SSN - Told I Can't Apply For One As Married on K1 Visa

[Anna Grant 169]

any news? did you go back today, get a supervisor human?

Hi Darnell

Yes, I did go back and spent 75 minutes arguing with the first person, the deputy manager and the manager. I said 'I would like to get an SSN - here is my visa, I-94 and completed form.' They said 'You entered on a K1 visa. Have you since married?' To which I had to answered 'Yes' and it went downhill from there again.

They will just not process it. They keep telling me that I changed my status by getting married as I am no longer a 'fiancee' - I am a 'spouse'. They keep harping back to the K3 visa. I kept saying that I entered the US on a K1. It doesn't magically change to a K3 just because I got married. And anyway the K3 no longer exists, They said 'Your status changed when you got married'. I said 'I am currently going through Adjustment Of Status'.

They told me that I should have come in before I married. I said that I knew I couldn't come in until 2 weeks after I entered and that coincided with my wedding. They said 'Who told you that you had to wait 2 weeks before you came here to get your SSN?' I said 'Your website!' They said 'Oh. Well, it's not our fault that you decided to get married after being here only 2 weeks anyway'.

I was not getting anywhere and I was now the only member of the public in the office - they close at 3pm. I had to admit defeat for the day and took away a letter which shows I've been denied an SSN for the moment. I can go back the day I receive my EAD and request an SSN. They can check on their system and tell me immediately whether it's going to be okay. I then have to visit again in person the following day to actually get my SSN - the card will follow in the mail 2 weeks later.

Very, very frustrating.

[Anna Grant 169]

Oh - and the first person's initial comment was 'Oh. I can't accept this birth certificate of yours. It's not certified'. I responded 'All areas of US Immigration have deemed it acceptable'. He said 'Well we don't'

I don't think that will be a problem next time - it is a valid, full birth certificate from the UK. There is no 'better' one that I can get.

Edited July 22, 2013 by Anna Grant

[Darnell 8,478]

there is another path - but it requires a phone call to the SSA office -

where

getting the right human there,

forces a phone call to the site supervisor

and

a bit of On The Job Training for the site supervisor, from the SSA big office.

There's other posts about this...

I'm sorry yer having trouble - but that SSA office is dead wrong.

I'd suggest going to another SSA office in another area, this week, before ripping through the SSA help desk folk ..

[Dave&Roza 748]

Hi Darnell

Yes, I did go back and spent 75 minutes arguing with the first person, the deputy manager and the manager. I said 'I would like to get an SSN - here is my visa, I-94 and completed form.' They said 'You entered on a K1 visa. Have you since married?' To which I had to answered 'Yes' and it went downhill from there again.

They will just not process it. They keep telling me that I changed my status by getting married as I am no longer a 'fiancee' - I am a 'spouse'. They keep harping back to the K3 visa. I kept saying that I entered the US on a K1. It doesn't magically change to a K3 just because I got married. And anyway the K3 no longer exists, They said 'Your status changed when you got married'. I said 'I am currently going through Adjustment Of Status'.

They told me that I should have come in before I married. I said that I knew I couldn't come in until 2 weeks after I entered and that coincided with my wedding. They said 'Who told you that you had to wait 2 weeks before you came here to get your SSN?' I said 'Your website!' They said 'Oh. Well, it's not our fault that you decided to get married after being here only 2 weeks anyway'.

I was not getting anywhere and I was now the only member of the public in the office - they close at 3pm. I had to admit defeat for the day and took away a letter which shows I've been denied an SSN for the moment. I can go back the day I receive my EAD and request an SSN. They can check on their system and tell me immediately whether it's going to be okay. I then have to visit again in person the following day to actually get my SSN - the card will follow in the mail 2 weeks later.

Very, very frustrating.

Have you gotten a reply from your e-mail to the main SSA website? Have a read of these threads by author "I'M GONE" as he used to work for the SSA. Lots of information and things you can print out to take with you if you want to continue the fight before the EAD or GC arrives. Maybe next time you should tell them that you did not get married and see what happens. Any possibility to go to another SSA office near you?

I am glad we had no problems with the SSA, but this agency is the worst.

Good luck,

Dave

[Anna Grant 169]

Have you gotten a reply from your e-mail to the main SSA website? Have a read of these threads by author "I'M GONE" as he used to work for the SSA. Lots of information and things you can print out to take with you if you want to continue the fight before the EAD or GC arrives. Maybe next time you should tell them that you did not get married and see what happens. Any possibility to go to another SSA office near you?

I am glad we had no problems with the SSA, but this agency is the worst.

Good luck,

Dave

Sorry Dave. Yes, I did e-mail but the reply told me that I could apply for an SSN but I didn't need to be given one unless I was going to work. Which I can't until I have my EAD.

I may try another SSA office tomorrow. I know there will be more frustrations to come, as there have been many on this journey of just over a year. But this one with the SSA is really getting to me. I'll see if I have the necessary fight in me tomorrow morning.

[Anna Grant 169]

Update

I went to another SSA office and they seemed more professional there all together.

The guy who dealt with me was great. He said 'You have two options. You can either apply for an SSN now in the name that you entered the US or you wait until you get your EAD and then apply in your married name then. The name that you apply for your SSN has to match the most recent immigration document you have.' I opted for applying now in my maiden name. I just need to go in when I have my EAD, together with my marriage certificate, and change my name to my married name.

He knew exactly what to do. He was polite but chatty (he's been to England 5 times, so we talked about that). After my last two visits to the other office, this was so much better.

Thanks for everyone's support. It was only because of Darnell and Dave that I got up the fight to go to another office today. I'm so glad I did.

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

Good for you to try for a better office! That's how the first office should have done it. So sorry you had the dummy office first. Does it make you want to go back and show the first woman and her supervisor your Social Security card and sing nah-nana-nah-nah?

[Anna Grant 169]

Good for you to try for a better office! That's how the first office should have done it. So sorry you had the dummy office first. Does it make you want to go back and show the first woman and her supervisor your Social Security card and sing nah-nana-nah-nah?

Oh yes! It makes me want to go back to the first woman, the second man, their deputy manager and their manager and go 'nah-nana-nah-nah!!

[Darnell 8,478]

Yay ! Success!!!

You can go back tomorrow and get the number, at the same office, if you need it quickly.

I'm so glad you ran across a trained human - they seem fairly rare in the SSA.. .

[Anna Grant 169]

Yay ! Success!!!

You can go back tomorrow and get the number, at the same office, if you need it quickly.

I'm so glad you ran across a trained human - they seem fairly rare in the SSA.. .

I might do that. He told be that it had gone through okay but I might go back just to be certain of getting the SSN.

Thank for pushing me :-)

[Anna Grant 169]

My SSN card arrived in the mail today, so that's only 6 days after my successful visit to the SSA office. Very happy.

[VanessaTony 3,567]

My SSN card arrived in the mail today, so that's only 6 days after my successful visit to the SSA office. Very happy.

Congrats!! It's not the first time, nor will it be the last that you get idiots. As you correctly stated, your status doesn't "magically" change when you get married. If you married on a tourist visa you're still a tourist! They're idiots that don't know a VISA is for entering the US, your status doesn't change unless USCIS tells you it does. Ugh. Morons.

But woot!

[Dave&Roza 748]

Congrats on getting the SSC. Glad you hung in there.

Dave

[Darnell 8,478]

Anna - YAY ! Ain't it a purty piece o paper?

Go Forth, and Conquer !

[NikLR 13,227]

Update

I went to another SSA office and they seemed more professional there all together.

The guy who dealt with me was great. He said 'You have two options. You can either apply for an SSN now in the name that you entered the US or you wait until you get your EAD and then apply in your married name then. The name that you apply for your SSN has to match the most recent immigration document you have.' I opted for applying now in my maiden name. I just need to go in when I have my EAD, together with my marriage certificate, and change my name to my married name.

He knew exactly what to do. He was polite but chatty (he's been to England 5 times, so we talked about that). After my last two visits to the other office, this was so much better.

Thanks for everyone's support. It was only because of Darnell and Dave that I got up the fight to go to another office today. I'm so glad I did.

My SSN card arrived in the mail today, so that's only 6 days after my successful visit to the SSA office. Very happy.

YAYAY!! I've been reading this and am happy to see the resolution