My fiancee's here! But I don't know what to do next

[Ciyin 1]

Yes, I know there are guides and flowcharts and the like, but I feel like things all get fuzzy after the Point of Entry.

My fiancee arrived two weeks ago. After living apart for a year and a half, it's been a big adjustment to be together again. And that's on top of the huge adjustment she's making to being in a new country.

We're looking into getting her a SSN, since that's the next item listed on the K-1 flowchart... but not sure if we have everything we need. According to the Social Security Administration they need two documents proving: 1)identification, 2) right to work, and 3) age. It goes on to say that only original documents are accepted and not photo copies.

Now, since she's here on a K-1 visa, she technically doesn't have the right to work yet, so how do we even provide that kind of info? Also, she doesn't have her birth certificate with her, so will her passport/visa and Chinese ID be enough?

Can any of you share your experience getting an SSN for a Chinese national?

[Gwapo1ako 14]

Yes, I know there are guides and flowcharts and the like, but I feel like things all get fuzzy after the Point of Entry.

My fiancee arrived two weeks ago. After living apart for a year and a half, it's been a big adjustment to be together again. And that's on top of the huge adjustment she's making to being in a new country.

We're looking into getting her a SSN, since that's the next item listed on the K-1 flowchart... but not sure if we have everything we need. According to the Social Security Administration they need two documents proving: 1)identification, 2) right to work, and 3) age. It goes on to say that only original documents are accepted and not photo copies.

Now, since she's here on a K-1 visa, she technically doesn't have the right to work yet, so how do we even provide that kind of info? Also, she doesn't have her birth certificate with her, so will her passport/visa and Chinese ID be enough?

Can any of you share your experience getting an SSN for a Chinese national?

Um... did you two marry already, because that is the next step, before anything else can be done

[Ciyin 1]

Um... did you two marry already, because that is the next step, before anything else can be done

We're planning on getting married next month, but want to work on other things if we can.

According to the K-1 flowchart, you can get an SSN even before getting married, and if she changes her name after the marriage we would have to apply to have it changed on the SSN.

[luckytxn 2,264]

You can get the SS card right away. The main source document can be her passport.

We're planning on getting married next month, but want to work on other things if we can.

According to the K-1 flowchart, you can get an SSN even before getting married, and if she changes her name after the marriage we would have to apply to have it changed on the SSN.

[Darnell 8,478]

Hey - check out my SSN-Howto over at

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

there's a K-1 visa-holder section there. Basically, print that I-94 , bring it and the passport in 3 weeks after POE date (used to be 2, now it's 3)

[ethomps 16]

Yeah, you don't need to get married before applying for your SSN. Actually, in some states it's required that you have your SSN to apply for a marriage license!

I got my SSN first, since some offices are ill-informed and will try to tell you that you are no longer under "K1 status" once you get married, and that you have to wait to adjust status to apply for a SSN. Apparently it's been a real nightmare for some.

But yeah, they issued me one and they printed text on the card saying "Valid for work only with DHS authorization", meaning we need to apply to adjust our status and either wait for our green card or a EAD till we can use the SSN for work.

I just followed this guide closely and it worked out for me! http://www.visajourney.com/content/ssn

Good luck!

[blk 87]

Hi you said that she has not got her birth certificate, well you will need to see about getting it sent to you as it will be needed when you do your AOS, because the USCIS will require a photocopy & a copy of translation of the birth certificate sent with your AOS application.

Edited March 9, 2014 by blk

[Kev-N-Ann 45]

I applied for my SSN on Friday, March the 7th, after entering the country on the 20th of February. They need at least 2 weeks to update their computer system with your data.

I brought the SSN application, my passport and my I-94 form and that was it.

The lady that did the whole thing was very efficient and knew her job, so, we didn't have any problems, but (to be on the safe side) we had printed out and brought with us all the info indicating that I can apply for an SSN BEFORE the wedding actually takes place.

As for the name change, this is what we're going to do, too. Go back and change it on the card after the wedding.

[Pitaya 2,577]

Hey - check out my SSN-Howto over at

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

there's a K-1 visa-holder section there. Basically, print that I-94 , bring it and the passport in 3 weeks after POE date (used to be 2, now it's 3)

Best advice!

[Rich and Wen 101]

You've already received good advice about her SSN and EAD card. But after my wife received those, we were faced with another problem - she needed a resume. Something to tell potential employers what she can do, how she can help their company. She is taking ESL classes (just finished ESL 7), to bring her up to speed on speaking and understanding English. We're sending out job applications, no nibbles yet, but we are confident that it's only a matter of time.

I also signed her up for an online course in Microsoft Office Suite, to make her more employable when she does get an interview. Since you are in a holding pattern, there are things you can do now to make the process easier when she gets her work authorization. Any training you can get her will help.

[Ciyin 1]

Sorry for the slow reply. Thanks for all the good info, everyone.

We applied for her SSN on 3/14 and got it in the mail by 3/20. The process went very fast, and we were only in the SSA building for about 15 minutes.

Yeah, you don't need to get married before applying for your SSN. Actually, in some states it's required that you have your SSN to apply for a marriage license!

I got my SSN first, since some offices are ill-informed and will try to tell you that you are no longer under "K1 status" once you get married, and that you have to wait to adjust status to apply for a SSN. Apparently it's been a real nightmare for some.

But yeah, they issued me one and they printed text on the card saying "Valid for work only with DHS authorization", meaning we need to apply to adjust our status and either wait for our green card or a EAD till we can use the SSN for work.

I just followed this guide closely and it worked out for me! http://www.visajourney.com/content/ssn

Good luck!

Yeah, her card says that. Does she need to get a new card once she has a different status, or just keep this one and present it along with other documents?

You've already received good advice about her SSN and EAD card. But after my wife received those, we were faced with another problem - she needed a resume. Something to tell potential employers what she can do, how she can help their company. She is taking ESL classes (just finished ESL 7), to bring her up to speed on speaking and understanding English. We're sending out job applications, no nibbles yet, but we are confident that it's only a matter of time.

I also signed her up for an online course in Microsoft Office Suite, to make her more employable when she does get an interview. Since you are in a holding pattern, there are things you can do now to make the process easier when she gets her work authorization. Any training you can get her will help.

Finding work is starting to be a big worry for me, because I don't think there's much good work in this area, let alone work for a non-native English speaker. Her English is pretty amazing, especially considering she'd never been out of China before last month... but that doesn't do much good in a crappy job market.

[ethomps 16]

Yeah, her card says that. Does she need to get a new card once she has a different status, or just keep this one and present it along with other documents?

I think for now you just use her current SSN with supporting documents, and then after she's adjusted her status/has her green card she can go back to the SSN office and update her card since she would be a permanent resident. I'm not 100% sure though, someone else might be able to confirm that.

[DJ&L 83]

Yeah, her card says that. Does she need to get a new card once she has a different status, or just keep this one and present it along with other documents?

If she applied for AP at the same time, she will get a card from USCIS that works as both work authorization and her AP. She would present the card along with the SS card she got.

She won't get a new SS card at this point.

Edited March 24, 2014 by DJ&L

[Darnell 8,478]

re: resume -

it'll be clear she not work in the USA prior, and this confuses some resume readers -

so I suggest put in a phrase towards the bottom:

Legally able to work in USA without employer sponsorship.

[or however sponser/sponsor is spelled]

This removes a lot of confusion from the resume readers.

[roxer 3]

I see that there is no I-94 form anymore, is this correct? Just print out the Addmission Number Retrieval (has the AR Number on it) from the dhs.gov site and present that?