The Flurry after K1-visa

[masterpiece 2]

When she felt befuddled by the mass of documents, i would often tell my fiancee (ahem.....wife!!) that there are lots more to come on entry into U.S. The summary of activities from Nov 21st when she received her K1 visa to Nov 27th when she boarded NAA enroute JFK can be summarized below...Many have written all kinds of ways to ensure SSN is received but i think MDyoung must be the expert on all things SSA. I suggest new members on the site to look out for his comments. The one salient fact i gathered from his comments was the need to allow the SAVE system update the information before barging into the local SSA office. Our experience on SSN shows that he was right. I will explain further after the summary of activities below.......

11/27/06 Arrival @ JFK airport: 1-94 with Employment authorization stamp;

11/27/06 From JFK to courthouse.....Marriage License obtained….24hr wait period following receipt

11/28/06 Court Marriage12/4/06 Visit to local SSA office (armed with marriage certificate- notice of name change indirectly served): Info not in SAVE system yet

12/15/06 2nd visit to SSA office: SAVE system has info: SSN assigned 2days ago: given on a printout: Will be sent in mail (10-14days)

12/16/06 The transcribing of DS 3025>>I-693A (From Naija Panel Physician >>>U.S Civil Surgeon)

12/16/06 I-485 + I-765 mailed (Priority mail + registered) 12/18/06 Package Received in Chicago Lockbox

12/20/06 Social Security card received via snail mail

12/28/06 Checks cashed…Missouri Service Center with files

01/3/07 NOA1 received

01/5/07 NYS Interim Driver`s License issued

According to MDYoung, the time to approach your local SSA office is anytime between 10-14days after arrival into U.S. This interval allows the information on your passport to be uploaded into the SAVE system which the local SSA personnel access when you go to request fro your SSN. If you go too early, the chances are that you may activate a manual crosschecking of your information....so-called form 845 (dont quote me on the form number...could be wrong) and that manual crosschecking might mean that they will not respond to you until they receive the response from uscis...........a more protracted route.

I knew very well about this bit of info which i had digested from MD young`s postings (Thanks a mil...MDy...what an asset to VJ site). My own deviation was a way to serve notice that a name change was pending hence my early visit armed with marriage certificate. That first visit ensured that they updated in the system the new names and thus prevented any possible issuance of SSN under the old name that would require another visit to SSA for name change.

The second visit to SSA office (now falling within the recommended 10-14day post arrival range) was to compel the local SSA folks to revisit the SAVE system and check for the info.............It worked! The info was there including the name change that the local SSA folks must have updated in their system.

This method may be used by those whose fiancees would be changing their maiden names but if you have a fiance coming into the country whose surname will remain the same, then i totally endorse MDyoung`s method of simply waiting 14days after arrival into U.S before visiting the SSA office to request for SSN. Getting to SSA offices may be a hassle in some cases. If that is your situation, then perhaps you may just opt to visit the SSA office just once, get the SSN and then later apply to change your name when time permits.

I wanted one SScard with the new names and i found a way to achieve that in between lunch breaks during work hours........

Like i said, it has been one flurry of activities but what can we do but chalk em up as the adjustment period...........

Now the killer remains........................WHAT TO DO ABOUT THESE PRICEY DAYCARE CENTERS IN NY?????????????????????????????????????????????

Congratulations to all who have inched a bit closer to being with their loved ones. You have all been in my prayers......you have to be especially when i recall those huge phone bills......the beeps proclaiming one miute left..............the sudden, seemingly rude, disconnections.................and the yearning to be together. My flurry of activities...crazy as they may be....pa;es in comparison with the yearning to be together. That much i have not forgotten and so i pray for the virtue of patience and forbearance as you all seek to reunite yourselves.

Masterpiece wishes you all a happy new year that will close the gap and forge a healthy relationship.

[a&o 4]

Hi Masterpeice, and thanks for the update. We also took the advice to wait 14 days, and then we also took the print out of the policy changes abotu K-1s which was lucky because the woman at the Social Security office insisted for 5 minutes that my fiance needed to be a resident alien before applying for a SS#. Finally she read the print out and discussed with a supervisor to find out we he does have a right to a SS#.

Now we're taking it easy and building energy for the next steps of the process, not to mention getting married. We couldn't plan anything nice while the visa process was underway. Too stressful. But now we can!

[masterpiece 2]

Congrats in advance. I just may crash the party with my entourage if only to hear "charlie" and some other slangs........

[sercontigo 1]

Thanks for the valuable info. My fiance & I were just discussing this 10 day wait last night. Best wishes and wow... you will be in my prayers with regard to the daycare situation!