Passport & Medical Insurance for SO

[michaelt]

Does anyone know if it is possible for my SO and I to travel to someplace such as the Bahamas for a honeymoon? I know you need a passport, but how does that work for her?

Also, once married, can I add her to my employers health insurance plan (they do offer this to my spouse, just don't know if she must be a citizen first? (meaning completion of AOS) I also don't want to ask new employer this now, since interview is many months away!)

Thank you all!

[dnoblett]

A few things,

 

If your SO enters the USA on a K-1 visa, the visa is a single entry one, and travel to other countries like the Bahamas, Canada for a honeymoon after marriage is not an option the POE wont let your SO back into the country, you will need to apply for advance parole first and that can take up to 90 days to get. Most countries will also need a visa for your SO to visit.

 

Once married you can add your SO to your insurance policy immediately, some employers may request a SSN to add, my employer did not need.

 

A K-1 can get an SSN shortly after arriving into the country, this can help you in adding her to bank accounts and so on.

 

Completing AOS wont make your SO a Citizen, it will make her a Lawful Permanent Resident, three years after becoming an LPR she can apply for naturalization and then become a Citizen.

 

A few answers you may find here: http://www.visajourney.com/faq/k1faq.htm

http://candleforlove.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=19303

[michaelt]

A few things,

 

If your SO enters the USA on a K-1 visa, the visa is a single entry one, and travel to other countries like the Bahamas, Canada for a honeymoon after marriage is not an option the POE wont let your SO back into the country, you will need to apply for advance parole first and that can take up to 90 days to get. Most countries will also need a visa for your SO to visit.

 

Once married you can add your SO to your insurance policy immediately, some employers may request a SSN to add, my employer did not need.

 

A K-1 can get an SSN shortly after arriving into the country, this can help you in adding her to bank accounts and so on.

 

Completing AOS wont make your SO a Citizen, it will make her a Lawful Permanent Resident, three years after becoming an LPR she can apply for naturalization and then become a Citizen.

 

A few answers you may find here: http://www.visajourney.com/faq/k1faq.htm

http://candleforlove.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=19303

Thank you so much for your reply and information!

[jbray]

My employer did ask for a SSN, but I just put 000-00-0000 and that worked just fine. But, I wasn't able to add her to my bank account until she has her SSN... Probably if she was an illegal from Mexico they would have let her (Bank of America) .

[dnoblett]

 

Thank you so much for your reply and information!

One other thing your post title implies is getting passport for SO, again your SO needs to be a US Citizen to get a US passport, so 3 years form getting LPR, your SO can naturalize, and once a US Citizen can then apply for the US passport, the US passport will allow easy travel to countries that have Visa Waiver Program with the US, and wont need to apply for visas to visit those countries.

[michaelt]

 

Thank you so much for your reply and information!

One other thing your post title implies is getting passport for SO, again your SO needs to be a US Citizen to get a US passport, so 3 years form getting LPR, your SO can naturalize, and once a US Citizen can then apply for the US passport, the US passport will allow easy travel to countries that have Visa Waiver Program with the US, and wont need to apply for visas to visit those countries.

So, does this mean that I CAN get her a passport to go to the Bahamas for late honeymoon after receiving advanced parole? I have also read somewhere that it may be best to wait until after filing for advanced parole and EAD (I think this is early work?) before acquiring ss #? Does this make sense to you? Thanks so much.

[Randy W]

 

Thank you so much for your reply and information!

One other thing your post title implies is getting passport for SO, again your SO needs to be a US Citizen to get a US passport, so 3 years form getting LPR, your SO can naturalize, and once a US Citizen can then apply for the US passport, the US passport will allow easy travel to countries that have Visa Waiver Program with the US, and wont need to apply for visas to visit those countries.

So, does this mean that I CAN get her a passport to go to the Bahamas for late honeymoon after receiving advanced parole? I have also read somewhere that it may be best to wait until after filing for advanced parole and EAD (I think this is early work?) before acquiring ss #? Does this make sense to you? Thanks so much.

 

 

US passports are available ONLY to US citizens. She may apply for citizenship 3 years after she gets her green card. She already HAS a Chinese passport, and MAY need a visa to be admitted to the Bahamas. She will need the Advanced Parole (AP) document to return to the US.

 

For SS, there is no reason to wait, once you have documentation for her in her desired name (e.g., marriage license). If you wait longer than about 75 days after her arrival, then you MUST wait until she gets her EAD (Employment Authorization).

Edited May 18, 2007 by Randy W (see edit history)

[dnoblett]

 

Thank you so much for your reply and information!

One other thing your post title implies is getting passport for SO, again your SO needs to be a US Citizen to get a US passport, so 3 years form getting LPR, your SO can naturalize, and once a US Citizen can then apply for the US passport, the US passport will allow easy travel to countries that have Visa Waiver Program with the US, and wont need to apply for visas to visit those countries.

So, does this mean that I CAN get her a passport to go to the Bahamas for late honeymoon after receiving advanced parole? I have also read somewhere that it may be best to wait until after filing for advanced parole and EAD (I think this is early work?) before acquiring ss #? Does this make sense to you? Thanks so much.

With the Chinese passport she would need 2 things after marriage, Advance Parole, and a Visa to visit the Bahamas, but when she gets green card then no Visa is needed, just passport and green card.

 

There are so many places in the good old U.S. of A. to visit, why not just stay domestic after marriage? If you must go to a tropical location then how about Hawaii?

 

She cannot get a US passport until more than 3 years after getting green card and only after filing for naturalization and becoming a US Citizen. Only US Citizens can get US passports.

 

K-1s can get SSN soon after arriving in the USA, wait about 2 weeks before trying. We waited until married, then applied for the SSN in married name. K-1s don't need EAD to apply for the SSN. You need to apply for the SSN in the first 75 day after arrival, if not then you will need to have EAD or Green-Card to get the SSN.