What to do when she gets the the US

[ayaycapino]

My wife and I were married in May of 2008 in Nanjing, Jiangsu.

 

She just got her GUZ interview date (Yay) for June 3, 2009 for a CR-1.

 

If she gets a pink, when we get to the US, do I have to make it legal in the US too? (get a US Marriage liscence)?

 

How do we apply for the green card once she gets there? How long does it take to get the green card?

 

Do we have to go for a SSN # right away? Get the greencard first?

 

Any links and resources are welcome!

 

 

Mike

[Guest Pommey]

CR-1 gets you the green card.

 

you cant marry twice, your existing marriage is legal here, you could get a english translation.

 

 

you can apply for ss card once she is here.

[warpedbored]

What kind of visa is she interviewing for? If it's a K-3 you will have to file AOS to get a green card. She won't be able to get a SSN until she has an employment authorization document. (EAD) If you only filed the I-130 and she is interviewing for a CR-1 visa All you need to do is wait for about a month for the green card to arrive in the mail. If you checked the box on the form to automatically receive a SSM you just wait. If not take her to the SSA office once her green card arrives.

[ayaycapino]

Thanks Pommey. But what do you mean, "CR-1 gets you the green card"? Do you have any more details on that (does it just get mailed automatically or do we have to file paperwork for it.)

 

And with the SSN: Is there any deadline for that?

 

Thanks

[Guest Pommey]

Thanks Pommey. But what do you mean, "CR-1 gets you the green card"? Do you have any more details on that (does it just get mailed automatically or do we have to file paperwork for it.)

 

And with the SSN: Is there any deadline for that?

 

Thanks

 

 

CR-1 is a immigrant visa, so if approved you will receive the GC.

 

SS# you will receive if you checked that box if not you can get it once she is here.

[Randy W]

Unless something has changed VERY recently, you will have to apply for the SS card at the SS office. That box is for employment visas, and they do not automatically mail the cards.

 

The green card WILL be mailed very soon after arrival.

[bokiwen]

Unless something has changed VERY recently, you will have to apply for the SS card at the SS office. That box is for employment visas, and they do not automatically mail the cards.

 

The green card WILL be mailed very soon after arrival.

 

In our case of a CR-1, I took my wife to the social security office maybe one week after arriving (before the green card arrived). She presented her passport with her I-551 endorsement, along with our Chinese marriage license. Wife filled our her form, and I believe they made some copies of her documents. Approximately 3 weeks later, she received her social security card, a couple days before receiving her green card.

 

After getting a social security card and green card, you can probably apply for a state ID card (in PA this is done at the drivers license center), which I told my wife to carry around instead of her green card (although, as I understand legally she is supposed to have her green card with her at all times).

[dnoblett]

Thanks Pommey. But what do you mean, "CR-1 gets you the green card"? Do you have any more details on that (does it just get mailed automatically or do we have to file paperwork for it.)

 

And with the SSN: Is there any deadline for that?

 

Thanks

 

 

CR-1 is a immigrant visa, so if approved you will receive the GC.

 

SS# you will receive if you checked that box if not you can get it once she is here.

Note: Entry to the USA on a CR-1 gets an I-551 stamp in passport, essentially making the passport act as a green-card until the actual card arrives in the mail.

 

Note, don't attempt to apply for SSN until ate least 2 weeks after entry to the USA. SSA will not be able to confirm immigrations status until at least 2 weeks after entry.

 

There is no deadline for applying for SSN, however it should be applied for ASAP, but wait a few weeks though.

[bokiwen]

 

Note, don't attempt to apply for SSN until ate least 2 weeks after entry to the USA. SSA will not be able to confirm immigrations status until at least 2 weeks after entry.

 

There is no deadline for applying for SSN, however it should be applied for ASAP, but wait a few weeks though.

 

Great point. My wife was here a week or two before we went to the SSA office. Again, It was, however a fairly easy process (IE. filling out a one page form, showing the officer officer some documents). I suppose though that in order for them to verify everything, you must wait at least until your POE sends your packet to be processed before SSA can verify everything. It really only took a couple weeks to get the SSN card after applying. Within a month of being here Li Yin had both the green card and SSN card.

[Sebastian]

Mike - if it's a CR-1 visa (and not the K-3 ) -

 

then she'll be receiving the greencard in the postal mail, to the address you've listed in the USA (as your domicile). Usually within the first 30 days of arriving - on the POE day, them DHS boys do special stuff on their comptuters to note her arrival.

 

Sometimes, receiving a SSN is automatic, but what many people do , is to wait 2 or 3 weeks after arriving (cause the SSA computers need time to accumulate data from DHS and DOS systems) - walk into any SSA office, and apply for SSN.

 

HTH

[samsong]

My wife and I were married in May of 2008 in Nanjing, Jiangsu.

 

She just got her GUZ interview date (Yay) for June 3, 2009 for a CR-1.

 

If she gets a pink, when we get to the US, do I have to make it legal in the US too? (get a US Marriage liscence)?

 

How do we apply for the green card once she gets there? How long does it take to get the green card?

 

Do we have to go for a SSN # right away? Get the greencard first?

 

Any links and resources are welcome!

 

 

Mike

Pommey made a good point. It would be beneficial to get 2 or 3 copies of the marriage license translated into english for her to bring to the US. You will need them. A notarial office in Nanjing can do it for you. It will be in the white booklet format. Good Luck!

CR-1 gets you the green card.

 

you cant marry twice, your existing marriage is legal here, you could get a english translation.

 

 

you can apply for ss card once she is here.

[CoolGT]

yes you should wait at least 2 weeks before going to SSA office.

from what i notice it take about 2 weeks to mail from port of entry to process center.

[george lee]

my wife is cr-1 and she received her GC in 3 weeks and ss card in 4 weeks.

[ayaycapino]

THANK YOU ALL!!