Applying for ssn for a K1 beneficiary.

[Crazy Cat 41,886]

6 minutes ago, lightstream said:

 

There's a lot of people that are recommending K1 applicants can go right away to apply for SSN after entry. I tried this and it does not work! Our application needs to go through manual verification now which takes an additional 4-6 weeks.

There have been many posters who were successful in obtaining a SSN quickly after arriving.  

Edited May 30, 2019 by missileman

[Spardasa 78]

4 minutes ago, lightstream said:

 

There's a lot of people that are recommending K1 applicants can go right away to apply for SSN after entry. I tried this and it does not work! Our application needs to go through manual verification now which takes an additional 4-6 weeks.

 

Also someone else wrote that you basically have an option to see if you are in the system while you are applying at the office. This is also not correct. They only knew my fiance was not in the system after she submitted our application and she said it is too late to reverse it. It's possible that maybe the officer we had didn't know what she was doing but given how many of these SSN offices have very differing experiences, I don't think it's worth the risk. Just wait the recommended 2 weeks before applying for SSN.

Taking greater than 6 weeks.  We applied for my wife's on April 18th and got manual verification, even though she had been in the country greater than 2 weeks (4/7).  I called SSA today.  Course, they can't tell you anything about it over the phone due to they cannot look up based on reference numbers, but the lady told me according to their policy, it is taking up to 45 days (Government days, not weeks of course....). 

[Just Paul 4,595]

10 minutes ago, lightstream said:

 

There's a lot of people that are recommending K1 applicants can go right away to apply for SSN after entry. I tried this and it does not work! Our application needs to go through manual verification now which takes an additional 4-6 weeks.

 

Also someone else wrote that you basically have an option to see if you are in the system while you are applying at the office. This is also not correct. They only knew my fiance was not in the system after she submitted our application and she said it is too late to reverse it. It's possible that maybe the officer we had didn't know what she was doing but given how many of these SSN offices have very differing experiences, I don't think it's worth the risk. Just wait the recommended 2 weeks before applying for SSN.

You can look it up yourself https://save.uscis.gov/web/vislogin.aspx?JS=YES

 

We were CR1 and crossed by land.   First time we went in they said it wasn't updated in SAVE.   It was a couple weeks later and I checked and it was there in SAVE.  We were traveling at the time so we didn't have a reason to rush back and get it. 

[lightstream 7]

On 5/30/2019 at 5:07 PM, Paul & Mary said:

You can look it up yourself https://save.uscis.gov/web/vislogin.aspx?JS=YES

 

We were CR1 and crossed by land.   First time we went in they said it wasn't updated in SAVE.   It was a couple weeks later and I checked and it was there in SAVE.  We were traveling at the time so we didn't have a reason to rush back and get it. 

Wow, I am able to see our case online! It shows they received a request from Social Security Administration. I used this link though: https://www.uscis.gov/save/casecheck . The link you provided just had a log in but it doesn't say how I can create an account. If there's some other place to check, please share!

 

On 5/30/2019 at 5:02 PM, Spardasa said:

Taking greater than 6 weeks.  We applied for my wife's on April 18th and got manual verification, even though she had been in the country greater than 2 weeks (4/7).  I called SSA today.  Course, they can't tell you anything about it over the phone due to they cannot look up based on reference numbers, but the lady told me according to their policy, it is taking up to 45 days (Government days, not weeks of course....). 

That sucks! You might have tried this already but I have read that going to the office will be better than just calling. I also am able to see my SAVE case progress with the link I shared above. I just picked a Document ID that I had and it worked.

 

[WaterLeaf 200]

On 1/3/2019 at 11:27 AM, Greenbaum said:

After marriage

Carry your marriage certificate to the social security office to get the social security card in the new name. If you applied for a social security number before marriage, you can go back to the social security office after marriage and get your name changed on your social security card.

Quick question:

We're deciding not to have any name change at all. We can skip this part?

[Greenbaum 12,259]

9 minutes ago, WaterLeaf said:

Quick question:

We're deciding not to have any name change at all. We can skip this part?

Your keeping your maiden name? Then do nothing but it requires anytime that you file taxes or get a job you must have all your payment records showing the name on your SSN card. If that's ok with you fine, no change needed.

[WaterLeaf 200]

2 minutes ago, Greenbaum said:

Your keeping your maiden name? Then do nothing but it requires anytime that you file taxes or get a job you must have all your payment records showing the name on your SSN card. If that's ok with you fine, no change needed.

Yes I [F] am keeping the name. I just find it less complicated for paperwork and fees.

[Greenbaum 12,259]

32 minutes ago, WaterLeaf said:

Yes I [F] am keeping the name. I just find it less complicated for paperwork and fees.

Well it's not that hard and there are no fees. You file for a marriage license, get married, then print your new name on the license, turn it in and the marriage certificate is returned with your new legal name.  No fees. Change your mind year or years down the road and now we are talking complicated and expensive. 

 

Application for SSN is free. So far i haven't been able to find any fees just a little extra time.  If this sounds complicated it's not as you'll have to do these steps anyways. Your call.

[geowrian 22,337]

On 5/30/2019 at 5:07 PM, Paul & Mary said:

You can look it up yourself https://save.uscis.gov/web/vislogin.aspx?JS=YES

 

We were CR1 and crossed by land.   First time we went in they said it wasn't updated in SAVE.   It was a couple weeks later and I checked and it was there in SAVE.  We were traveling at the time so we didn't have a reason to rush back and get it. 

Just to clarify, you cannot check if you are in SAVE on your own. Only approved agencies have that level of access.

The SAVE CaseCheck tool can be used after a query is made on you to check the details and if a result h as been received yes (mostly informative for manual verification).

[WaterLeaf 200]

11 hours ago, Greenbaum said:

Well it's not that hard and there are no fees. You file for a marriage license, get married, then print your new name on the license, turn it in and the marriage certificate is returned with your new legal name.  No fees. Change your mind year or years down the road and now we are talking complicated and expensive. 

 

Application for SSN is free. So far i haven't been able to find any fees just a little extra time.  If this sounds complicated it's not as you'll have to do these steps anyways. Your call.

Well the other fees are driver license update, passport and other things, which I don't want to bother with. I've actually never planned on name change too!

[Greenbaum 12,259]

5 hours ago, WaterLeaf said:

Well the other fees are driver license update, passport and other things, which I don't want to bother with. I've actually never planned on name change too!

Im not trying to argumentative but only to use our conversation as informational for others who are following along. Of course you're still have your right to do as you please. 

 

The passport doesn't need to be renewed with the married name as you can still travel and present your marriage certificate as proof of you legal right to the names you are or have used. People do it all the time without incident. 

 

Drivers license is a little trickier if you are the USC then yes you'll have a fee abt $30 for another 8 to 10 years.  You have to update it on the anniversary so pay them now for a name change or pay them upon expiration. So far we have only identified one fee when changing your name and you pay that fee eventually. It comes down to personal choice. 

 

All the best to you. 

[WaterLeaf 200]

3 hours ago, Greenbaum said:

Im not trying to argumentative but only to use our conversation as informational for others who are following along. Of course you're still have your right to do as you please. 

 

The passport doesn't need to be renewed with the married name as you can still travel and present your marriage certificate as proof of you legal right to the names you are or have used. People do it all the time without incident. 

 

Drivers license is a little trickier if you are the USC then yes you'll have a fee abt $30 for another 8 to 10 years.  You have to update it on the anniversary so pay them now for a name change or pay them upon expiration. So far we have only identified one fee when changing your name and you pay that fee eventually. It comes down to personal choice. 

 

All the best to you. 

Yeah I understand, there isn't anything big on the fee but wasn't always aware that I don't have to always update something. I thought I do because of name matching requirement for whatever it was if any.

 

(There isn't anything argumentative AFAIK lol)

[geowrian 22,337]

7 hours ago, Greenbaum said:

Drivers license is a little trickier if you are the USC then yes you'll have a fee abt $30 for another 8 to 10 years.

I wish this was the case in PA. USCs must renew every 4 years. Non-USC licenses are the lesser of 4 years or when their documentation of legal status expires - whichever is sooner. For my wife, we had to pay 4 times in the first year: initial license valid for 90 days, renewal with AOS filed, renewal after 1 year, and renewal again when she got her green card. She'll have to renew again when ROC comes along, and maybe a year after that if ROC timelines remain the same.

Edited June 2, 2019 by geowrian

[Greenbaum 12,259]

1 minute ago, geowrian said:

I wish this was the case in PA. USCs must renew every 4 years. Non-USC licenses are the lesser of 4 years or when their documentation of legal status expires - whichever is sooner. For my wife, we had to pay 4 times in the first year: initial license valid for 90 days, renewal with AOS filed, renewal after 1 year, and renewal again when she got her green card.

Yikes. DL's are difficult in most states including mine here in NC. We pretty much jumped through hoops as you did. Some examiner's we had to teach what they could and could not do. One time I got in an argument with one moron who said no it can't be done an advised him to contact his immigration department.  Said they didn't have one and of course we went back and forth knowingfull well they do. I finally left and went across town and started over but this examiner got on the phone and determined I was correct.  Got the license and felt this was not the end of this discussion whereupon i returned to the first DL office and met with my moronic friend and showed him that i was successful.  Didn't wait for his answer and I left. 

[WaterLeaf 200]

Dang! I better watch out on that one, thanks for the heads up!