About to apply for SSN but

[Kumi and Drake 14]

I have a few questions regarding the documents required. We already have the I-94 printed out from the Kansas City Airport Customs and Borders Protection due to a mistake done by the Seattle during our POE.

Now we called the Social Security office in Independence, MO just to verify if we have our requirements right. The agent said we could wait for the certified true copy of the license (that way we could do the married name change as well), the passport, the visa, and the I-94. And she said the homeland security/immigration should be sending us a letter saying that my status has already been changed because of our marriage last September 1.

Has anybody else received a letter from Homeland/Immigration at all after getting married that was required to get a social security number? My husband and I are confused so any help is appreciated. Thank you.

[Pitaya 2,577]

"The letter from DHS" scheme sounds like ill-informed advice. I don't recall ever getting such a letter from DHS after our marriage. The only thing I have gotten from DHS is grief and stress….LOL….

Take a look at this link from old-time VJ veteran Darnell about SSNs:

http://travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/info/info_3177.html

[cyntica 4]

No! just need your original marriage certificate.

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

The person you spoke with was misinformed. You will not get any such letter. I would suggest that you go get the SSN in your visa name to make it simpler. You can change the name later. Trying to get a SSN in new married name at this point might fail, due to speaking with agents like the one you spoke with, who ask for items that do not exist.

Some people at SSA mistakenly believe that getting married turns a K-1 into a K-3. That is completely wrong, but some are adamant about it. I would not mention the marriage because it will cause them to ask for such a proof of "change in status" which is your AOS that can take a year.

[notusinganymore 31]

I have a few questions regarding the documents required. We already have the I-94 printed out from the Kansas City Airport Customs and Borders Protection due to a mistake done by the Seattle during our POE.

Now we called the Social Security office in Independence, MO just to verify if we have our requirements right. The agent said we could wait for the certified true copy of the license (that way we could do the married name change as well), the passport, the visa, and the I-94. And she said the homeland security/immigration should be sending us a letter saying that my status has already been changed because of our marriage last September 1.

Has anybody else received a letter from Homeland/Immigration at all after getting married that was required to get a social security number? My husband and I are confused so any help is appreciated. Thank you.

You have a choice between wanting to apply in maiden name or married name.

Like most people here say, there are a lot of clerks that are not well versed with how K1 visa goes and so they advice to apply on maiden/visa name. It is simpler then you just go back for a name change after you get your AOS or EAD.

On the other hand, there are still those clerks that KNOW what they are doing. I got lucky my Seattle had those clerks. I brought a printout of the I-94, certified true copy of marriage certificate, passport, visa, birth certificate, and I got and filled the form SS-5 from the SSA office on the day I applied. I was out there after 30 minutes and got my card after a week.

Tip: If they will tell you that they will run a background check on your name in the event that you want to apply in married name then I think it would be best to apply using the maiden name as the background checks might last for a minimum of 3 weeks.

P.S. No such thing as letter affirming of your marriage from DHS. Maybe he meant your Marriage certificate would be available after 30 days but you can always get a certified true copy as long as you order right after your marriage or you can contact the Community Service Center (CSC) in your state for a copy. We got our certified true copy from the judge because she was nice enough to give us a free copy after 5 days of our marriage then we just ordered another one from the CSC for $3.

[Pangga&Shine 7]

Kumi & Drake,

You can go to any office on any day with any clerk and get MANY differernt answers.... What we did was show up BEFORE we married and BEFORE Her I-94 expired and got a SS-Card, when the ""name-game-issue"" came up, I basically said ""do any name you have to do so we can walk out of here with a SS-Card that has Her SSN# on it""! After our Marriage we went back with a Marriage Certificate and played the ""name-game" AGAIN, this time they blamed some database not finding Her name / names.... We went back 2 weeks later and different Clerk said this was too easy and looked us in the EYE and said "Here are your Name Options 1-2-3..."" We replied with Her FIRST NAME - MADIEN NAME - MARRIED NAME. Finally DONE! Main point is take what you can get FIRST & FOREMOST!!!!!!! and keep going back until you find the Clerk who can fix your Name-Game! It is the SS-NUMBER that is Ut-Most IMPORTANT in the beginning! Good Luck.

GOD Bless

Mr Pangga

Edited September 5, 2013 by Pangga&Shine

[Kumi and Drake 14]

Thanks for the input everyone! Well, we're just waiting for a certified true copy of our marriage license to bring with us then we'll deal with the SSN. I will let you guys know what happens.

[Kumi and Drake 14]

UPDATE:

We just got home from a visit to the social security office and our visit went very well. It will be delivered after two weeks with my married name. I have been getting worried from reading the other members' experience with getting on after getting married with a k1 visa but the agents we talked to in Independence, MO were very helpful. The first person we talked to was a nice lady and got the papers I have (SS-5, passport with visa, birth certificate, and certified true copy of marriage license) And she said we would have to talk to another agent regarding it and so we waited for about 10-15 minutes more. The second person we talked to clarified some stuff and asked why we weren't able to apply for one when we got in (in which we explained that the Seattle POE didn't finish out paperwork and so we weren't able to apply for it in time before the wedding.) He was okay with us applying for it after the wedding. He took a little while to verify my papers but afterwards he gave me a receipt to confirm my info and that the card will be delivered in two weeks.

I guess it really depends on the agent and the social security office you go to.

Edited September 9, 2013 by Kumi and Drake

[Darnell 8,478]

i say go back , ask for the number.

you'll get the number or learn of new problems.

[Darnell 8,478]

"The letter from DHS" scheme sounds like ill-informed advice. I don't recall ever getting such a letter from DHS after our marriage. The only thing I have gotten from DHS is grief and stress….LOL….

Take a look at this link from old-time VJ veteran Darnell about SSNs:

http://travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/info/info_3177.html

I prefer this link, instead..

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/405546-ssn-howto/

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/405546-ssn-howto/

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/405546-ssn-howto/