Somewhat Jumping the Gun...

[SunDrop 59]

Hi there

First post here, having spent many hours reading through it all. Feeling pretty confident about the process now, just need to get started on it once we met face to face for the first time in September.

My question is this: I have a SSN from when my parents lived in the US before I was 21. If I remember correctly, I needed it in order to qualify for cover under my father's health insurance. I had an L4 visa (I think) that expired on my 21st birthday. I then got married, divorced and am now planning on remarrying, this time a US Citizen and so we're applying for a K1 visa.

What happens regarding my SSN, considering it was issued 10 years ago under my maiden name. Will I need to provide evidence to the SSA of my marriage and divorce in order to have the 'no right to work' condition lifted from my SSN? We will be living in New Hampshire, so I plan on entering through JFK to get the EAD immediately.

Many thanks and looking forward to getting to know you all better

Sundrop x

[Dr_LHA 3]

When you have your green card you can take your marriage certificate and green card to the SSA to get a new card with both your married name and the line about needing "authorization to work" removed.

If you go before you get the green card I'm guessing the best you can get is a new card with your new name on it. You can't get a "unrestricted" SS card until you have an approved Green Card.

[SunDrop 59]

When you have your green card you can take your marriage certificate and green card to the SSA to get a new card with both your married name and the line about needing "authorization to work" removed.

If you go before you get the green card I'm guessing the best you can get is a new card with your new name on it. You can't get a "unrestricted" SS card until you have an approved Green Card.

Hi again

Many thanks for your reply. I was under the impression I could request a 90 day EAD if my POE is NY JFK. If this is the case, then I wouldn't yet have my greencard, as entry would be under a K1 visa.

My question really relates to how best can I avoid (or am I being pessimistic! lol) the probable confusion that will arise from the fact that all my visa/marriage documentation will have my surname from my now-divorced married name and not my maiden name, which is what the SSA know me as?

I guess there is always the alternative of reverting back to my maiden name legally before applying for the K1 and going about it that way, but what a rigamarole!

Edited May 14, 2007 by SunDrop

[Dr_LHA 3]

Hi again

Many thanks for your reply. I was under the impression I could request a 90 day EAD if my POE is NY JFK. If this is the case, then I wouldn't yet have my greencard, as entry would be under a K1 visa.

You are correct. However an EAD will not get you a SS Card without the "Only valid with DHS authorisation" words on it, only a Green Card gets you that.

My question really relates to how best can I avoid (or am I being pessimistic! lol) the probable confusion that will arise from the fact that all my visa/marriage documentation will have my surname from my now-divorced married name and not my maiden name, which is what the SSA know me as?

Well I would assume taking the marriage/divorce certificate to the SSA along with your old card will make things clear for them.

I guess there is always the alternative of reverting back to my maiden name legally before applying for the K1 and going about it that way, but what a rigamarole!

Does seem like a rigmarole,yes. However I assume that you already have all the documentation for your divorce with you (as you'll need it for AOS), so just take that. I think if you explain the situation, the SSA will be fine with it.

Edited May 14, 2007 by Dr_LHA

[Emancipation 2]

Just wanted to say that I successfuly got a name change from an Old SSN card on K-1 (mine does state VALID FOR WORK ONLY WITH DHS AUTHORIZATION). I was originally in the US aprox 10 years ago on a R-1 visa, and got a SSN in an old Married name.. I have since been divorced and entered in February to be married.

I went to SSN office 1 week 1/2 after I arrived in the US (we'd been married by this time). I had lost my old SS card I should note, so I just brought everything I could think of with the SS change form SS-5(here's the link that describes the process), divorce certificate, birth certificate, passport visa, I-94 (in passport), etc. and I filled out the form. I was in and out in 15 min.

http://ssa-custhelp.ssa.gov/cgi-bin/ssa.cf...php?p_faqid=315

I should also say that I had destroyed my first SS card prior to coming back into the US (actually shredded the card thinking I'll never use it again - DUMB).. Knowing i needed the number for the AOS process, I had previously sent the SS-5 to the office listed for my Out of Country Offices to try to get them to give me a replacement card.

http://www.socialsecurity.gov/foreign/index.html

They said they couldn't issue a replacement card because I couldn't prove my "right" to have one - ie. legal reason to be in the country, but they did handwrite the number in for me on the form and sent it back to me (nice people). So at least I had the card # when I went into the local SS Office here.

As far as your question about your name changes.. I had my original SS Card under a Married name.. but my visa was issued under my maiden name (so a bit of a reverse situation). They didn't bat an eye at it.. just have all your documentation like Dr_LHA says, and I don't think it will be a biggie.. Get used to carrying that big wad of paperwork around.. almost everyone wants to see it

Edited May 14, 2007 by Emancipation

[rob&ana 0]

Well… I had a SSN that was at least 18 years old, as I lived in the US as a child when my Dad was doing a MBA at MSU. When I came to the US (and during the week after arriving in the US), I went to the SSA office and told them that I had arrived to the US on a K1 visa and that I knew that I had an SS number but that I had lost the card (which was true) and didn’t know the number, so the guy there was nice enough to look me up, and gave me print-out of my SS number, but said that they would not issue the card until I came up on the SAVE system. A letter came about a week later saying that they had ordered my card (or something to that matter) and then the card arrived like 2 weeks later and it did have the wording that I was only to work with DHS permission. I just showed them my passport (with the K1 visa), at the time I hadn’t even gotten married. The card was issued in my maiden name.

If you go thru JFK and obtain your stamp, and then you go to the SSA office really soon, you will be able to get a card that states that you will be able to work with DHS permission, which you will have (with your stamp).

Good luck!!