NEW ZEALANDers heading to the US and their USC spouses - POST HERE!

[cdneh 3,112]

Thx Ruby!

One more question... how does the Social Security # fit in with this whole process? Is it required for the AoS? We are getting married on the 25th... have we already screwed up by not getting the SS# yet? Genna didnt pick up one of those Work Authorization forms at PoE, becuz we dont really have any desire for her to work just yet.

They say it's best to get the SSN first, and then do a name change later. That's what I did, and I had the card in 1 week.

We are off tomorrow to Arkansas for the wedding, which is April 8th.

[Dave_n_Genna 0]

Thx Ruby!

One more question... how does the Social Security # fit in with this whole process? Is it required for the AoS? We are getting married on the 25th... have we already screwed up by not getting the SS# yet? Genna didnt pick up one of those Work Authorization forms at PoE, becuz we dont really have any desire for her to work just yet.

They say it's best to get the SSN first, and then do a name change later. That's what I did, and I had the card in 1 week.

We are off tomorrow to Arkansas for the wedding, which is April 8th.

I guess my actual question is... do we NEED to get the SS# for the wedding and the AoS? or is it just something that is nice to have for work,etc purposes?

[Kim & Chris 0]

Thx Ruby!

One more question... how does the Social Security # fit in with this whole process? Is it required for the AoS? We are getting married on the 25th... have we already screwed up by not getting the SS# yet? Genna didnt pick up one of those Work Authorization forms at PoE, becuz we dont really have any desire for her to work just yet.

They say it's best to get the SSN first, and then do a name change later. That's what I did, and I had the card in 1 week.

We are off tomorrow to Arkansas for the wedding, which is April 8th.

OMG Cdneh........no ones even mentioned Arkansas before except me....lol......where abouts are you heading?

Dave_n_Genna...........the best thing you can do is call the county clerks office for the county you're getting married in. Each state and sometimes county can vary slightly. When we went in the woman asked for them from both of us, but it made no mention anywhere I'd read online. But not all counties are the same so if you're worried about it it really does pay to check.

[kiwiana 2]

I have read on vj about hassles some people have at the SSA office and yesterday was my turn to have FUN there.

Had to wait about an hour and a half until my number was called.

when i got to the front desk/window, i said to the woman are you familiar with the k1 visa. she hesitantly said yes. i then handed her my form, marriage certificate and passport.

(I dont have a ssn and wanted to get one in my new married name)

she looked over my things and looked perplexed. I then pulled out the POMS information that i downloaded online from their website. I showed her it and she said, "i know i am looking at it now on my computer screen". she then started to shake her head and mumble, "i'm sorry, there is nothing here"..... and then her words trailed off..

I said to her i CAN get a SSN but am not allowed to work till i get my work permit. she ummed and arrrhed then called her supervisor over. he looked over my passport and said. "We CANT give you the ssn in your married name as your i-94 doesnt expire till May". I looked at him like WTH???? I said to him something like "k1 visa is used when you come here to get married.. i am NOW married".

He shook his head.. "no we cant issue you one in your married name until you have a green card".

I have to admit i was at boiling point at this stage but they wouldnt budge on the issue. She had me look over my details on a form she had printed out to make sure it was right. i then signed it.

She then handed me a letter and said they have to check with DHS to make sure everything is right first before issuing a number. On the letter it said it could take up to 6 weeks before i get a number.

I have to admit i was pretty desponded when i left that place. just totally deflated.

So now that the ssn is going to be in my old name and not new married name, will that affect me opening a bank account in my married name at all?

If the ssn number comes in the next week or two, Is it ok to put the ssn down on the next lot of immigration forms that i have to fill in (1765,1485 etc) or will it confuse the matter with it being in my old name? Or would it be ok to leave that part of the forms blank especially if it takes 6 weeks to get the ssn as i would like to get the forms filled out pretty soonish.

I dread the next stage where i have to starting phoning around looking for a civil surgeon to sign my vaccination sheet off and get a tb skin test done..and not have them demand that i get a full medical done again. I'm finding this part of the process a nightmare already and i have only gone to the ssn office so far

[Dave_n_Genna 0]

Well, we have our marriage license, so there was no need for a SSN for that. I filled out the form last night for the SSN and we plan on running up to the office (which is really quite far away) on Tuesday or Wednesday next week. We get married on the 25th, but if the SSN doesnt arrive by then, I guess I have no worries, since some others here have not applied for them till after the wedding.

Kiwiana - ugh... we have like an hour drive to the SSN office, and then if we have to wait another 1.5 hours only to be turned away, I am going to be boiling over.

[Kim & Chris 0]

I have read on vj about hassles some people have at the SSA office and yesterday was my turn to have FUN there.

Had to wait about an hour and a half until my number was called.

when i got to the front desk/window, i said to the woman are you familiar with the k1 visa. she hesitantly said yes. i then handed her my form, marriage certificate and passport.

(I dont have a ssn and wanted to get one in my new married name)

she looked over my things and looked perplexed. I then pulled out the POMS information that i downloaded online from their website. I showed her it and she said, "i know i am looking at it now on my computer screen". she then started to shake her head and mumble, "i'm sorry, there is nothing here"..... and then her words trailed off..

I said to her i CAN get a SSN but am not allowed to work till i get my work permit. she ummed and arrrhed then called her supervisor over. he looked over my passport and said. "We CANT give you the ssn in your married name as your i-94 doesnt expire till May". I looked at him like WTH???? I said to him something like "k1 visa is used when you come here to get married.. i am NOW married".

He shook his head.. "no we cant issue you one in your married name until you have a green card".

I have to admit i was at boiling point at this stage but they wouldnt budge on the issue. She had me look over my details on a form she had printed out to make sure it was right. i then signed it.

She then handed me a letter and said they have to check with DHS to make sure everything is right first before issuing a number. On the letter it said it could take up to 6 weeks before i get a number.

I have to admit i was pretty desponded when i left that place. just totally deflated.

So now that the ssn is going to be in my old name and not new married name, will that affect me opening a bank account in my married name at all?

If the ssn number comes in the next week or two, Is it ok to put the ssn down on the next lot of immigration forms that i have to fill in (1765,1485 etc) or will it confuse the matter with it being in my old name? Or would it be ok to leave that part of the forms blank especially if it takes 6 weeks to get the ssn as i would like to get the forms filled out pretty soonish.

I dread the next stage where i have to starting phoning around looking for a civil surgeon to sign my vaccination sheet off and get a tb skin test done..and not have them demand that i get a full medical done again. I'm finding this part of the process a nightmare already and i have only gone to the ssn office so far

Hi Ana

We get here and the fun begins....lol

Sounds like the SS office you dealt with weren't up with the play. I think we've been spoilt with the efficiency of the Auck US Consulate.

The easiest thing I can see to do is to wait till it arrives and then go straight in and have it changed to your married name. I'd even consider going to another SSN office perhaps.

You've probably got heaps of time left till your I-94 expires to wait it out for the SS card to arrive but if you can't wait then you can start your AOS paperwork and either put N/A for the SSN or if the card arrives within a week or so, use the number on it even though it's in your old name. The number won't change when you file to change it to your married name.

When I filed for AOS I did not have the vaccination sheet transcribed or signed off, and I did not get a TB test done. I read on here that others just supplied the copy of the vaccination sheet the doc who did our original medical gave us so I decided to do the same. And I figured if they want me to have a TB test done, then they'll tell me.

I have recieved an RFE, much to my disgust, but it was to do with employment evidence for the Affidavit of Support, not the medical stuff, and I'm guessing that they would have rifled through all my paperwork before they sent it so I'm hoping that it's the only one.

It's up to you if you want to get the medical stuff done, but after reading all the stuff on here about it, I didn't think it was necessary unless requested.

[kiwiana 2]

Kim&chris: Thanks everso for your help it's very frustrating dealing with folks at ssa when you know you are right and they are wrong but you can't seem to get through to them, so i just give up *sigh*. I will definitely go to a different ss office when the ssn arrives and try and get it changed into my married name. And this time i will try and make an appointment first instead of waiting an hour and half

This week i will start phoning around the civil surgeons in my area and see what joy i have with them. If they try to say that i have to have a full medical again or charge outrageous fees then i will do what you have done and just send in the vaccination sheet and see if i get an RFE.

Dave_N_Genna: Good luck tuesday or wednesday at ss office

cdneh: congratulations on your upcoming wedding. hope you will fill us in with all the details

how's everyone else doing?

[kiwiana 2]

hi all!

quick question:

when i file for AOS as well as for a work permit and 1-131. Do i have to include a copy of my divorce decree too? or is it not neccesary for these?

I managed to get an appointment with a civil surgeon for tomorrow. so will see if i can just get the vaccination record transcribed or if he will insist i have a full medical again (which i will refuse to do)

I told the receptionist when i made the appointment that i just want the form transcribed and she said something about a full medical and i said to her NO i dont need one and read out the piece on page 4 of the uscis instructions about k1s not needing one. she quoted $40 for the transcribe only..... so we will see what happens tomorrow....

I also found some milo in the 'food for less' supermarket here. I was like OMG!! it was a 400g tin but i see that it was made in columbia and not nz. It is distributed by nestle. i tried some yesterday and it doesnt taste like milo but more like ovaltine imo

[Kim & Chris 0]

hi all!

quick question:

when i file for AOS as well as for a work permit and 1-131. Do i have to include a copy of my divorce decree too? or is it not neccesary for these?

I managed to get an appointment with a civil surgeon for tomorrow. so will see if i can just get the vaccination record transcribed or if he will insist i have a full medical again (which i will refuse to do)

I told the receptionist when i made the appointment that i just want the form transcribed and she said something about a full medical and i said to her NO i dont need one and read out the piece on page 4 of the uscis instructions about k1s not needing one. she quoted $40 for the transcribe only..... so we will see what happens tomorrow....

I also found some milo in the 'food for less' supermarket here. I was like OMG!! it was a 400g tin but i see that it was made in columbia and not nz. It is distributed by nestle. i tried some yesterday and it doesnt taste like milo but more like ovaltine imo

I sent in my previous marriage and divorce papers. Don't think they requested it but I thought I would send it anyway.

Nestle Carnation Malted Milk Chocolate. It's powder form in a plastic jar at the supermarket. Tastes quite similar to milo

[rubyred 0]

for AOS, do both you AND the USC need to fill out g-325a?

oh, btw - we got married yesterday! really lovely and special and intimate

Edited April 8, 2009 by rubyred

[Kim & Chris 0]

for AOS, do both you AND the USC need to fill out g-325a?

oh, btw - we got married yesterday! really lovely and special and intimate

Oh congrats well done. Our ceremony was extremely intimate, just Chris, me and the JP....lol. But it was our moment so I know how you feel.

No the G-325a just needs to be filled out by you. Just make sure you provide evidence of employment and income to go with your I-864 Affidavit of Support. They don't specifically ask for it, but I got pinged with an RFE for not sending it.

We're now starting to make plans for the move out west. I'm about to start the search for work and somewhere to live. We'll be looking from north of San Franciso down to the south of it. It's not going to be easy online but I'll give it a go. Fingers crossed

[rubyred 0]

thanks kim!

i'm also confused about when i get the medical - it doesn't state in the guide that i need to have before sending in the AOS package. any ideas?

[Kim & Chris 0]

thanks kim!

i'm also confused about when i get the medical - it doesn't state in the guide that i need to have before sending in the AOS package. any ideas?

I know they want a copy of your vaccination record for AOS, (the one all K-1's get when they have their medical back in NZ).

You're on a student visa aren't you? Did you have any kind of medical etc for that?

I know if you had the medical at home and just need the vaccination sheet signed off here, even though they may tell you you do, you don't have to redo the full medical, (see Kiwiana's post above about that).

However if you didn't have to have any medical for your visa, in order to get the vaccination sheet, you'll have to find a civil surgeon here to do it and they'll probably make you have the full medical to get it.

Hope that makes sense. It did in my head anyway....lol

[rubyred 0]

i know i have to get a full medical, i'm just not sure when i have to get it - do i need to get it now, before i send in the AOS, or do i need to wait to be notified? jordan tried calling the CIS office in san francisco (the link to a list of civil surgeons in your local area is broken on VJ) and got an answering machine. i doubt they'll return his call. the checklist doesn't really say much, except to get specific info from your local office.

[rubyred 0]

i know i have to get a full medical, i'm just not sure when i have to get it - do i need to get it now, before i send in the AOS, or do i need to wait to be notified? jordan tried calling the CIS office in san francisco (the link to a list of civil surgeons in your local area is broken on VJ) and got an answering machine. i doubt they'll return his call. the checklist doesn't really say much, except to get specific info from your local office.

i know i have to get a full medical, i'm just not sure when i have to get it - do i need to get it now, before i send in the AOS, or do i need to wait to be notified? jordan tried calling the CIS office in san francisco (the link to a list of civil surgeons in your local area is broken on VJ) and got an answering machine. i doubt they'll return his call. the checklist doesn't really say much, except to get specific info from your local office.