Social Security Card Bah Humbug!

[darkchilde794 5]

As I went to university in Maryland, I had a social security number and card issued back in 2004.

Anyhow, after me and the hubby tied the knot, I called the 1800 number for the social security card place to inquire on how to change my name on the card. Some customer service person told me to bring my marriage license, ID with my maiden name and fill out a form and just request a name change in my local social security office.

So I went to the office last Thursday and brought my passport with visa/I-94, Canadian driver's license, marriage license and the form they wanted me to fill out. And when I got to the local agent/personnel, I was told that I cant get my name changed until I get my GC. She said that USCIS has not updated my file yet and so my number is "locked" in my maiden name and can't be changed to my married name.

Anyway I hope this doesnt affect my AOS... I dont think Ill get my GC until spring, and I dont know if USCIS will update my information while processing my application.

Bah.

[Sam and Ben 2]

I could very well be mistaken, as I haven't filed for AOS yet, but don't all of your NOAs (AP, EAD, AOS) come in your married name, so long as that's what you wrote down when filing for it all? That should be proof enough for them that your name has changed according to USCIS as well.

[Inky 1,110]

I could very well be mistaken, as I haven't filed for AOS yet, but don't all of your NOAs (AP, EAD, AOS) come in your married name, so long as that's what you wrote down when filing for it all? That should be proof enough for them that your name has changed according to USCIS as well.

they only come in married name if you apply in married name. Meaning if you fill out the forms with your married name not your former last name. If you wanted the former last name then you would fill it out with former instead of married.

[J&K 0]

Yup, whatever you use as your name, is what they go by.

Don't worry about changing it until you have your EAD (which also can be used for your SSN as you'll be legal to work, and they will have to unlock it).

I still use my maiden name, but whenever I filed, I put down my married name in the section of "any other names used", as most people just assume that I go by my married name (although never official )

Edited December 14, 2009 by J&K

[darkchilde794 5]

I could very well be mistaken, as I haven't filed for AOS yet, but don't all of your NOAs (AP, EAD, AOS) come in your married name, so long as that's what you wrote down when filing for it all? That should be proof enough for them that your name has changed according to USCIS as well.

The paperwork hasnt been "touched" yet... and it will prolly take 2-3 months before any of my paperwork is touched or changed by USCIS. My plan is to wait til the EAD or the AP gets in, so I can try another attempt to change into my married name for work/tax purposes.

It was just annoying to get one set of answers on the phone and another in person :/

[Hugglebuggles 60]

I have a Green Card and USCIS has still not updated my information properly. According to the DMV I'm still in the system in my maiden name, despite having all the documentation in the world from USCIS showing I have changed my name with them. Unfortunately it may take them a long time to make changes that show up in the system.

When I went to change my name on my SSN card something was wrong as well. The woman took all of my immigration paperwork, photocopied it and sent it off to DHS to be manually verified. I ended up receiving my card in the mail 4 weeks later. It seems to me that the person at the SSN office didn't really do their job as thoroughly as they could have. Even if the system wasn't updated, I don't understand why they couldn't do the manual verification they do with so many people. I would try to go to a different office (if possible) and see if they can't try to find the proper information for you.

[Inky 1,110]

im confused why the dmv doesnt just change it for you huggles... when i got my driver license here they had NO problem with putting it in my married name with only my marriage certificate... i hadnt even applied for aos yet! same for my car title and my ssn... they did it all with just my passport ( visa / I-94 ) and my marriage certificate... it just seem so silly if 1 state can just change it why cant others.

[Hugglebuggles 60]

im confused why the dmv doesnt just change it for you huggles... when i got my driver license here they had NO problem with putting it in my married name with only my marriage certificate... i hadnt even applied for aos yet! same for my car title and my ssn... they did it all with just my passport ( visa / I-94 ) and my marriage certificate... it just seem so silly if 1 state can just change it why cant others.

Oh I know. Unfortunately nobody at the DMV had a clue what was going on. I had three people look at my stuff and they all said they couldn't verify my status, including the woman in charge that day. I've since gone to another office and I was told that the previous office "flagged" me in their system and I cannot be granted a state license until I receive my SAVE clearance letter which I've now been waiting on for 5 and a half weeks. Its absolutely ridiculous considering I now have a Green Card and can prove 100% that I'm an LPR. I asked the officer at my AOS interview about this and he told me what you just said, that they should have given me the license and used my marriage certificate as prof of the name discrepancy but they did not, and unfortunately now I'm stuck. In cruising the AOS forums I've discovered that I'm definitely not the only person in Colorado this has happened too... seems like a common theme in this state.

[darkchilde794 5]

Unfortunately, it seems like not everyone is up to date with immigration procedures in local offices like the SSN and the DMV. Its really annoying but theres nothing we can do. In my case, the woman wont even try. She just went on and on and on that USCIS hasnt changed me so she cant... in a very loud voice so everyone was eavesdropping on us

Sorry to hear your troubles Buggles. Hopefully you exchanged your CAD license to a US one before you got married so you can drive. I am about to do that and hope things are smooth sailing when I do...

[Hugglebuggles 60]

Unfortunately, it seems like not everyone is up to date with immigration procedures in local offices like the SSN and the DMV. Its really annoying but theres nothing we can do. In my case, the woman wont even try. She just went on and on and on that USCIS hasnt changed me so she cant... in a very loud voice so everyone was eavesdropping on us

Sorry to hear your troubles Buggles. Hopefully you exchanged your CAD license to a US one before you got married so you can drive. I am about to do that and hope things are smooth sailing when I do...

Yeah I didn't. I needed at least my EAD to get a US license here, so it wasn't really possible. I just need to wait, I guess. But that really sucks Darkchilde, I've never heard of anything like that happening before. Hopefully they'll fix it sooner rather than later.

[Emancipation 2]

So I went to the office last Thursday and brought my passport with visa/I-94, Canadian driver's license, marriage license and the form they wanted me to fill out. And when I got to the local agent/personnel, I was told that I cant get my name changed until I get my GC. She said that USCIS has not updated my file yet and so my number is "locked" in my maiden name and can't be changed to my married name.

huh? I already had a SSN when I arrived in the US (in my former married name).. i had my card changed without incident before my AOS... strangeness..

[Inky 1,110]

im confused why the dmv doesnt just change it for you huggles... when i got my driver license here they had NO problem with putting it in my married name with only my marriage certificate... i hadnt even applied for aos yet! same for my car title and my ssn... they did it all with just my passport ( visa / I-94 ) and my marriage certificate... it just seem so silly if 1 state can just change it why cant others.

Oh I know. Unfortunately nobody at the DMV had a clue what was going on. I had three people look at my stuff and they all said they couldn't verify my status, including the woman in charge that day. I've since gone to another office and I was told that the previous office "flagged" me in their system and I cannot be granted a state license until I receive my SAVE clearance letter which I've now been waiting on for 5 and a half weeks. Its absolutely ridiculous considering I now have a Green Card and can prove 100% that I'm an LPR. I asked the officer at my AOS interview about this and he told me what you just said, that they should have given me the license and used my marriage certificate as prof of the name discrepancy but they did not, and unfortunately now I'm stuck. In cruising the AOS forums I've discovered that I'm definitely not the only person in Colorado this has happened too... seems like a common theme in this state.

flagged you?? what the heck for.. shesh bunch of idiots...

[Hugglebuggles 60]

im confused why the dmv doesnt just change it for you huggles... when i got my driver license here they had NO problem with putting it in my married name with only my marriage certificate... i hadnt even applied for aos yet! same for my car title and my ssn... they did it all with just my passport ( visa / I-94 ) and my marriage certificate... it just seem so silly if 1 state can just change it why cant others.

Oh I know. Unfortunately nobody at the DMV had a clue what was going on. I had three people look at my stuff and they all said they couldn't verify my status, including the woman in charge that day. I've since gone to another office and I was told that the previous office "flagged" me in their system and I cannot be granted a state license until I receive my SAVE clearance letter which I've now been waiting on for 5 and a half weeks. Its absolutely ridiculous considering I now have a Green Card and can prove 100% that I'm an LPR. I asked the officer at my AOS interview about this and he told me what you just said, that they should have given me the license and used my marriage certificate as prof of the name discrepancy but they did not, and unfortunately now I'm stuck. In cruising the AOS forums I've discovered that I'm definitely not the only person in Colorado this has happened too... seems like a common theme in this state.

flagged you?? what the heck for.. shesh bunch of idiots...

Yeah I know, its a bunch of BS. The office put a note or "flag" on the file they created for me at the DMV saying I'm not to be granted a CO state license until I bring a clearance letter from SAVE. So no DMV in the state will process me without this letter. I've been waiting almost 6 weeks for it and it still hasn't came. The lady at the office said it could take up to 9 weeks to process, fabulous. My EAD didn't even take that long.

[antda 13]

Hi Darkchilde794,

Congrats on getting married recently. And may you and your spouse be happy with your new married life together!

Sorry to hear about your troubles with the SSN. Yeah, it doesn't make sense why they would not change your SSN to your married name, despite being married here in the USA and showing them evidence of such. I think it may be because they think that your status is not permanent at a k1 immigrant only, and you are "out of status" until your AOS is approved, thus they are unable to make the change right away. Either way, I hope they get that sorted out soon for you, and that you have your green card and SSN in your married name soon too.

On the bright side, at least you have an SSN already...So you can use that in the meantime, while you are waiting for a name change, as it will be the same number anyways (once you have an SSN, it is the same number for the rest of your life, regardless). So do as much as you can in your maiden name SSN (especially financially, such as opening a bank account and getting a driver's license and whatever else needs to be done with an SSN with your new move here to America), and then have it changed and updated later with other agencies, when you have all your documents in your married name. Don't think that this will affect your AOS application at all..though you might have to explain as to why you have an SSN in the first place, and why it is in your maiden name, which is no problem at all.

Lol..I had to wait 8 weeks (and this was after my AOS was approved, as they delayed in verifying the immigration status) to get my first SSN (I had no SSN before)..so yeah, can understand the frustration there...Oh well, now I have 2 SSN cards...can't complain too much here..rofl.....(that's another story...)

Hope this helps. Good luck with the rest of your journey and with married life too.

Ant

As I went to university in Maryland, I had a social security number and card issued back in 2004.

Anyhow, after me and the hubby tied the knot, I called the 1800 number for the social security card place to inquire on how to change my name on the card. Some customer service person told me to bring my marriage license, ID with my maiden name and fill out a form and just request a name change in my local social security office.

So I went to the office last Thursday and brought my passport with visa/I-94, Canadian driver's license, marriage license and the form they wanted me to fill out. And when I got to the local agent/personnel, I was told that I cant get my name changed until I get my GC. She said that USCIS has not updated my file yet and so my number is "locked" in my maiden name and can't be changed to my married name.

Anyway I hope this doesnt affect my AOS... I dont think Ill get my GC until spring, and I dont know if USCIS will update my information while processing my application.

Bah.

Edited December 14, 2009 by Ant+D+A

[Hugglebuggles 60]

I have 2 SSN cards too ant. One is in my married name and one is in my maiden name. Should I shred one or keep it for some reason? My husband keeps telling me to shred it but it seems wrong, like shredding government property or something.