after POE.. what's next?!

[VisaWanderer 0]

This is my second week stay here in the US after my POE.. guys i was just wondering.. which one should i go first?

apply for an SSN or get MARRIED first.. correct me if i'm wrong but i read some forums/post that they wont give you an SSN , so you have to get married first before they give you one.. because the people from SSA wont know if your getting married or not..

"Technically, the K-1 Visa is a nonimmigrant visa. If the K-1 Visa holder does not marry the U.S. citizen in 90 days, he or she must leave the U.S., negating the need for a Social Security Number. Therefore, prior to marriage within the 90 day period, the INS and Social Security Administration do not know whether the K-1 Visa holder will in fact marry and become an alien with an immigrant intent. After marriage does take place, the Adjustment of Status process includes requesting an EAD which then becomes the action point for obtaining the Social Security number."

and about getting married thing... my fiancee had been working here in the US for about 5 years now. and were getting married thru court/via judge..and about changing names.. what would you advice? i know it would be a hassle/nightmare to change name as you need to change everything from your Driver's license, passport, credit card, bank, title and registration (for your car), deed for your home and oh! There's tax records. - should we change names now? or should we change it later in the future, as we are planning to get married in the PHILIPPINES [church wedding] after 2 years..

what do you think?!

thanks in advance!

Happy New Year everyone!

[tom&tanya 48]

You should get your SS number now. You can change it later to your married name after you get your green card. You will need to twice regardless because your SS card will have a statement saying you are not authorized to work without permission. After you get your green card they will give you a SS card without that statement.

[YuAndDan 153]

Moving this to the AOS forum...

PLEASE READ THE GUIDES...

http://www.visajourney.com/content/guides

http://www.visajourney.com/faq/k1faq.htm

[Inky 1,111]

I got married to my husband 5days after I got to the US. 2 weeks after I had been here we went to the SSN office and applied in my married name with marriage certificate, got my SSN in married name 4 weeks later.

Edited January 7, 2011 by Inky

[VanessaTony 3,567]

I don't know where you got the post you quoted but it's wrong. You don't NEED to get married (you can choose to go back to your home country unmarried) and it's not a requirement of getting the SSN using your K1 that you do. Simply go to the SSA around 10 days after arriving on the k1 (and before there are less than 14 days left on the I-94) and get a SSN.

You can get it before or after marriage. It seems that it's easier doing it before as some offices try and claim that you're not eligible once you're married (though you are) because you're no longer a fiancee. So if you can get it before marriage, try and do that. You can change your name later (or you can wait till you get your EAD or GC seeing you can't use it for work until then anyway).

Its up to you whether you change your name or not, bearing in mind the following. The GC will be issued in whatever name you write on the AOS forms. When you ROC you can also change your name then (2 years after you get your GC) and again at naturalisation. Aside from those times, if you choose to try and change the name on your GC it will cost you $400+ (at the moment) to get a replacement card issued. So. If you are planning on changing your name eventually, I would personally put your married name on the AOS forms so you can start changing it now and you have time to slowly change everything. If you have the GC in your married name you can change almost everything else easily. Without the GC in your married name the SSA will be less willing to change your SSN to your married name, same with the DMV etc etc.

Edited January 7, 2011 by Vanessa&Tony

[JimVaPhuong 4,863]

My wife and step-kids also entered through the San Francisco POE. We got married the following week, and applied for her Social Security card a couple of weeks later. They don't ask to see your marriage certificate when you apply for the Social Security card. Whether or not you're married is irrelevant - you're eligible to apply for a Social Security card because you entered with a K1 visa. Just make sure you apply more than a couple of weeks before your I-94 expires. The Social Security card you receive will be marked "Not valid for employment without DHS authorization", which means you can't use the card to get a job, but you CAN use it to get a bank account or file a joint tax return with your new husband.

The name change wasn't an issue for us. Wives in most East Asian countries don't traditionally take their husband's family name when they marry, and it isn't required for anyone to change their name when they marry in California. I thought my step-kids should have at least one parent with the same last name, so my wife didn't change her name when we married.

Besides, I thought my wife's Vietnamese name sounded a little silly followed by my Scottish surname.

P.S. - A K1 can get a Social Security card while their I-94 is still valid (up to two weeks before it expires). However, K2 children can not. They must wait for an EAD or green card.