SSN - Highly Confused - Need Help

[TomEn 90]

Hi There,

I have entered the US on Aug 5, 2015 on k1 Visa. our marriage is scheduled for the 14th of this month. we are told that we need to have the SSN to apply for the marriage license. hence do we need to apply for the SSN before the marriage license or can we just apply for it after the marriage?. Since the marriage date is within 2 weeks of my entry in the US, the I-94 is unavailable. how do we deal with this situation?

If i can apply for the SSN after the marriage then do i have to check

* Legal Alien Allowed to Work or

* Legal Alien not Allowed to Work?

Please help.

[jordan85 8]

Where are you getting married? I would double check that SSN requirement, that doesn't seem right. I got married before I got my SSN. How do you think a couple visiting the US as tourists get married here? They're not eligible for a SSN, yet overseas visitors get married in the US all the time, just look at Vegas!

Edited August 6, 2015 by jordan85

[ChicagoSarah 127]

If city hall won't give you a marriage license until you have a SSN, then you have to get a SSN before getting married. But I agree with above poster that this is a less common requirement. Perhaps do some research and ask to talk to a supervisor. Your passport should be sufficient....but I guess that your city could have different rules.

As a K-1, you are a legal alien not allowed to work until you have an EAD card or Green Card in hand. They'll print your SS card with wording indicating that it is only valid with work authorization. You can always go back and have that removed once you have your green card.

Have you checked on your I-94? They're electronic and shouldn't really take 2 weeks to access online. Should be pretty instant/within a few days that you can find and print your I-94. The system has improved/been automated over the last few years, so I'm not sure this is any issue any longer.

Good luck!

[Ash.1101 1,756]

Looking up Sugarland Texas and it says http://www.fortbendcountytx.gov/index.aspx?page=133 :

"All applicants that have been issued a social security number must provide their social number to the clerk at the time the application is processed. The actual card does not need to be presented."

I'd assume that means that they do marry people without a SSN. On the online application that they have available on their website, they don't even ask for SSN.

Generally though for paperwork purposes, at least for here in SA, they use your passport number in place of SSN.

[Zedayn 485]

Hi There,

I have entered the US on Aug 5, 2015 on k1 Visa. our marriage is scheduled for the 14th of this month. we are told that we need to have the SSN to apply for the marriage license. hence do we need to apply for the SSN before the marriage license or can we just apply for it after the marriage?. Since the marriage date is within 2 weeks of my entry in the US, the I-94 is unavailable. how do we deal with this situation?

If i can apply for the SSN after the marriage then do i have to check

* Legal Alien Allowed to Work or

* Legal Alien not Allowed to Work?

Please help.

An SSN is not required for a marriage license if you do not have one.

When applying for the SSN, your category would be

• Legal Alien Allowed to Work

[Pitaya 2,577]

~Moved form K1 Process to SSN Forum~

~Inquiry about SSN~

[ChicagoSarah 127]

An SSN is not required for a marriage license if you do not have one.

When applying for the SSN, your category would be

• Legal Alien Allowed to Work

You are a legal alien not allowed to work. A K-1 has no legal avenue to work. Once they receive the EAD card or green card, then they are a legal alien allowed to work. There is no guarantee of a K-1 obtaining either of these documents though, and they cannot claim to be able to work until they are legally permitted to do so. The SS card will indicate that it is not valid for work unless proper documentation (EAD/Green Card) is presented alongside it.

[Zedayn 485]

You are a legal alien not allowed to work. A K-1 has no legal avenue to work. Once they receive the EAD card or green card, then they are a legal alien allowed to work. There is no guarantee of a K-1 obtaining either of these documents though, and they cannot claim to be able to work until they are legally permitted to do so. The SS card will indicate that it is not valid for work unless proper documentation (EAD/Green Card) is presented alongside it.

You are incorrect.

You ARE allowed to work on a K-1 visa (with work authorization). The big thing here is the context of what being allowed to work entails. With a K-1 visa, you are restricted on how you are allowed to work, by requiring DHS authorization.

So the correct option is in fact LEGAL ALIEN ALLOWED TO WORK. This does not mean you can work right away on that SSN, you still need your EAD to be able to actually work.

For reference, consult this from the SSA and scroll down to the K-1 category: https://secure.ssa.gov/apps10/poms.nsf/lnx/0110211530

[ChicagoSarah 127]

You are incorrect.

You ARE allowed to work on a K-1 visa (with work authorization). The big thing here is the context of what being allowed to work entails. With a K-1 visa, you are restricted on how you are allowed to work, by requiring DHS authorization.

So the correct option is in fact LEGAL ALIEN ALLOWED TO WORK. This does not mean you can work right away on that SSN, you still need your EAD to be able to actually work.

For reference, consult this from the SSA and scroll down to the K-1 category: https://secure.ssa.gov/apps10/poms.nsf/lnx/0110211530

You're totally right. So confusing, though. Sorry for adding to the confusion.

OP - you are a legal alien allowed to work.

Thanks for correcting me!

[Mike-eeh and Odie 193]

Hi There,

I have entered the US on Aug 5, 2015 on k1 Visa. our marriage is scheduled for the 14th of this month. we are told that we need to have the SSN to apply for the marriage license. hence do we need to apply for the SSN before the marriage license or can we just apply for it after the marriage?. Since the marriage date is within 2 weeks of my entry in the US, the I-94 is unavailable. how do we deal with this situation?

If i can apply for the SSN after the marriage then do i have to check

* Legal Alien Allowed to Work or

* Legal Alien not Allowed to Work?

Please help.

You do not have to have a SSN number to apply for a marriage license, at least not in New Jersey. However, if you do want to get one, it only takes an hour or so at your local Social Security Office. Go early! Bring with you the following:

1. Birth Certificate

2. Passport with K-1 Visa

3. A print out of your I-94

4. Preferably another ID like your foreign driver's license or school ID

Once they put you in the system you get a SS number.

If you wait until you are married, SS Services wont issue you a SSN until you receive your EAD/AP card in your married name (if you chose to change it).

[TomEn 90]

Hi everyone,

Thank you so much for taking the time to respond. We did get married without the social number. We applied for it the day after i arrived but i didnt get it for another week. The clerk said it was ok as long as i mu husband had ID from here.

Thank you so much for having gone through all the pain to find the necessary information.

[Darnell 8,478]

FWIW, since the I-94s are electronic now,

your SAVE db record is instant on POE day,

and you could have gone in any day, not wait for the 2 week thingie covered in my SSN Howto... Some bits of it are outdated.