Name change on SSN issue.

[Sha go 0]

My wife was on F-1 when she got her SSN. She was authorized to work on campus then and it was all good. We got married a couple years ago while she was still on F-1 and she went to go change her name on her SSN and they refused to because she wasn't working at the time. They said she needed to have an offer letter for her name to be changed. She didn't need a new number just to update the name on the existing number.

She has since graduated and is now on H4 status since I'm on H-1. She went to the SS office to try changing her name again and they refused because H-4 is not allowed to work.

Thing is she's not trying to work while not authorized but we would like to have her records updated and all legal documents in sync. We have to file joint taxes with her maiden name and there's been a couple times the DMV wouldn't renew her drivers license because her passport with married last name and SSN don't match. We have to go with a bunch of proof that she's the same person now which still raises questions.

The SS card says not authorized to work without DHS approval so I'm not sure why they won't change the name.

Is there anything we can do to make SS office update her name?

Thank you.

[Dave&Roza 748]

My wife was on F-1 when she got her SSN. She was authorized to work on campus then and it was all good. We got married a couple years ago while she was still on F-1 and she went to go change her name on her SSN and they refused to because she wasn't working at the time. They said she needed to have an offer letter for her name to be changed. She didn't need a new number just to update the name on the existing number.

She has since graduated and is now on H4 status since I'm on H-1. She went to the SS office to try changing her name again and they refused because H-4 is not allowed to work.

Thing is she's not trying to work while not authorized but we would like to have her records updated and all legal documents in sync. We have to file joint taxes with her maiden name and there's been a couple times the DMV wouldn't renew her drivers license because her passport with married last name and SSN don't match. We have to go with a bunch of proof that she's the same person now which still raises questions.

The SS card says not authorized to work without DHS approval so I'm not sure why they won't change the name.

Is there anything we can do to make SS office update her name?

Thank you.

You should be able to go into the SSA office fill out the form, show them the old SSC with her maiden name and the Marriage Certificate to get the name changed. How do you think a USC woman does it? Of course they will know she is not a USC with the wording on the SSC. Take her passport with you also. She may end up with a changed SSC with the wording "NOT VALID FOR WORK" on it. Since her passport is in her married name and that is an official government issued ID--maybe not from the US but it is still issued by a government that recognizes your marriage--I would use that to change her DL and I would show the DMV her SSC with the Marriage Certificate. I do not understand why everybody makes changing a name after marriage so difficult.

Good luck,

Dave

[Sha go 0]

You should be able to go into the SSA office fill out the form, show them the old SSC with her maiden name and the Marriage Certificate to get the name changed. How do you think a USC woman does it? Of course they will know she is not a USC with the wording on the SSC. Take her passport with you also. She may end up with a changed SSC with the wording "NOT VALID FOR WORK" on it. Since her passport is in her married name and that is an official government issued ID--maybe not from the US but it is still issued by a government that recognizes your marriage--I would use that to change her DL and I would show the DMV her SSC with the Marriage Certificate. I do not understand why everybody makes changing a name after marriage so difficult.

Good luck,

Dave

Thanks Dave.

I know how a USC woman dkes it and we did the same thing both times. Took all the documents necessary, probably more than enough. passport, I-94, marriage certificate, original SSC, visa history, my immigration documents, anything that could be questioned was accounted for.The SS officers kept asking each other what to do like they've never dealt with a visa holder before. Then they called the supervisor who called some other office and they came back and said because she didn't have an offer letter while on F-1, they can't change it.

The second time on H-4, the same thing. thenactually recognized her. then the lady said her SSN was no longer valid since her name no longer matched which was mind boggling. They gave her a letter saying they couldn't issue her a SSN. We tried 2 different offices 3 times.

DMV had to call SS office to confirm everything and they finally renewed her DL.

I'm just wondering if there's a legalese speak or something that has to be said for them to get it and process a name change or if someone has been in this situation before and what did they have to do. I don't see why a name change an issue if a number has already been issued.

My wife has already given up but I don't like the idea of having legal documents in different names, especially when we still have some immigration processes to go through on this journey.

[Sha go 0]

I just went to the SS website and they have it on there for non citizen name change, you need to prove work eligibility.

This doesn't make much sense but hey, can't argue with them I guess.