SSN and marriage

[JamalNTam 1]

Can someone explain to me why, if you wait to apply for your ssn until your married (on a k1 visa) do you then have to wait until you receive you EAD to apply? thanks xx

[Yodrak 7]

As a K1 one can apply for their SS card up to 76 days after entry (14 days before their I-94 expires). After that, yes they need to wait until they have an EAD.

Better to not wait until marriage to apply for the SSN, because some SSA districts believe that K1 status ends with marriage. No problem for men who can keep their mouth shut, but often a problem with women because they tend to apply using their new husband's surname. This is a potential problem for 2 reasons,

- it gives away the fact that they've married without their having to say so, and

- their USCIS records, which the SSA must check the applicant against, are in a different name.

Either or both can be sticking points with many SSA offices.

Yodrak

Can someone explain to me why, if you wait to apply for your ssn until your married (on a k1 visa) do you then have to wait until you receive you EAD to apply? thanks xx

[cellarlily 0]

We had this same problem yesterday. One SS office told my husband that his K1 visa was null and void because we got married and he would have to wait until EAD to receive his SSN. (His visa does not expire until May.) He went to another office today and he had no problems.

Basically...get it done before you get married if possible because no one knows what's going on.