K1 visa applying for SSN in Northern California

[BJ_Baloo 1]

Hi everyone,

My fiance's K1 visa has just been approved but we're still waiting for visa to be stamped on his passport. In the meantime, I'm researching what to do when applying for SSN and have found the guides helpful. But from seeing threads on this forum it's clear that some SSA offices and employees are really unaware that K1 visa holders are eligible for SSNs.

Give that being approved for an SSN can be hit or miss, I'd like to target SSA offices in my area that other VJ'ers have had success with. I'm in the Bay area and can drive up as far as Sacramento. If you've had a good experience with getting an SSN with K-1 visa and I-194 (i.e. before applying for AOS), please indicate the SSA office where you applied. Many thanks!

[abby12 13]

I am near Santa Rosa, Ca, I just went today to the SNN office there, no problems! All the process took like 10 minutes! and that was the time the guy who attended me took to type stuff in the computer and ask me a couple of questions.

Let me know if you need more info

Edited August 29, 2014 by abby12

[chris_darling 0]

It's very true many SSN employees aren't that knowledged about K1 visas.Luckily for me there was a senior employee who was well knowledged on it.I was able to get my SSN a week after I got here in Berkeley without any problems.just don't go too early to the SSN office when ur fiancee arrives in the states, give it atleast 1-2weeks for your fiancee to appear in their system first and then you should be fine. for me I was lucky to be in the system in about a week so I got my SSN. Also I think if you feel the employee that you meet isn't that knowledged, feel free to ask for a supervisor to help you out, you have the right to do that!! good luck

[BJ_Baloo 1]

@abby12 and @chris_darling - many thanks for responding! We'd initially considered applying for an SSN in Sacramento after our marriage ceremony but decided to try our luck with the SSA office in San Francisco (at 560 Kearny Street) on Thursday last week.

Thankfully, my fiancé applied for his social security number without any problems . The SSA office at Kearny St is at the edge of Chinatown so all the employees there are used to dealing with immigrants and familiar with K-1 and other visas. Once he arrived at the counter he was processed in under 10 minutes.

[abby12 13]

Good, and just today i got my snn card, just 10 days after i applied, hope your fiance's get his soon