Obtaining SSN# after Marriage but before Green Card

[Becci391 340]

2 minutes ago, khristine0509 said:

I agree with you, also got the same situation with SSN. They followed the name on the passport even though I got marriage certificate.

 

 

Correct.

I had the impression that the clerk was going to say " I don't care about your marriage certificate. Your maiden name is on your visa, I-94, birth certificate and passport and that's the name I'm going to use"

 

[Scandi 4,180]

3 hours ago, CatherineA said:

You need to apply for the SSN two weeks before the I-94 (the "90 days") expires, doesn't matter when you're married. As long as you're within this window, if you bring your marriage certificate and her passport etc, she should be able to get an SSN in her married name. The fact that she wants to change her name is a good reason to NOT have applied for one before you were married-- just another trip to the office for something you were able to do without for a few weeks.

 

Also, you should be able to get her on a joint bank account without an SSN. 

In theory that should work fine but during my time here on VJ I have seen sooo many cases where people couldn't get SSN after marriage, especially after changing names. So based on that I will always recommend every K-1er to get the SSN within the first 2-3 weeks in the US, always before marriage, planned name change or not. It's better to have a SSN in your maiden name than having to wait to get the SSN until your EAD shows up.

[Pennycat 880]

2 minutes ago, Scandi said:

In theory that should work fine but during my time here on VJ I have seen sooo many cases where people couldn't get SSN after marriage, especially after changing names. So based on that I will always recommend every K-1er to get the SSN within the first 2-3 weeks in the US, always before marriage, planned name change or not. It's better to have a SSN in your maiden name than having to wait to get the SSN until your EAD shows up.

I get that-- for sure. In our case (and we did have a name change involved), it really was not important at all that he have an SSN until EAD. We did try within the 75 days (post marriage, with certificate) but the long story of that is that I sent my husband and our friend who was driving him on day 70ish, but the line was long so they didn't stay. Then it was the weekend, then there was a ton of snow and then when they tried again, it was too close to his I-94 expiry. But it would have worked, they put in the paperwork with the "married name" but he got sent a denial letter in his "married name" stating the I-94 date and nothing else.

 

For us, because it wasn't pressing that he have an SSN, we were fine waiting (and it was easier because we don't drive and therefore had to rely on the goodwill of a friend willing to drive and hang around a social security office heh). But I think for people for whom it is critical (they need it for a drivers licence, and they need to be able to drive), obviously getting it ASAP in maiden name is preferable. 

[Diane and Chris 651]

Can someone elaborate on the I-94.? Is this a necessary document to have?

 

[Scandi 4,180]

6 minutes ago, Diane and Chris said:

Can someone elaborate on the I-94.? Is this a necessary document to have?

 

You use it for many things to prove that you entered the country legally and it shows to what date your stay in the US is valid. You send copies of the i-94 with your AOS package, most of us send a copy with both the i-485, i-131 and i-765.

[Corey911 37]

21 hours ago, Buzz15 said:

Assuming she can't get a SSN# before the green card, what evidence did people use as proof of a legit relationship that doesn't require a SSN#? (excluding banks).

Becci391, so did you get married first like we did before the SSN?

 

 

I got my ssn with combo card( ead/ap) on my married name as it on combo card.

I had with me 1. Printed application, 2. Combo card 3. Passport. (I did have my marriage cert. but no one asked for it)

Edited May 2, 2017 by Corey911