K-1 visa. How to go about getting a Job, Bank Account, Social Security number.

[ItsAllFlowers 0]

Hello,

We have just finished our final interview for the K-1 visa and it has been approved!! Yay! So my question is...

What are the next steps we take here in the states? Do we get married immediately and then file for the Social Security card? Can we file for that and a permit to work before the marriage? I think I might remember reading something about all that stuff included in the AOS? Just need a little direction here. Thanks!

[Penny Lane 8,159]

Hello,

We have just finished our final interview for the K-1 visa and it has been approved!! Yay! So my question is...

What are the next steps we take here in the states? Do we get married immediately and then file for the Social Security card? Can we file for that and a permit to work before the marriage? I think I might remember reading something about all that stuff included in the AOS? Just need a little direction here. Thanks!

You can apply for a social security card around 10 days after you arrive in the US. There's a guide VJ provides on how to go about doing that. Make sure there is at least two weeks left on your I-94. http://www.visajourney.com/content/ssn

Get married whenever you want, as long as it's within the 90 days after arrival.

There is no permit to work before marriage. You have to get married in 90 days, and then when you can, file for AOS. When you file for AOS, you have the option of filing for a work and travel permit (EAD and AP) ... the fees for these forms are waived when filing for AOS, so make sure to do it.

Your EAD/AP card is generally approved within 2-3 months of filing. There's no working before you receive this card.

Here's the AOS guide:

http://www.visajourney.com/content/k1k3aos

[Alaska2012 462]

You apply for the ss# about two weeks after you arrive, it's to make sure your paper has been received by the right people. If you have a nice customs dude he or she might inform you about this, mine did. You apply at your local social security office. The card will then arrive about 2-4 weeks after you apply.

Edited October 8, 2012 by Alaska2012

[Alaska2012 462]

Oh you asked about a bank account too.... After you get your social security # you can open up an account.

[Pitaya 2,577]

You can apply for a social security card around 10 days after you arrive in the US. There's a guide VJ provides on how to go about doing that. Make sure there is at least two weeks left on your I-94. http://www.visajourney.com/content/ssn

Get married whenever you want, as long as it's within the 90 days after arrival.

There is no permit to work before marriage. You have to get married in 90 days, and then when you can, file for AOS. When you file for AOS, you have the option of filing for a work and travel permit (EAD and AP) ... the fees for these forms are waived when filing for AOS, so make sure to do it.

Your EAD/AP card is generally approved within 2-3 months of filing. There's no working before you receive this card.

Here's the AOS guide:

http://www.visajourney.com/content/k1k3aos

[mugumogu 18]

Hello,

We have just finished our final interview for the K-1 visa and it has been approved!! Yay! So my question is...

What are the next steps we take here in the states? Do we get married immediately and then file for the Social Security card? Can we file for that and a permit to work before the marriage? I think I might remember reading something about all that stuff included in the AOS? Just need a little direction here. Thanks!

We got married about a week after my (now) wife got here. We then ordered our marriage license so we could include it with the AOS paperwork and waited to get the marriage license so we could take it to the Social Security Office and apply for a SSN card in her married name. We got the card in a couple of weeks and by this point had already sent off the AOS paperwork, which included the green card app, the work authorization, and the travel document application. The SSN card did have the language on it that said she could only work if she had the appropriate authorization, but now that we had a number and card, I was able to add her to my medical insurance. One difficulty we ran into with having the SSN card in her married name was that all of her picture IDs (passport, Mexican driver's license, etc.) were in her maiden name. When we tried to open a bank account, they wanted to see a picture ID that matched the name on the SSN card and we didn't have one. We then went to apply for a CA driver's license (which was by far the most frustrating part of the post-arrival process) and waited for the green card. The green card was approved first so we finally had a picture ID in her married name. With that, we opened up a bank account and ordered a new SSN card without the work authorization language on it. Then my wife took and passed the written and behind-the-wheel driving tests and got her CA driver's license. It was difficult to find a car insurance company that would insure her to drive when she first got here and did not have a US driver's license. There are a few, but your choices are limited. Once we got the CA driver's license, we switched companies. The green card was approved before the work authorization and travel document were approved so we never used or received those. Lots to do! Take it in stride.

[ItsAllFlowers 0]

Awesome! Great responses.. thank you!

I have another question. I have heard that people have chose to do it this way. First they apply for a SSN and then get married and then re-apply for a SSN with their new married name. So my question is, what this pointless? Can you just get married first and then apply for the SSN with the married name? Thanks!

[C-ma'am 684]

**Moved from K1 to Moving Here and Your New Life in America; as the question is not related to a K1 Process

[VanessaTony 3,567]

Awesome! Great responses.. thank you!

I have another question. I have heard that people have chose to do it this way. First they apply for a SSN and then get married and then re-apply for a SSN with their new married name. So my question is, what this pointless? Can you just get married first and then apply for the SSN with the married name? Thanks!

They don't "reapply" for a SSN, they change the name.

Some SSA offices won't let you get a SSN once you're married because they claim that once you got married you weren't on a K1 visa anymore, and instead a K3 which isn't eligible for a SSN. Others claim that getting married invalidate your K1 visa (but doesn't switch it to another) and won't give you a SSN. It's wrong, but if they won't give you a SSN it stops you doing a lot of other stuff (getting on health insurance etc) and you need to wait for the EAD. Some also won't give it to you in the married name... so.. you tell me... worth the hassle?

If there's time prior to the wedding, apply beforehand. Saves you hassles that way.