Now What?

[noremac 3]

Well the wedding is tomorrow and I need to know what the best plan of attack is from here, I know that I need to apply for EAD, AP, and AOS.. Can I apply for a SSN before all that stuff is approved? Ive read alot of conflicting stories on that so what are peoples personal experiences? I am also going to need to apply for a Texas state drivers licence so can I do that now or do I have to wait? Really just want to hear what other people have done. I am planning/hoping to be able to get back to work full time as soon as possible.

thanks

[Penny Lane 8,159]

Yes, you can apply for a social security number now. You could have done it a couple weeks after first arriving in the United States.

Bring your passport, marriage certificate (if you want the SSN in your married name), birth certificate, other identification with you to the SSA office. I had my card 8 days after I had applied.

It varies state by state as to what's necessary to receive a state driver's license. I suggest giving your local DMV a call and asking them.

[Travis and Meghan 24]

I've read a lot about people not being able to get a ssn if their I-94 is about to expire. From what i've heard, you need to get it more than two weeks before the expiry otherwise they won't issue it and you'll have to wait for you green card. I got mine a couple weeks ago and had no problems, my I-94 expires beginning of January. It differs by state but i'm in Arizona and i can't get a drivers licence until i get my Green card. i don't think i can even get a state ID card. But yea, it differs by state so check out the website or give them a call. Double check, but i think that you are allowed to use your Australian licence for a while, possibly until your I-94 expires, i'm not totally postive though, just something i read in another thread, can't remember which thread it was now though.

[Barbara J 115]

Well the wedding is tomorrow and I need to know what the best plan of attack is from here, I know that I need to apply for EAD, AP, and AOS.. Can I apply for a SSN before all that stuff is approved? Ive read alot of conflicting stories on that so what are peoples personal experiences? I am also going to need to apply for a Texas state drivers licence so can I do that now or do I have to wait? Really just want to hear what other people have done. I am planning/hoping to be able to get back to work full time as soon as possible.

thanks

As you only arrived on the 10th you will have to wait at least 2 weeks till you can apply for ssn as you wont be in the system yet. Once you are married and congrats for tomorrow, hope it all goes off well for you. You can aply for AOS after you get your marriage certificate but you can't work till you get EAD card and that will take approx 2-3 months.

Depending on what state you are in is whether yu can get a drivers license. I am in Georgia and theoretically I was supposed to be able to get a license with ead card but I had to wait till my GC was approved. I got an international permit before I left Australia so I was ok to drive on that for a year anyways.

With being so close to Christmas I would not get my hopes up being able to work till at least next March.

[noremac 3]

Yes I know I have abit of a wait until being able to work.. All in good time though lol. Another thing that may possibly set me back is waiting for our marriage certificate to be posted back to us.. Apparently can take a month or more from

What I've been told? Does the original have to be sent in with the AOS or can it be a noterised copy?

[Travis and Meghan 24]

We got told our marriage certificate would take a month too but it took just over a week. You just need to send a copy of the certified copy to USCIS

[KLS2010 30]

Sorry I'm no help at all when it comes to all the AOS, EAD stuff as I came on a CR1/IR1 not K1.

But about getting a Texas drivers license. I am in the process of doing that now. Guess what?? We get to start from scratch - an Australian driver's license means absolutely nothing here. You will have to pass the written, driving and vision exams. I've passed the written exam, now just waiting to do the driving exam on the 6th Jan.

I had to show my Social Security card and my Green Card for them to allow me to do the written exam. HERE is a link to the TX DPS that shows what documents can be used to prove Lawful Presence requirements for getting a license. I could be wrong on this - but being a K1 - I don't think you have any of these yet. From my understanding, those that enter on K1 are kind of in limbo here until you get your AOS approved. In any case - even if you do have something that they will accept as proof of Lawful Presence - I still don't think you will get far without the SSN. They are very strict here about showing them your SSN card - when I was at the DPS I saw them turning away people that had photocopies of the SSN card - they want to see the original.

And about the marriage certificate....I'm not sure where you are in Texas, but I am in Houston. I was married here in Houston last year and had the worst time trying to convince the NVC that we had in fact gotten married legally....because Texas (well Harris County, Houston at least - not sure about other counties) DOES NOT ISSUE MARRIAGE 'CERTIFICATES'. The marriage license is the only thing they issue, and the NVC had a problem with the word 'license'. Once you get married the officiant will sign the back of the license and it is then filed with the County Clerks office - it then becomes your marriage 'certificate'. I hope that you don't have the same issue when you send your AOS, and I don't want to worry you - but I just thought I should mention it in case you come up against the same problem. Also - it took well over a month for us to get ours back in the mail...we only got it after calling and chasing it up. However - we knew that we were going to need copies for the visa paperwork so we had a couple of certified copies done immediately after we were married. May I suggest you do this also - with all this immigration paperwork - it can never hurt to have extra copies of important documents!

Anway - I wish you the best of luck for the wedding and eveything beyond! CONGRATULATIONS

[noremac 3]

Thank you, I am also in Houston all that information was very helpful. Today at the court house I will ask the them

For a certified copy before they take it away