AOS'rs...

[magentahaze 34]

Hey everyone!

I thought I'd throw my hat into this ring too.

We got married at the end of May and I still haven't started to get together my AOS stuff yet. I get overwhelmed easily hence my slight procrastination. I've moved to Iowa from BC and am still in "adjustment" mode.

Anyways, my question is, stupid went and applied for a SSN but the information I took in after looking at one of the guides here, and I received it in my maiden name. Plus my husband's worried that the bank will hassle us if we go to get a joint account because my SSN is in my maiden name and the same with getting me on his insurance at work.

Is that going to be a problem once I start filling out the forms, or would it be a good idea to back to the SS office and get them to change it? I'm just worried that it's going to take too long before it gets back to me and it will still have he "work only with DHS authorization" message on it. And once I get my GC, I'll have to go back once more and get another.

I've read they only issue 3 in a year, so that's 3 right there.

What should I do? I'm so confused, worried, overwhelmed.

*whimper*

[Hugglebuggles 60]

Well, my husband added me onto his bank account after we got married. My SSN was still in my maiden name, as was my photo ID, but I brought a copy of my marriage license and they added me in my married name. It wasn't an issue for us, but it is likely something that will depend on how the bank handles accounts and what they accept as ID. It would certainly be worth a try, just so you can get on it asap.

As far as the insurance goes, I work for an insurance agency and we never ask to see the physical SSN card. Just name and number. What may happen is that they will run your information and they won't be able to produce a hit, because the name and the SSN won't match the name on the policy. It depends on the insurance company and what they look for. The companies we do business with, they will only pull credit information for the first named insured, which is what the SSN is needed for. We ask for the SSN number on all insureds, just so we can have it on file, but it is technically not necessary to have. Worst case scenario, you can be added on with your maiden name and get it switched over. Switching the name on the policy would just take a simple phone call, no big deal.

The SSN office will probably not let you change the name on your card without prof of current legal status. I assume that since you were married in May, your I-94 has either expired or will expire soon. I wouldn't go back until you have your EAD or GC in hand. If you wait until you have your GC, you can have the notation removed and get your name changed at the same time. I went after I received my EAD and had the SSN changed into my married name so I could get my state DL in my married name, as the names must match here in CO. I actually still haven't had the "not valid for work" notion taken off my SSN, and I've had my GC since November. It really doesn't make a difference, it just tells your prospective employer to ask for prof you are legal to work, which they would need to ask for anyways.

Honestly, AOS is easier than the K-1 process! Try not to stress out to much. You've come this far, it's just another step

Edit: for some reason I assumed you were talking about auto insurance, not sure about medical insurance if that's what you meant!

Edited July 31, 2010 by Hugglebuggles

[magentahaze 34]

Well, my husband added me onto his bank account after we got married. My SSN was still in my maiden name, as was my photo ID, but I brought a copy of my marriage license and they added me in my married name. It wasn't an issue for us, but it is likely something that will depend on how the bank handles accounts and what they accept as ID. It would certainly be worth a try, just so you can get on it asap.

As far as the insurance goes, I work for an insurance agency and we never ask to see the physical SSN card. Just name and number. What may happen is that they will run your information and they won't be able to produce a hit, because the name and the SSN won't match the name on the policy. It depends on the insurance company and what they look for. The companies we do business with, they will only pull credit information for the first named insured, which is what the SSN is needed for. We ask for the SSN number on all insureds, just so we can have it on file, but it is technically not necessary to have. Worst case scenario, you can be added on with your maiden name and get it switched over. Switching the name on the policy would just take a simple phone call, no big deal.

The SSN office will probably not let you change the name on your card without prof of current legal status. I assume that since you were married in May, your I-94 has either expired or will expire soon. I wouldn't go back until you have your EAD or GC in hand. If you wait until you have your GC, you can have the notation removed and get your name changed at the same time. I went after I received my EAD and had the SSN changed into my married name so I could get my state DL in my married name, as the names must match here in CO. I actually still haven't had the "not valid for work" notion taken off my SSN, and I've had my GC since November. It really doesn't make a difference, it just tells your prospective employer to ask for prof you are legal to work, which they would need to ask for anyways.

Honestly, AOS is easier than the K-1 process! Try not to stress out to much. You've come this far, it's just another step

Edit: for some reason I assumed you were talking about auto insurance, not sure about medical insurance if that's what you meant!

Thanks. That does help.

It's still a lot of stuff to compile. I'm just trying to make sure that I know all the stuff that I need then just get going on it and get it done before my I-94 expires on the 22nd of August.

I was actually talking about medical insurance actually, but he's thinking about getting me on his car insurance too.

[childress_london 3]

In the U.S. married women can keep their maiden name, so there is no problem with you having a different last name from your husband. As for the three social security cards per year, I believe this is for replacement cards (lost, worn, etc) and not for necessary reasons, such as name change or change of status.

[magentahaze 34]

In the U.S. married women can keep their maiden name, so there is no problem with you having a different last name from your husband. As for the three social security cards per year, I believe this is for replacement cards (lost, worn, etc) and not for necessary reasons, such as name change or change of status.

Well, I will be keeping his name, I was just an idiot when we went to apply for a card in the first place and got it in my maiden name, even after we were already married. I'll have to call them maybe on Monday and find that out for sure.

My I-94 expires on August 22nd, so I'm going to start hauling my butt and getting things together so I can get it all in the mail before then and know where I stand.

As I've said before, I've moved from BC to Iowa, so I'm kinda missing my family, so getting my AP is important to me. So I know I can go home, if need be.

Edited August 1, 2010 by magentahaze

[ashenflowers 5]

Sigh... So I'm off to do my medical again today. Let's hope I just didn't jinx myself and they don't call again at the last minute to reschedule. Bye Bye $200 (or thereabouts. I never did get a direct quote of the cost).

[Kimbear 53]

good luck ashen, hopefully it's going to be nice easy and not overly expensive..still find it dumb they can't even bother lookking for you medical...grrr.

so today it is 2 months since USCIS got my aos package...and still no bio appt and no touches since june. and i've exhausted all ways of getting info. i can't call back for another 18 days.../sigh. wonder if congressman can do anything about why the hell this is taking so long, at this rate my EAD will be well out of processing times, and hell, i have no idea when i'll see a green card at this rate either! Just really wanna feel like a real person again, not some hobo milking off everyone ya know?

[Colleens 40]

good luck ashen, hopefully it's going to be nice easy and not overly expensive..still find it dumb they can't even bother lookking for you medical...grrr.

so today it is 2 months since USCIS got my aos package...and still no bio appt and no touches since june. and i've exhausted all ways of getting info. i can't call back for another 18 days.../sigh. wonder if congressman can do anything about why the hell this is taking so long, at this rate my EAD will be well out of processing times, and hell, i have no idea when i'll see a green card at this rate either! Just really wanna feel like a real person again, not some hobo milking off everyone ya know?

I know exactly how you feel, I am still waiting as well. I was hoping that I would at least be able to start claiming EI while looking for a job (not much chance of finding one now at 5 months pregnant!!) to help pay bills. I have had to cash in some of my investments to keep us afloat....money I was hoping to save so that we could buy a house in the new year. So it really, really sucks. Hubby is in a fast track program for management where he works right now, but that won't be for another 3 months at least and currently he doesn't make enough to cover all the bills alone. With a baby on the way...it is really starting to stress me out!!

[look2me40 0]

Can someone tell me how to check on the status of the AOS packet? I know it got there via Fed Ex...other than that, haven't heard a thing.

[ashenflowers 5]

*hugs to Kimbear and Colleens*

We're all stuck in limbo! Doesn't it feel that way? I hope by the end of the year things look awesome for all of us.

I started a new thread to talk about my medical, cause I had to blabber on about it. lol It was $191 :'( I think mostly because of the 2nd vaccine dose I ended up getting while I was there, which itself was $86.

look2me40, you can sign up for updates online here: https://egov.uscis.gov/cris/jsps/login.jsp To get updates you'll need your receipt #s. Did you send in the form to get email updates? When did they receive it according to fedex?

[look2me40 0]

look2me40, you can sign up for updates online here: https://egov.uscis.gov/cris/jsps/login.jsp To get updates you'll need your receipt #s. Did you send in the form to get email updates? When did they receive it according to fedex?

It was received on the 26th. I don't have a receipt number for this packet, just the original K1 application stuff. Do I have to wait for them to send me the first letter to get that?

[ashenflowers 5]

It was received on the 26th. I don't have a receipt number for this packet, just the original K1 application stuff. Do I have to wait for them to send me the first letter to get that?

If you didn't sign up for email updates then yes, you'll have to wait for the first NOA from them, which will have your receipt # on it. It shouldn't take too long, maybe this week or next. If they have only had it for a week I'm not surprised you haven't heard yet. Don't worry.

[look2me40 0]

If you didn't sign up for email updates then yes, you'll have to wait for the first NOA from them, which will have your receipt # on it. It shouldn't take too long, maybe this week or next. If they have only had it for a week I'm not surprised you haven't heard yet. Don't worry.

We got the email notifications today. BUT, I put the receipt number in to try and add it and says it's not found. So no idea. At least I know they have it and are moving things around.

[ashenflowers 5]

We got the email notifications today. BUT, I put the receipt number in to try and add it and says it's not found. So no idea. At least I know they have it and are moving things around.

Yay email!! Sometimes it can take a day or two (or three) to get the receipt numbers to pull something up in the system. It's all good.

[Kimbear 53]

indeed, the first msc number they gave me which was on the back of my check did didly squat. still does nothing, the other numbers i got with my noa's which are different actually do work, and i had to wait a few days before anything would even show up online.