K1 SSA Office Nightmares

[ltkenbo 3]

People should share their difficulties with SSA offices here if they want. But anyways, we just had one so I'll share it while it's still fresh on my mind.

We live near Minneapolis, MN, so that's the local SSA office we used. When my wife entered as my fiancee on her K1 over a month ago, two weeks later we went to the local SSA office as recommended (since some people run into trouble applying after they get married) and applied for her SSN and card. We got it in the mail about two weeks later. The first time I was with her and it was really easy.

So this morning she went back now that we are married to change her name on the card (which will help for when she gets her EAD after we apply for AOS). She went in with my grandma this time and waited for like an hour and a half. She finally got to the window and basically the guy wouldn't let her change anything. He then gave her some stupid print out paper telling her to make an appointment with USCIS. She texted me and showed me a picture and I immediately called her. She said they had just left and I told her to go back. I was eating lunch with my boss at the time and he heard what I was talking about and gave me the rest of the day off. He said "Take the rest of the day off and go help your wife."

So I rushed downtown to meet them. They had gone back in and asked to talk with a supervisor. Apparently by the time I got there, the guy then would enter her new name in but said wouldn't issue her a new card (via mail). So I finally come in and start arguing with this supervisor lady. We go back and forth and she says something about the work authorization. I tell her that according to SSA policy, she is "worked authorized" (can't truly work, but it's a SSA type status). She starts saying stuff about 90 days and about it not being a K1 and I tell her that this is the social security office, she already has a card/number so this has nothing to do with that. I keep arguing politely and quoting things I read on the website and forms.

She finally says "Would you like me to print you off some information where it shows that she cannot get a new card."

I said: "Yes, please do."

So we wait for like 15 minutes in front of a closed window, and finally she opens the window and tells me to go to a different window. We go to the window and she is behind one of the clerks (funny too because the clerk was actually the guy we had a month prior who told us to come back when we're married to change the name lol). She then tells me that the rules are really confusing but they are going to try to run it through and see if it works.

They take her information, run it through, and what do you know? It works!! At that point I was very relieved and laughing so hard on the inside how wrong they were. Anyways, I thanked them and apologized if I was rude at all but I knew there was confusion regarding this. She told me was going to talk with the central location to get this clarified so they don't run into this confusion there again.

So they key is here, if you run into someone that tells you the wrong thing, politely but firmly insist on talking with a supervisor or somebody higher up. Don't just leave, because the lady basically told me the rules are so complicated sometimes they don't even understand them. Go figure... Let me know what you think.

Edited March 20, 2014 by ltkenbo

[Marco&Bettina 502]

OP, this story will serve me well when I go through this later this year (hopefully). Thanks for posting it.

[Girl from Celebes 588]

Very insightful. Thank you for sharing!

[MiniKoala 13]

I had a similar experience at the SSA. First time (2 weeks after arrival on K-1) everything went smoothly, didn't even have to wait in line for long (less than 5 minutes!).

Went shortly after the marriage with marriage certificate, passport and old card and waited for nearly 2 hours. Was then told by the woman behind the window I should come back once I have my Green Card. I told them, no I will most likely get my EAD before I get my Green Card and I want my correct name to be on my SSN if I start a job before getting my actual GC. She rolled her eyes but agreed to do it. Took her 2 minutes, got my new card in the mail a week later.

[Darnell 8,478]

ya, they don't need clarification, IMO -

what they do need, again IMO, is proper training and 20 point IQ boosts with 8th grade reading comprehension boosts.

Good on you (back at post #1) for actually getting stuff done - it's always a slog.

[ajaustin 0]

Is there any official documentation either from SSA or from immigration that I can take with me when I go back to SSA to get my name changed? When I originally went to get my SSA card I had just got married but they wouldn't accept my marriage certificate as evidence of my last name (a lot of people have encountered this it seems). I just spoke with a guy from the SSA over the phone who also said that I could only change my name with my greencard and not my EAD, which is ridiculous as then that obviously renders the EAD useless (being in my married name!)

It's nearly a 3 hour drive to the SSA office where I live, so I would really appreciate any written statements, or specific statements people used to back-up their claim, so that it's no a wasted journey over to the office.

Really I would like to get my name changed prior to getting my EAD so that I'm all ready to go, but am I correct in assuming that the marriage certificate alone is not enough?

Any help appreciated - talking to the guy from the SSA was so frustrating!

[C-ma'am 684]

**Post moved from K1 to Social Security Numbers