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I-94/SSN setback or nightmare?

Bill & Angel

By Bill & Angel,
in AOS & Immigration Challenges

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Bill & Angel

Bill & Angel

Posted
Posted

First, the good news. We were married on 11/22/08, and the California was nice to us. We had a beautiful outside ceremony, and everything was wonderful. We've been trying to settle down in the US, and today was the first day we took at stab at the Social Security office.

 

Our visit was enlightening to say the list. After a perfect track record (aka, no mistakes on my I-129F petition, no mistakes on the P3, P4 or interview), today we were clobbered with countless "you got this wrong" and "you cannot do this", etc., etc..

 

In no particular order:

 

1. At the POE, my fiancee filled out the I-94 wrong. Despite having a chinese speaking immigration official helping her, he did not give her instructions or guidance on the I-94 where it asked to fill in the name. She had entered my first name as the "family" name, and my last name as the "first" name. She thought the only mistake she made was swapping the names, but it would appear that she was supposed to put her name, not my name. She made the same mistake on her son's I-94.

 

2. They wouldn't even look at the application for her son, as they said he (recipient of K2) required an I-776 or I766 (or something like that), a document stating that he plans to work, despite the fact he is only 8 years old. The guy even said it seemed illogical, but it is required procedure.

 

3. The SSN application for my wife was turned down because they wouldn't accept a first name change. Even if we reverted to her Chinese pinyin first name (as in her passport), they wouldn't accept the last name because the marriage certificate I brought was a copy, and they require the original.

 

We left feeling pretty dejected. Most of the setbacks are easily resolved. We'll use her Chinese first name, and we'll get the original marriage certificate. We'll also figure out what this form is we need to fill out for her son so he can get his SSN (anybody happen to know the exact form and/or where I can get it?).

 

The one issue that really has me concerned is the name on the I-94. We could just cross out my name and put in the correct names, but the key is what they entered into the computer system. I would think that they would have caught this at the POE, and given that they didn't, I wonder if maybe they entered the name from the passport rather than the I-94. I have a couple of questions.

 

Has anyone had this happen to them having the wrong name on the I-94? If so, what did you do to resolve it?

 

Secondly, is there any way to find out what they entered into the computer? What's the best number to call to find out?

 

*sigh*

 

(and we haven't even begun the AOS process yet)

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Randy W

Randy W

Posted
Posted (edited)

First, the good news. We were married on 11/22/08, and the California was nice to us. We had a beautiful outside ceremony, and everything was wonderful. We've been trying to settle down in the US, and today was the first day we took at stab at the Social Security office.

 

Our visit was enlightening to say the list. After a perfect track record (aka, no mistakes on my I-129F petition, no mistakes on the P3, P4 or interview), today we were clobbered with countless "you got this wrong" and "you cannot do this", etc., etc..

 

In no particular order:

 

1. At the POE, my fiancee filled out the I-94 wrong. Despite having a chinese speaking immigration official helping her, he did not give her instructions or guidance on the I-94 where it asked to fill in the name. She had entered my first name as the "family" name, and my last name as the "first" name. She thought the only mistake she made was swapping the names, but it would appear that she was supposed to put her name, not my name. She made the same mistake on her son's I-94.

 

2. They wouldn't even look at the application for her son, as they said he (recipient of K2) required an I-776 or I766 (or something like that), a document stating that he plans to work, despite the fact he is only 8 years old. The guy even said it seemed illogical, but it is required procedure.

 

3. The SSN application for my wife was turned down because they wouldn't accept a first name change. Even if we reverted to her Chinese pinyin first name (as in her passport), they wouldn't accept the last name because the marriage certificate I brought was a copy, and they require the original.

 

We left feeling pretty dejected. Most of the setbacks are easily resolved. We'll use her Chinese first name, and we'll get the original marriage certificate. We'll also figure out what this form is we need to fill out for her son so he can get his SSN (anybody happen to know the exact form and/or where I can get it?).

 

The one issue that really has me concerned is the name on the I-94. We could just cross out my name and put in the correct names, but the key is what they entered into the computer system. I would think that they would have caught this at the POE, and given that they didn't, I wonder if maybe they entered the name from the passport rather than the I-94. I have a couple of questions.

 

Has anyone had this happen to them having the wrong name on the I-94? If so, what did you do to resolve it?

 

Secondly, is there any way to find out what they entered into the computer? What's the best number to call to find out?

 

*sigh*

 

(and we haven't even begun the AOS process yet)

 

Yes - make an InfoPass appointment to find out what was entered in the computer. It sounds like very little went wrong, if anything.

 

Your son must wait for his EAD card to get an SSN - he is not work authorized, like the K-1's are. Be sure to apply (I-765) for one when you fill out his I-485 AOS application even if he doesn't plan to work - it's free, and provides a Federal picture ID that proves he's legal, and allows him to apply for an SSN.

 

For your wife, bring the marriage license and see if her application doesn't go through.

Edited by Randy W (see edit history)
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Bill & Angel

Bill & Angel

Posted
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Posted

 

Yes - make an InfoPass appointment to find out what was entered in the computer. It sounds like very little went wrong, if anything.

 

Your son must wait for his EAD card to get an SSN - he is not work authorized, like the K-1's are. Be sure to apply (I-765) for one when you fill out his I-485 AOS application even if he doesn't plan to work - it's free, and provides a Federal picture ID that proves he's legal, and allows him to apply for an SSN.

 

For your wife, bring the marriage license and see if her application doesn't go through.

 

Thanks for the information! Quick follow-up... what is an InfoPass appointment, and how/where does one make one?

 

I also found this form on the web:

http://www.uscis.gov/files/form/i-102.pdf

 

This appears to be a way to get a replacement I-94, but I have no idea how long it would take (since we have that 3 month clock ticking, time is somewhat of the essence).

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