Social Security Card question

[warpedbored]

The SSA is one of the worst govt agencies when it comes to knowing how to handle K-1 visa holders. They screw things up much more often than not. My wife and I married before going to the SSA office because we wanted to change her name. No problem, we got her SS card in about a week. Another couple we know went to the same office and were told they had to get the SS card in her maiden name.

[dnoblett]

The SSA is one of the worst govt agencies when it comes to knowing how to handle K-1 visa holders. They screw things up much more often than not. My wife and I married before going to the SSA office because we wanted to change her name. No problem, we got her SS card in about a week. Another couple we know went to the same office and were told they had to get the SS card in her maiden name.

Yep! We had no problems applying for SSN after marriage using married name, card in the mail a week after applying in Rochester NY, my friend "Lost In Blue" got the runaround in the smaller office near his home in Geneseo NY, and ended up making the trip up to Rochester NY to get the card.

 

This past summer we went to the SSA office on the west side of Rochester in Greece NY, to get my Yu's card replaced with an un-restricted one, the officer there was sharp and knew exactly why we were applying for a replacement card, and handled it with no problems.

[Bill & Li Hong]

We went to the SSA to see about getting her one because MO states you need it to get a marriage license. The would give her one because she hadn't been in the USA for 10 days and HLS hadn't updated their computer records....... and they should have give her one when she entered the country. I said I asked and the man with a gun said "we don't do that here"

 

Anyway, we got the marriage license by just signing a waver that said she didn't have an SS#.

 

I notice a lot of talk about changing their names, we decided not to change her name. Any problem with this?

[Randy W]

We went to the SSA to see about getting her one because MO states you need it to get a marriage license. The would give her one because she hadn't been in the USA for 10 days and HLS hadn't updated their computer records....... and they should have give her one when she entered the country. I said I asked and the man with a gun said "we don't do that here"

 

Anyway, we got the marriage license by just signing a waver that said she didn't have an SS#.

 

I notice a lot of talk about changing their names, we decided not to change her name. Any problem with this?

 

 

Nope - it's much simpler. By the way, the SS card is NOT issued for marriage, it is issued for potential employment.

 

But you can get the SS once the records are updated - usually 10 to 14 days

[Kim-saru]

This happens often.

 

The normal order of things for K-1 is:

1. Enter the USA
   
2. Apply for SSN
   
3. Apply for marriage license
   
4. Marry
   
5. Apply for AOS, EAD
   
6. Apply for a renewed SSN using EAD or Green card Better to just do it with green-card to get the restriction notation removed from SSN.
   

USCIS has instructed SSA to issue SSN to K-1 for one reason only, some states will not issue a marriage license to a person that does not have an SSN. After getting married the only reason for SSA to issue a number is with work authorization (EAD or Green Card)

 

I have heard that some people have had some delays in getting the SS card. I didn't want to take a chance and we decided to get married first. Michigan will allow her to marry without a SSN.

[Randy W]

This happens often.

 

The normal order of things for K-1 is:

1. Enter the USA
   
2. Apply for SSN
   
3. Apply for marriage license
   
4. Marry
   
5. Apply for AOS, EAD
   
6. Apply for a renewed SSN using EAD or Green card Better to just do it with green-card to get the restriction notation removed from SSN.
   

USCIS has instructed SSA to issue SSN to K-1 for one reason only, some states will not issue a marriage license to a person that does not have an SSN. After getting married the only reason for SSA to issue a number is with work authorization (EAD or Green Card)

 

I have heard that some people have had some delays in getting the SS card. I didn't want to take a chance and we decided to get married first. Michigan will allow her to marry without a SSN.

 

 

The only reason to get the card before getting married is if you need it for your license. There is no problem with getting an SSN after you are married.

 

Some SS offices may not allow you to get the SS card in a name other than that which is on her immigration record (her maiden name).

 

SS is issued ONLY in conjunction with work authorization, so be sure to apply BEFORE she has been here for 76 days (14 days before the 90 day visa (I-94) expiration date).

[Jaseball]

Took us 7 months to get a SS card and we started trying 3 weeks after she entered the US and went in about 6x.

[big mike]

Good news for me - my wife got her social security card yesterday. We're excited, now she can get her driver's license and it will be much easier to open a bank account for her now (and work if she choses to do that).

thanks everyone!

[Eric]

The sad thing about some people having such a hard time getting a SSN for a K-1 is apparently it is all self explanatory in the system. When I took my then fiancée to get her SSN I went loaded for bear with all the various memos, regulations, etc in hand. I live in a somewhat rural area and the clerk who waited on us had never encountered issuing a SSN for a K-1 before put had no problems what so ever of getting it done. After she entered all of my wife's information into the system I commented to her about how I thought that it was going to be a big ordeal since other people had bad experiences in the past and she said she did not see why because her system walked her through everything and prompted her for all the required information. She must have done everything right because my wife received her SS card 4 days later!

Edited September 25, 2009 by Eric (see edit history)