Naturalization next year - married and told by SS Office on INS list???

[mljb33 0]

I am confused what just recently happened. I am hoping that someone can give me some input on what happened.

I am a greencard holder that am able to apply for my naturalization after Jan, 2011. I got married in September and searched the immigration site to see the steps to change my name. The information that i found was that I could either pay $380.00 to change my name on my card or just bring my marriage certificate with me when I went for my naturalization and they would put my married name on my certificate. I decided to go that route because why pay the money to change the card when it will only be taken away next year. Anyway, I went to the SS Office to change my name on my SS card. I gave the woman my greencard, ss card and marriage certificate. She proceeded to change my name in the system and then stopped and said "oh no, it won't let me do it and now you are on the INS suspect list". She said it twice and then told me that I need to hurry up and change my greencard because I am now on this list. I was shocked and confused. I had never heard anything like this before. She should have known that I had to change the card first and not attempted to change the name on the ss card. I am really worried now and don't know if there is something that I need to do.

Has anyone heard of anything like this or can give me any suggestions. I would appreciate it.

[Kathryn41 3,205]

It sounds to me that you have run across another SSA employee who really doesn't know what they are doing. A lot of times SSA will not change a SSN to reflect a name change through marriage for a green card holder saying that the name must agree with the name with USCIS. Many K-1 entrants who get married and want to change their name are told they have to wait for their green card to do so - but, they ARE allowed to change their names. The marriage certificate is considered a valid name-change document and marriage is considered a valid legal name change. There is a wealth of mis-information about this out there among SSA employees who really don't know what is going on.

The fact that they still refer to it as INS shows how out of date they are - it hasn't been INS for a good many years now. What you can do is make an infopass appointment at your local USCIS office and explain to them your situation. You can ask them best how to handle it - if you need to change your green card now to reflect your new married name or if you are able to carry your green card with a copy of your marriage certificate until next year when you apply for naturalization.

I wouldn't call the 1-800 information line for USCIS either - they aren't known as the Misinformation line for nothing! The people who answer the phones are not USCIS employees - they are low-paid contractors working at a call center reading off of a list of common immigration situations and more often than not will give you the wrong information.

I hope this helps. Good luck in getting everything straightened out. Congratulations on your marriage .

Edited November 20, 2010 by Kathryn41

[mljb33 0]

It sounds to me that you have run across another SSA employee who really doesn't know what they are doing. A lot of times SSA will not change a SSN to reflect a name change through marriage for a green card holder saying that the name must agree with the name with USCIS. Many K-1 entrants who get married and want to change their name are told they have to wait for their green card to do so - but, they ARE allowed to change their names. The marriage certificate is considered a valid name-change document and marriage is considered a valid legal name change. There is a wealth of mis-information about this out there among SSA employees who really don't know what is going on.

The fact that they still refer to it as INS shows how out of date they are - it hasn't been INS for a good many years now. What you can do is make an infopass appointment at your local USCIS office and explain to them your situation. You can ask them best how to handle it - if you need to change your green card now to reflect your new married name or if you are able to carry your green card with a copy of your marriage certificate until next year when you apply for naturalization.

I wouldn't call the 1-800 information line for USCIS either - they aren't known as the Misinformation line for nothing! The people who answer the phones are not USCIS employees - they are low-paid contractors working at a call center reading off of a list of common immigration situations and more often than not will give you the wrong information.

I hope this helps. Good luck in getting everything straightened out. Congratulations on your marriage .

Thank you for the response Kathryn, I think I will do that and make an info pass appointment just to clear up whatever has happened. I have had smooth sailing since I have been in the US 6 years ago and I really do not want anything to go wrong. I definately do not want to have a bunch of hassels when I go for my naturalization. How long ago was it considered INS? She obviously didn't know what she was doing or else she would have said "you need to change your greencard before changing your SS#. Again, I thank you for responding. What do you think she meant about the Suspect List? Any ideas on that?

[pervez 4]

1. How long ago was it considered INS?

2. What do you think she meant about the Suspect List?

1. About the same time you came to the US. INS functions were split up and the part that we legal residents generally deal with became the USCIS in early 2003.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Immigration_and_Naturalization_Service

2. Who knows.

Do you have a SSN card that says "Valid For Work With USCIS Authorization Only" or any such clause in typewriter style fonts across the face of your card?

If so that is a very, very likely candidate for her "Suspect List". "Suspect List" being her misunderstanding of what the clause means. By the way if you have that on your SSN card this only means that you need the SSN card & a valid Green card (or extension letter) to be allowed to work.

It could also be that you are marked as a non citizen and her misunderstanding that as "Suspect List".

But in any case I doubt the USCIS would share lists of people suspected of anything with the SSA. They´d just go ahead and report you to ICE (Immigration or Customs Enforcement) or check your case themselves.

Edited November 20, 2010 by pervez

[mljb33 0]

1. About the same time you came to the US. INS functions were split up and the part that we legal residents generally deal with became the USCIS in early 2003.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Immigration_and_Naturalization_Service

2. Who knows.

Do you have a SSN card that says "Valid For Work With USCIS Authorization Only" or any such clause in typewriter style fonts across the face of your card?

If so that is a very, very likely candidate for her "Suspect List". "Suspect List" being her misunderstanding of what the clause means. By the way if you have that on your SSN card this only means that you need the SSN card & a valid Green card (or extension letter) to be allowed to work.

It could also be that you are marked as a non citizen and her misunderstanding that as "Suspect List".

But in any case I doubt the USCIS would share lists of people suspected of anything with the SSA. They´d just go ahead and report you to ICE (Immigration or Customs Enforcement) or check your case themselves.

You are right on the card saying "Valid for Word with USCIS Authorization Only" only because I never changed my SS card after getting it because I always had the same job. I agree after thinking about it that I doubt they would share a list with the SSA. It really freaked me out as, like I said, I have never had any problems and sure didn't want to start right before my naturalization. But the way I took it from the woman at SSA, that since I tried to change my name prior to changing my greencard, that it put up a red flag. Firstly, I would not have done that if I would have know that. I really appreciate all your responses to my situation and it definately makes me feel better about things but really need to get to the bottom of it to ensure I don't get a letter requesting that I show up for an appointment because of her mess up!!!