K1 Filing for AOS/SSN out of "home" state?

[rj1990 13]

Hi guys! This might be a silly question but I wanted to ask - I received my K1 visa yesterday and my POE is Monday in Montreal, heading to Maryland. On Friday of next week I'm flying to California for 5 weeks, my fiancé has a summer work position there and we're getting married in Cali before we come back to Maryland in August. Minus our marriage certificate I have our AOS package ready to go, so I'm wondering if it's okay for me to file it from California as soon as we're married? And follow-up question, I'd also like to apply for my SSN sooner rather than later - can I go to any SSN office with my paperwork (as long as I've waited the 2 weeks for my name/I-94 to be in the system), or does it have to be my "local" (long term domicile) state?

Thank you for your help! 

[Hypnos 6,576]

You can mail your AoS application from anywhere; where it goes is determined by where you live, not where you currently are in the US at the time.

 

You can apply for an SSN in the same manner, at any SSA office in the country. You should do that asap after PoE, with at least 14 days of validity remaining on your I-94.

[rj1990 13]

Just now, Hypnos said:

You can mail your AoS application from anywhere; where it goes is determined by where you live, not where you currently are in the US at the time.

 

You can apply for an SSN in the same manner, at any SSA office in the country. You should do that asap after PoE, with at least 14 days of validity remaining on your I-94.

Awesome thanks so much! That's what I figured but I just wanted to double check. We're planning on getting married 5 days after POE, so I'm hoping to file SSN the following week. Am I okay to file my SSN with my married name as I will my AOS documents? Thanks again! 

[Hypnos 6,576]

I believe technically you're able to apply in either your maiden name or married name after you get married, but some offices will wrongly tell you you can only apply in your maiden name, because that's the one you are entered in SAVE under.

 

Personally, I would go there before getting married and apply in your maiden name. After getting married you can go back and see if they will let you update your name using your marriage certificate. Some offices will, and others won't.