Adjustment of Status Interview conflicting with filing taxes

[Delthis 0]

I am not sure this is the correct forum to post this on, but I'm looking for advice on this matter and hope that someone here can help me with this. =)

I'm an American citizen that brought my wife here through a k-1 visa in October of last year. First, I must have missed some directions or someone didn't inform me what to do after my fiancee (at the time) got here because I didn't know that she could recieve her social security card as soon as she got here. Now, her I-94 is expired and from what I read, we can't get a social security number for her until we get our green card.

Now that it's time to file our taxes, I'm required to file a W-7 for her ITIN number in place of her social security number. The problem is, to file for the W-7 I am required to have her original documents sent in with the application (at least that is what the person from my local IRS server center told me).I was told I wouldn't get these documents back for 3-4 months after sending them in with the W-7. These documents that I'm required to send in are the same documents that I'm required to bring for our interview next month.

I could really use the money as soon as I can get it from my return. I guess my question is, how soon after our interview will my wife recieve her social security number? Would it be better to wait until after our interview to file our tax return?

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

Your wife can get SSN with EAD.

[Delthis 0]

Your wife can get SSN with EAD.

We didn't file for EAD when we filed for her Adjustment of Status. She trains out of an Muay Thai gym and doesn't work, so we didn't need to file for that. I just need her SSN to claim her as married on our tax return. Would it be faster to file for EAD?

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

EAD is free, so there was no reason not to file for it. Taxes aren't due until April. An EAD will be approved in 3 months if you file now. If your interview is sooner, then you might wait. Those are the options.

Edited January 28, 2013 by Harpa Timsah

[Delthis 0]

EAD is free, so there was no reason not to file for it. Taxes aren't due until April. An EAD will be approved in 3 months if you file now. If your interview is sooner, then you might wait. That's the options.

Seems I should have filed for EAD when I filed for the Adjustment of Status. I didn't know that it was free. Our interview is on February 19th, so it seems that it would be faster to wait until our interview. Thank you for our help. Do you happen to know how long it takes after our interview before she will recieve a SSN?

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

Seems I should have filed for EAD when I filed for the Adjustment of Status. I didn't know that it was free. Our interview is on February 19th, so it seems that it would be faster to wait until our interview. Thank you for our help. Do you happen to know how long it takes after our interview before she will recieve a SSN?

You wait for the greencard, then go apply at a SSA office. Most cards take 10 days or less. If you tell them at the time you need the number before the card, they can usually give you the assigned number the next day. I mentioned tell them first because whatever our SSA person did, they said they needed to do something before submitting it if we wanted the number ahead of the card. No clue what the difference is. We were told, you should have said that before I submitted. ???

They don't give the number out over the phone so you would have to go back.

[Delthis 0]

You wait for the greencard, then go apply at a SSA office. Most cards take 10 days or less. If you tell them at the time you need the number before the card, they can usually give you the assigned number the next day. I mentioned tell them first because whatever our SSA person did, they said they needed to do something before submitting it if we wanted the number ahead of the card. No clue what the difference is. We were told, you should have said that before I submitted. ???

They don't give the number out over the phone so you would have to go back.

Thank you! I appreciate the response. That makes things whole lot easier. We were planning a trip and was afraid I was going to have to cancel since I wasn't going to get the refund in time. If this works I should have it in no time. Thank you for the advice, that's what I will do. =)