Social Security Number

[lesleysizeland 0]

Hi All

I have a question that i am hoping you can help me with. I have been in the States now since the 28 June (3 weeks) and went to apply for a Social Security Card today. The lady told me that I was not in the system so it could take up to 12 weeks to get a SSN. Now, do i cancel the application and try again in a couple weeks or do i completely wait until after my wedding and then apply (Sept 10th)?

If i do not have a SSN when applying for my Adjustment of Status how will this affect my application, if at all?

The lady in the SSA office today told me that it would cause problems if i receive my SSN in my maiden name and then straight away change it to my married name, would it be a problem to keep it in my maiden name for a few weeks?

I was hoping to get a SSN and then be put on the lease of our house and be named on our joint bank account, this would all be evidence that we were living together and in a relationship.

[Young Love 5]

Hi All

I have a question that i am hoping you can help me with. I have been in the States now since the 28 June (3 weeks) and went to apply for a Social Security Card today. The lady told me that I was not in the system so it could take up to 12 weeks to get a SSN. Now, do i cancel the application and try again in a couple weeks or do i completely wait until after my wedding and then apply (Sept 10th)?

A: I have heard that it's best to cancel the application and check back every week or so, DHS verification usually delays the process

If i do not have a SSN when applying for my Adjustment of Status how will this affect my application, if at all?

A: It will not be affected at all. You will be assigned an A[lien] number

The lady in the SSA office today told me that it would cause problems if i receive my SSN in my maiden name and then straight away change it to my married name, would it be a problem to keep it in my maiden name for a few weeks?

A: Your best bet is to wait until you get married and get it in your married name right after. If you try to change it after receiving one in your maiden name you could exceed the time frame that you're allowed to get a SSN card and be stuck with the one in the maiden name, resulting is future issues (you can apply for a SSN card up to 2 weeks before your I-94 expires)

Hope that helped, good luck

[lesleysizeland 0]

Hope that helped, good luck

Thanks, ill phone the lady tomorrow and cancel the request for today and then just keep checking back every week

Thanks for your help

[arya 22]

I wouldn't cancel my application if I was you. There have been plenty of people who tried to get their SSN after getting married and they were not able to. The procedure is to get SSN before you get married, in your maiden name and then when you get your EAD or Green Card you can change your name on it. It does not take 12 weeks to get your SSN, she was wrong about that. It takes up to 4 weeks to get the verification back. Good luck

[Lioncub4 4]

I wouldn't cancel my application if I was you. There have been plenty of people who tried to get their SSN after getting married and they were not able to. The procedure is to get SSN before you get married, in your maiden name and then when you get your EAD or Green Card you can change your name on it. It does not take 12 weeks to get your SSN, she was wrong about that. It takes up to 4 weeks to get the verification back. Good luck

Yep, I can confirm that it takes about 4 weeks to get DHS verification (it was about that length of time with me after SSA told me I wasn't on the system yet). The important thing is the issuing of the number (which of course remains with you for life) and not the name on the card, so, like what has been advised so far, I wouldn't cancel the application. Best to wait the 4 or so weeks and have the card issued in your maiden name. This will at least allow you to be added to bank accounts, utilities etc. Best of luck.

[lesleysizeland 0]

Yep, I can confirm that it takes about 4 weeks to get DHS verification (it was about that length of time with me after SSA told me I wasn't on the system yet). The important thing is the issuing of the number (which of course remains with you for life) and not the name on the card, so, like what has been advised so far, I wouldn't cancel the application. Best to wait the 4 or so weeks and have the card issued in your maiden name. This will at least allow you to be added to bank accounts, utilities etc. Best of luck.

Darn it, i already cancelled it this morning as per the other emails :-( Do you think i can just go back in and apply again?

[h1a1 5]

Hi All

I have a question that i am hoping you can help me with. I have been in the States now since the 28 June (3 weeks) and went to apply for a Social Security Card today. The lady told me that I was not in the system so it could take up to 12 weeks to get a SSN. Now, do i cancel the application and try again in a couple weeks or do i completely wait until after my wedding and then apply (Sept 10th)?

If i do not have a SSN when applying for my Adjustment of Status how will this affect my application, if at all?

The lady in the SSA office today told me that it would cause problems if i receive my SSN in my maiden name and then straight away change it to my married name, would it be a problem to keep it in my maiden name for a few weeks?

I was hoping to get a SSN and then be put on the lease of our house and be named on our joint bank account, this would all be evidence that we were living together and in a relationship.

I'd reapply if I were you. I let the SSA office fob me off with the same kind of story as they told you (actually the first time I applied the person screwed up and didn't put my application through properly so I waited for 6 weeks for nothing) and now I have to wait for my EAD to get a social security number! And that's causing me problems as I can't be added to my husband's bank account without a SSN... our landlord won't put me on the lease without a SSN... which is gonna make things fun (not!) if we get an AOS interview and I don't have much financial and cohabitation evidence of our relationship.

Waiting 12 weeks (which is bull... it shouldn't take that long) is better than not getting one at all. I've been in the country 4 months now and would have had it already.

Edited July 20, 2010 by h1a1

[Sebas&Lily 3]

so from what I am reading one must apply for SSN BEFORE marriage? On what basis do they issue a SSN? I don't see how an I-94 with a 90day expiration date (temporary paperwork basically) can grant you a SSN. That would mean any visitor could get one, am I wrong?

[lesleysizeland 0]

so from what I am reading one must apply for SSN BEFORE marriage? On what basis do they issue a SSN? I don't see how an I-94 with a 90day expiration date (temporary paperwork basically) can grant you a SSN. That would mean any visitor could get one, am I wrong?

No, not every visitor would be able to get one cause you have to show your visa! Therefore as long as you have the correct visa in your passport then your able to get a SSN.

I'd reapply if I were you. I let the SSA office fob me off with the same kind of story as they told you (actually the first time I applied the person screwed up and didn't put my application through properly so I waited for 6 weeks for nothing) and now I have to wait for my EAD to get a social security number! And that's causing me problems as I can't be added to my husband's bank account without a SSN... our landlord won't put me on the lease without a SSN... which is gonna make things fun (not!) if we get an AOS interview and I don't have much financial and cohabitation evidence of our relationship.

Waiting 12 weeks (which is bull... it shouldn't take that long) is better than not getting one at all. I've been in the country 4 months now and would have had it already.

Thanks for this, ill go back in and apply again. Its bullshit that they tell you all of this then if it is not true! It annoys me because then people end up in your position and like you said, the embassy want proof your living together etc etc. I am sorry to hear that for you but thanks so much for warning me!!

[Lioncub4 4]

so from what I am reading one must apply for SSN BEFORE marriage? On what basis do they issue a SSN? I don't see how an I-94 with a 90day expiration date (temporary paperwork basically) can grant you a SSN. That would mean any visitor could get one, am I wrong?

The SSN card you receive will state "with DHS authorization" and this can be removed once you receive EAD or GC. Most K-1s won't have work authorisation at the moment they enter the country however, the number is good to use for opening bank accounts, adding names to utilities and so on.

Lesley - I would say you have enough time left on your I-94 to reaply. Generally you can apply up to 72 days into your I-94 so, not all is lost.

[h1a1 5]

Well they do it because they don't know their jobs properly. I mean, I KNEW they were wrong and were misinforming me but I couldn't convince them that they were wrong! I even asked one of the people to speak to their supervisor about it (politely) and they went off at me for telling them how to do their job. I actually think one of the people deleted my application to be a moo to me but I can't prove that! One of the people told me I wasn't in the SAVE system and it'd be a big issue for me and I might be deported. (#######?!) They were like "you need to go to immigration now and then come back here later and I'll put your application through". Yes because it is SO easy to get to go to an immigration office and get to speak to somebody there and then! They are clueless!

Sorry for the rant. Go back to them and if they tell you that you have to wait 12 weeks then say you're willing to wait. I doubt it will be 12 weeks! More like a couple of weeks to 4 weeks max!

Luckily I have the letter they gave me. So if I have an interview and we don't have much "evidence" then I'll repeat this whole story (more politely lol) to the interviewing officer.

[VanessaTony 3,567]

** moved from "Adjustment of Status (Green Card) from Family Based Visas" to " Working & Traveling During US Immigration" as this is relating to getting a SSN**

[I'm Gone 60]

Hi All

I have a question that i am hoping you can help me with. I have been in the States now since the 28 June (3 weeks) and went to apply for a Social Security Card today. The lady told me that I was not in the system so it could take up to 12 weeks to get a SSN. Now, do i cancel the application and try again in a couple weeks or do i completely wait until after my wedding and then apply (Sept 10th)?

Just let the application run it's course You waited long enough before applying. Waiting long is going to do nothing except give the SSA less time to verify your status. You just need to keep checking with the SSA office to make sure that are following the verification procedures.

If i do not have a SSN when applying for my Adjustment of Status how will this affect my application, if at all?

An SSN is not needed to submit your AOS. If you don't have it by the time you want to file the AOS, just write None or application pending pm any of the forms that asks for an SSN.

The lady in the SSA office today told me that it would cause problems if i receive my SSN in my maiden name and then straight away change it to my married name.

Total BS

[I'm Gone 60]

The SSN card you receive will state "with DHS authorization" and this can be removed once you receive EAD or GC.

You need the AOS to be approved, Just having an EAD card isn't going to do it

[Lioncub4 4]

You need the AOS to be approved, Just having an EAD card isn't going to do it

Unless I am reading this wrong, this is from the SSA guidelines:-

Required evidence for employment authorization is either a Form I-94, Arrival/Departure Record, showing a class of admission that indicates the person can work without specific DHS authorization (RM 00203.500C.1.) or an employment authorization document (EAD) (Form I-766 or I-688B).

Can you point us to where it informs us that SSA won't remove the "DHS authorization" spiel with EAD and only the GC?