baby (so we could delay immunization shots), we are ready to get things moving again. We currently live in Shanghai and plan to schedule my wife's interview for mid July in Guangzhou. Assuming all goes well there, I am wondering how soon we can get her a SSN that we need as soon as we can get it for something else. Our plan is to visit the US for 2-3 weeks in October. I am assuming that she will receive a stamp in her passport at the time of entry, but not the physical green card. Can we go into the local SSN office at that time and get her a SSN right away with only whatever we receive at the time of entry to the US or would we need to wait for the green card to show up? I did answer "yes" to the SSN question on the DS-260. Will that help or hurt our hopes of getting the number right away when we get to the US? She does already have a Tax-ID. Any chance that it would just convert to the SSN, or will it be a new number? We may be able to just use the number for what we need it for to get by for now. Another option we would consider is making a weekend trip to Guam so that we could get the entry sooner (maybe early August) and possibly be able to get the green card before the October trip. Is this a reasonable option? Any comments or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I would also like to know if there are any concerns returning to China before the Green Card shows up? I am currently working as an expat for a US based company and we do intend to live in the US when I return to work in our US office sometime in the next 1-2 years. Our mail is forwarded over to China, so we would be able to get the card in hand before our next trip to the US.

POE: We arrived at JFK airport to a fairly long "Visa" line which I was told we needed to wait in. Kinda surprised there was no fast track for US citizens. With a couple hundred people in front of us and 6 officers working it took ~1 hour for our turn. The officer was very nice and simply opened our package and checked through it for all required stuff (nothing more than a cursory check). He gave my wife's visa a purple stamp and wrote "IR1/H(or maybe A)#######(Her "registration number" from the visa)" We were pretty burned out at this time so I didn't quite follow what he was saying, but I think it was something like the stamp was good for 1 year and that the green card would be arriving for us in ~7-8 weeks since NY is a very busy port. I don't remember him saying anything specific about the green card, am I right to assume it will be good for 10 years? Also, is the # he wrote with the H (or A I'm assuming here) her "A-number"? SSA: When we arrived I talked with an officer there about whether we actually needed see someone from the SSA or not since I had selected to receive a SSN after arrival on the visa application. He said that to be safe we should fill out an application and talk to someone. It took about 20 minutes before we were called up. The worker, again very nice, took my wife's passport, asked her a few questions, and told us her SSN would be arriving in 7-10 days. He didn't mention anything about the visa application.

Here's my wife's experience: Go to your local Social Security Administration office. Bring the following with you: 1) Passport 2) K-1 visa (attached inside the passport) 3) Print out a copy of I-94 form from here https://i94.cbp.dhs.gov/I94/. She simply handed the above to the clerk (made copies and looked up info from a computer) and was handed back a sheet saying all info are being reviewed and the new SSN card should arrive in the mail in 2 weeks. The clerk did not ask any question. It was an easy 10 minute process. I believe the rule of thumb is to apply minimum of 2 weeks after entering the country so all info can be synced up across different government agencies. Also, make sure you let your postal carrier know the name of K-1 holder (I taped both my and my wife's name inside our apartment mail box) so he or she knows there's a new person living in that address or you may risk of mails being returned to sender. Hope this helps!

I entered the POE through Toronto US customs on April 22. I filed SSN along with green card. When I didn't receive SSN after three weeks I entered US, I went to local office for an application on May 9.Until now nothing has happened. I don't know what to do. I told them to call SAVE system but they refused to call at my presence.They said they called afterwards and told me to wait longer. I don't trust our local SSA office coz when I called SAVE, they insisted local SSA call them. It seemed like a little mistake happened but SAVE couldn't give out info to individual. what should I do now?

Hello, Here's a strange question for everyone: first, my wife and I are scheduled to interview in Guangzhou in October. I've just finished filing for my 2012 tax returns and applied ITIN at the same time for my wife to assign the wife a social security number (required for joint tax returns, apparently). Now looking over all our documents in preparation for the interview, it shows that I checked "no" under part 2 of the original DS-230 application (part 2, 43a), requesting to be assigned a social security number. Should I revise this document and submit again before the interview, or wait for the interview to explain the situation re: 2012 tax returns? Any feedback much appreciated! Sammy

My wife is taking driving lessons in china and hoping to get her drivers license in the US ASAP. (It's too late to get a Chinese license, which we now realize would have been transferable.). We could show residence in Illinois because we have a joint bank account there and get our taxes mailed there. Anyway, how long does it take to get you SSN once you arrive? Is it possible to get a drivers license before you get your SSN? Thanks in advance.

Since this change is took place only last month, I will post it for anyone else who has been under the same rock as I have. "Effective April 26, 2013, DHS began automating the admission process. An alien lawfully admitted or paroled into the U.S. is no longer required to be in possession of a preprinted Form I-94. A record of admission printed from the CBP website constitutes a lawful record of admission. See 8 CFR § 1.4(d)." From the US Customs and Border Protection website.

I hear ya Andrew, and Credzba's thoughts. I've read of and seen th e photos of a few get togethers the California guys had with their wives same with the Texas guys. Never seen one on the right coast...lol Anytime I go anywhere here I think of who I'd like to meet that lives in that city. Like Sam, I'd love to meet Sam and his wife in or near NYC (now Feathers lives there too) for a few laughs. Now if we went to Niagra Falls I'd like to meet Dan and his wife (I can sale NYC easily enough to momma-san but I haven't figured out a way to explain to her about driving a few hours to watch water fall over a cliff, much less get a hotel room and stick around.....although in the coming years that will work out where we'll most likely take the hike up there.) I'm open (and hopefully can talk momma-san into it too) for anything in the DC/Baltimore/Northern VA area, but with older, frail in-laws most of our traveling is stuck going to China. Hopeful, when PreZiDent Zhang is in university in 2015 we are going ot be more open to travel when he is in school. I really want ot make another trip in a September back to Vegas...got lots of friends from an indistry I used ot be heavily involved in and they have a convention there in September, as well I have some friends I met during the visa journey that would come out from their left coast states for a pow-wow in sin city. All in time, I guess. We really can't even justify going back down to Australia or New Zealand until the boy is in school, as the summer vacations are all to China to see ma and ba. Another idea I really see as important inside this thread is the tought of what happens to our familys if and when we should pass on to the big party up yonder??? With bobby's untimely passin' it REALLY struck a never with me, and my family was years away from even coming here. It has been on my mind, and back a long time now. I am finally lining up everything I can to make things easy for my mail order bride and son. We went ot the SSA office today on some matters with my son recieving some of my SSDI benefits....it looks like he can get half of them up until he's 18....I never knew this until I read about it on a veterans website. I asked hte lady questions about me passing aaway and what my wife could expect, or need to do. I'm in hte process of chasing down answers for SSA information on this, as well as VA information....it is VERY COMPLICATED to say the least. Even the SS women I talked ot today couldn't give me many answers about a spouse with a greencard. We have an appointment on the 31st of Jan about our son's benefits from my SSDI AND to get down to the bottom line about Wenyan's benefits should I pass away. This is highly critical stuff to me and in the next two months I'm getting the answers and will have EVERYTHING written down for Wenyan....procedures to do in what order, who to call, and their phone numbers, etc etc etc etc. Nothing is straightforward, no one person seems to have a direct answer, even for their own agency. Does anyone here have anything like that? Does your Chinese wife have a clue what to do? Bobby truly put the fear of God in me for my family's well being should I do like him and pass away suddenly. Candle sprung up out of the blackhole for a place to help others get their familys over here. Yes, most folks dump Candle when their women or men get here, maybe come back for a brief time to ask questions about removal of conditions or citizenship. Well Mr. what if your butt drops before your wife becomes a citizen or whatever? My wife has told me of 3 or 4 women she has seen on 101 whose husbands died and they are scared to death with no clue of what to do. Unless I get myself banned, or Candle moves into another direction, I plan on sticking around and helping others, and laughing with friends or soon to be friends. It seems like a good bunch of us are in their 50's and 60's here, and believe it or not, folks even younger die too. Usually quickly. Everybody got their family set up if it happens to you? I wonder what Bobby would tell us if he could step back and talk to us? Am I the only one with no knowledge , and no plan? I don't know...Carl, do you think it is much trouble to maybe put in a sub-forum (Dead Candle or Lights Out or something) tied in with another forum that would address this issue? Maybe it's not such a hot idea and everybody is set anyhow??? I just know that Bobby's passing woke me up, and since I am in the middle of putting together a kitchen sink for Wenyan to do....maybe I am too high on my horse by suggesting it. At any rate, I need answers NOW and I need specific answers for a wife and son with greencards...and I AM in the process of hanging out with my local SSA office as well as the VA and getting them for us. Be happy to help any others once I get definate answers, forum or not. Only problem is boys, once yore dead, you ain't gonna be able to ask me or anyone else....OPPPS Know wudda mean? As you can see, I'm just starting to get some answers and put together a procedures list for Wenyan, it's complicated as hell to me, and lots of stuff for Wenyan to do should I kick the piss pot for the last time. Something I have found and what was told to Wenyan by a Chinese man who had immigrated to America but was sitting next to Wenyan in the waiting room as we waited for her physical. He told Wenyan..... "American people have many benefits, but most of them don't know what all they have, nor are they even aware of most of them." I would have denied that until the day I died but I found out I fit into that observation like a finger in a soft leather glove. By my own ignorance of the SS code and the VA code I have found personally that that is one of the truest things I ever heard. Good luck yawl. Don't bring your beloved family here and leave them in a world of hurt if your number gits punched out of the blue. tsap seui Old dawg must learn new tricks

A friend came on a B2 and was married to an american for a few years already... but they filed the I-130 and got the 10 year GC. Does anyone know if the SSN is sent automatically in such cases or they need to go apply? (No 2 yr GC was ever issued; the 10 yr is the first issued card).

Hi, did anyone there apply for a SSN with EAD? How long did it take? We did not apply for the SSN before the I -94 expired. Got EAD a bit more than 2 weeks ago and went to apply for the SSN. Got a letter with a reference number that they need to confirm things with USCIS, and that it could take 4 weeks. We are in urgent need of the SSN to buy insurance and for employment. Do you guys know anything we could do to speed up the process? Thanks a lot!

Am I the only one who's been procrastinating? Here's my situation, which I assume is pretty typical. My K-1 fiancee arrived in November and we were married in December. The best option of course is to file "Married Filing Jointly". If we choose this option, it's clear from the IRS website we need to report what she made last year in China, which wasn't much -- and which can be excluded using the "foreign earned income exclusion" option. It also means we need to attach a statement to our tax return saying we're electing to treat her as a resident alien for 2011 tax purposes. Having to attach the statement means we can't file electronically, but that's only a minor inconvenience. So far so good? My question is this. When we ask others in the local community what they did the first year they were married, to a couple they all say: we didn't report any foreign income... no one ever reports any foreign income. The problem this is causing is my wife is really starting to think I'm off my rocker. I try to explain what I've learned and what seems very simple and clear to me: if you want to file jointly, you're required to report both incomes. But when everyone she talks to tells her "no one ever does that", I don't know what to say. So back me up. Tell me I've interpreted the tax rules correctly and that we won't be alone if we go through the additional steps to [a] report her income, exclude it using the foreign earned income exclusion, and [c] attach a signed statement saying we're electing to treat her as a resident alien for the 2011 tax year. Or... tell me I'm off my rocker. It won't be the first time I've heard it this week

This is concerning a K1 visa. Plan is for her to arrive May 13th, possibly marry May 20th, but before June 1st. However, we will have to move on June 1st, since my lease will be up. It will be nice to have a lease under both our names and a new place for my future wife and I. Our plan also is to submit for AOS (including EAD and AP) June 1st or a few days afterwards. Our questions are: 1) Since, we are moving (current petition is listed with my current address (up to May 31st) ), what forms do we need to fill out and submit? We are aware of an AR 11(can this be done online or offline?), but does anything else need to be submitted in addition to this? Plan is to submit AOS (EAD and AP with the new address, not the current one) 2) When can we submit for her SS# 3) Anything else that we need to be aware of or keep in mind and any suggestions?

Hi All, Its been a crazy and hectic last 2 weeks. But all worth it!!! I flew to HKG to get my love, spent a week in the Rockies (UT) and got married :)Now the next steps and I have a few questions..... 1)Is there a link on here on what exactly is needed for AOS? Do we need the actual marriage license for this? I only have the marriage certificate thus far. Maybe another 2 weeks before we get the marriage license in the mail. 2)When can I get her a SS Card/SS number? What is needed? 3)I assume we cant do her name change yet. We need the marriage license first, correct? 4)We are planning to go back to China the end of March for a Chinese wedding.I dont think we will have her green card by this time. What is needed for Lili to leave the States for the China wedding and get back into the states after? 5)Finally, we currently live in Texas. However, we are moving to Utah in March. How will this effect AOS (any)? Thanks, Matt and Lili

My wife got a job and they said to her they do not take out any taxes since she does not have a green card. Is that correct? She gets paid per hour. She does have her Employment card and should have a green card by Oct.She only works about 30 hours a week.

hello my wife just arrived last wednesday with ir1 status! what should we do next for her? greencard? s/s card? how?