Married name change: SSN and Passport

[Josh & Nico 0]

I am a US Citizen living in Romania. My Romanian fiance has obtained her K1 visa.

We are moving to the USA this year.
* 10 days after arriving, we will get married.

* 11 days after arriving, we will file for AOS and EAD using her new married name.
* 14 days after arriving, we will apply for a SSN using her new married name.

How do we ensure the Social Security office will find her in the system and properly enter her application using her new name? I called a local SS office and they said they wouldn't be able to do it until Immigration had updated their system with her new name. Is this true? How long does it take?

Also, her Passport will still retain her old name. How do we update this and when does it need to occur?

Thanks!
Josh

[Ilovemyman 147]

Many people here say that they have had problem getting ssn after marriage.

The better way to do it is:

After 14 days get the ssn with her name, before marru.

After she gets her ssn, you can get marry.

Then apply for aos, fill all the forms with her new name.

When she gets her ssn card, go back to ss office with the marriage certificate and changes her name to the new one, her married name.

That is the best way, many people here says that when they go to get ssn after marriage , they are told wait for gc.

And wait for gc take some months.

[Lynkali 163]

I can't really comment on the name change -- I specifically decided NOT to change my name, mostly because I didn't want to, but also because look at all the headaches it causes! (And I'm the USC, for me it would have been easier, but still not worth the hassle and I like my last name! )

However, I just wanted to point out a possible flaw in your timeline: you're estimating your readiness to file for AOS only one day after your marriage -- have you looked into how long it takes to get the certified copy of the marriage certificate in your county? Because in many places, it's longer than a day -- some places a week or two before you have the certified copy in your hands. And you do need to send a certified copy of the marriage certificate in with your AOS packet. It's possible you might have it the next day, but that depends on the county where you get married and how quick they are at getting the certified copy available for you.

You would also need that certified copy of the marriage certificate to do any name changes -- it's your wife's proof of her right to take your name, so you'll need to show it whenever you change the name on record, at SSN or banks or passports or anywhere else.

[Pitaya 2,577]

~Moved from K-1 Process to Family-based AOS Process Forum~

~Inquiry about AOS processing, steps after K-1~

[baron555 934]

I am a US Citizen living in Romania. My Romanian fiance has obtained her K1 visa.

We are moving to the USA this year.

* 10 days after arriving, we will get married.

* 11 days after arriving, we will file for AOS and EAD using her new married name.

* 14 days after arriving, we will apply for a SSN using her new married name.

How do we ensure the Social Security office will find her in the system and properly enter her application using her new name? I called a local SS office and they said they wouldn't be able to do it until Immigration had updated their system with her new name. Is this true? How long does it take?

Also, her Passport will still retain her old name. How do we update this and when does it need to occur?

Thanks!

Josh

Get her SSN using her maiden name and passport with I-94 visa in it. Then later change the SSN to her new name. Many states/counties don't need a SSN for marriage.

Get her SSN using her maiden name and passport with I-94 visa in it. Then later change the SSN to her new name. Many states/counties don't need a SSN for marriage.

If you wait to use her new name, then her passport won't match and you'd either need to get a new foreign passport....OR...get her GC.

[digitalvx 4]

I am a US Citizen living in Romania. My Romanian fiance has obtained her K1 visa.

We are moving to the USA this year.

* 10 days after arriving, we will get married.

* 11 days after arriving, we will file for AOS and EAD using her new married name.

* 14 days after arriving, we will apply for a SSN using her new married name.

How do we ensure the Social Security office will find her in the system and properly enter her application using her new name? I called a local SS office and they said they wouldn't be able to do it until Immigration had updated their system with her new name. Is this true? How long does it take?

Also, her Passport will still retain her old name. How do we update this and when does it need to occur?

Thanks!

Josh

10 business days after arriving go to SS ofc and apply for ss card in maiden name (This is to ensure immigration systems sync up)

2 weeks later you receive in the mail the ss card get ss card

Get married

Married +1 Day file for AOS and can go to SS Ofc to change name on SS card. Note at SS ofc it may take them up to a month (it did for us) as they sent papers to immigration to have them change it in their systems.

We got our work and travel authorization and now continuing to wait for AOS approval

It's pretty straight forward.

[Josh & Nico 0]

Thanks everyone! There's a lot of conflicting information out there about the SSN timeline...but these answers all seem to agree.

[D&AK1 0]

We followed the recommendations here, and got the SSN before marriage. Now we are married (1 week!) and went to get the name changed on the SSN. They said we have to get AOS first from USCIS. The clerk first said we needed to have visa changed to K2. When we told her K2 was for children she got flustered and said we have to change to K3! Last she said she was an expert and to believer her, we need to go to immigration first. Can anyone explain what is true, and why?

[KayDeeCee 4,893]

You ran into one of the SSA workers that think they know about immigration. She is an expert in ignorance. Don't ever take immigration advice from them. A lot of them do not even know the regulations for an SSN, which is supposed to be their job knowledge.

A K-1 never converts to any other visa. Getting married does not change your visa type.

File for AOS. When you receive the EAD/AP or green card in your married name, then go back to the SSA and change the SSN to the married name.

[Dave&Roza 748]

We followed the recommendations here, and got the SSN before marriage. Now we are married (1 week!) and went to get the name changed on the SSN. They said we have to get AOS first from USCIS. The clerk first said we needed to have visa changed to K2. When we told her K2 was for children she got flustered and said we have to change to K3! Last she said she was an expert and to believer her, we need to go to immigration first. Can anyone explain what is true, and why?

What a load of BS. You got married. The SSA is suppose to accept a Marriage Certificate as an offical name change document. Unfortunately most SSA workers think the K-1 majically converts to a spousal visa after marriage--it does not. In fact the K-1 is null and void once you enter on it. Your legal status in the US is based on the I-94 until it expires. Assuing the beneficiary of the K-1 got married within 90 days of arriving in the US, they are out-of-status once the I-94 expires until the NOA1 for the adjustment of status (AOS) is received.

Go back to your local SSA office and take this along--you may want to show them this form too and mention they look at #3. All you need is your Marriage Certificate, you foreign passport, your I-94 and the K-1 visa to show that you are an alien allowed to work for SSA purposes. Plus you already have a SSN. Unfortunately most SSA employees are clueless about the K-1 visa and will require that your immigration documents match the name you want to use. So they will make you wait until you get your EAD or GC with the married name in order to change your SSC's name. Which is too bad as a USC just shows the Marriage Certificate and the name is changed.

Good luck,

Dave

Edited April 10, 2015 by Dave&Roza

[Dashinka 24,593]

What a load of BS. You got married. The SSA is suppose to accept a Marriage Certificate as an offical name change document. Unfortunately most SSA workers think the K-1 majically converts to a spousal visa after marriage--it does not. In fact the K-1 is null and void once you enter on it. Your legal status in the US is based on the I-94 until it expires. Assuing the beneficiary of the K-1 got married within 90 days of arriving in the US, they are out-of-status once the I-94 expires until the NOA1 for the adjustment of status (AOS) is received.

Go back to your local SSA office and take this along--you may want to show them this form too and mention they look at #3. All you need is your Marriage Certificate, you foreign passport, your I-94 and the K-1 visa to show that you are an alien allowed to work for SSA purposes. Plus you already have a SSN. Unfortunately most SSA employees are clueless about the K-1 visa and will require that your immigration documents match the name you want to use. So they will make you wait until you get your EAD or GC with the married name in order to change your SSC's name. Which is too bad as a USC just shows the Marriage Certificate and the name is changed.

Good luck,

Dave

Dave,

I concur, most at the SSA office are clueless. On our first visit after we were married, we had her passport and I94 with 2 months validity (in maiden name), and our marriage license. We went round and round and we finally gave up, and had the SSN issued in her maiden name. Once the EAD arrived in her married name we went back to change the card and it took over eight weeks for the SSA to verify her status with DHS. Once the GC arrived we went back for a third time and got the "valid for work only" condition removed (the new card showed up in seven days) A real pain in the behind, but we finally got her permanent SSC.

Good Luck!

Bill

[Drewton12 2]

Reading the above responses, I am hoping folks can provide some insights to a unique situation. My wife received her conditional GC/EAD in December 2015. Back in 2008 she worked on a J1 visa in the US, applied and was assigned a SS number. Her card has the valid for work purposes blah blah statement on it. Fast forward to 2015. We got married in August 2015 and went to the SS office in August 2015 and December 2015 to show proof of marriage for a revised SS card to be produced in her MARRIED name. After SSA failed on both prior attempts to produce a card in her married name, we returned in February 2016 to demand movement on this issue. After we insisted that SS check the SAVE database, the clerk told us that my wife's name does not match in the SAVE database. In turn, no new card in her married name could be produced. I pointed out..and showed the clerk...the green card issued to my wife in December 2015 with her MARRIED name. After leaving the SS office, I called USCIS, spoke with a Tier 2 (?) manager who confirmed in the their system my wife's file does not use her maiden name, all references are in her MARRIED name. Therefore, SSA or USCIS is pulling some funny business.

Has anyone experience a similar situation?? If so, how did the situation get resolved so that a revised card is printed in the married name? REALLY would appreciate any input from others who went through this frustrating experience.

[maruska&chris 7]

This exactly happened to me!!! The people at the office told me I have to change my visa, or I have to some immigration paperwork or blah blah blah... I told them it's not the truth.. they just made copies of everything and told me they'll work on it and see.

It's been a week since I applied, so I wanted to call them to find out and nobody is answering. I'll just have to go there and find out. If they tell me it's not possible or something, I'll apply again with my maiden name, even though I'm married already and would like to have my husband's name. This is such a headache!!!

[maruska&chris 7]

Ok, I just came from SSA office and they told me that they sent my application to some government office and they are waiting for approval... and that it usually takes 45 days to get it back. Could someone tell me if this happened to them too, please? I start to be desperate with all this paperwork and I haven't even started yet. And with no SSN I even can't... thank you for your advice!

[Dave&Roza 748]

Reading the above responses, I am hoping folks can provide some insights to a unique situation. My wife received her conditional GC/EAD in December 2015. Back in 2008 she worked on a J1 visa in the US, applied and was assigned a SS number. Her card has the valid for work purposes blah blah statement on it. Fast forward to 2015. We got married in August 2015 and went to the SS office in August 2015 and December 2015 to show proof of marriage for a revised SS card to be produced in her MARRIED name. After SSA failed on both prior attempts to produce a card in her married name, we returned in February 2016 to demand movement on this issue. After we insisted that SS check the SAVE database, the clerk told us that my wife's name does not match in the SAVE database. In turn, no new card in her married name could be produced. I pointed out..and showed the clerk...the green card issued to my wife in December 2015 with her MARRIED name. After leaving the SS office, I called USCIS, spoke with a Tier 2 (?) manager who confirmed in the their system my wife's file does not use her maiden name, all references are in her MARRIED name. Therefore, SSA or USCIS is pulling some funny business.

Has anyone experience a similar situation?? If so, how did the situation get resolved so that a revised card is printed in the married name? REALLY would appreciate any input from others who went through this frustrating experience.

Does your wife have the original SSC? If so, take that card and her Marriage Certificate and get her name changed. Complete the SS-5 with her old SSN. Show them the Marriage Certificate--make certain it is a copy you can hand over to them for their records--and ask if she can get her name changed due to marriage. Wait and wee what happens next. If the ask for the old SSC you show it to them. Wait and see what happens. If they ask for her legal presence in the US, then show them her GC. If they continue to give you problems ask for a supervisor and continue until she gets her name changed.

\My God, most people her on VJ have to wait for the GC in order to get the last name changed to match the GC which is usually in the married name. Here you are having problems do what most people do without problems. Is there another SSA office you can easily go to as it would appear this one is poorly trained.

Or maybe try this https://www.govsimplified.co/card/application/change and see what happens.

Dave