K1 VISA -> AOS

[stayfee 3]

I am starting to gather documents for my AOS applications and I have numerous questions

 

1. I have filed a Social Security Number before my marriage. I am planning to change my name, is it smart to update my Social Security number first with my new name? 

 

2. Do we need to send in supporting documents such as pictures of the wedding with the I-485 or is the marriage certificate enough?

 

3. Do I also need passport style photos of my husband or do they only need mine?

 

4. I completed my medical examination and vaccinations, where do I put my medical records?

 

Thanks in advance!

 

[K1visaHopeful 2,817]

6 minutes ago, stayfee said:

I am starting to gather documents for my AOS applications and I have numerous questions

 

1. I have filed a Social Security Number before my marriage. I am planning to change my name, is it smart to update my Social Security number first with my new name? 

You can try but SSA is not allowed to update your maiden name to your married name until after your name has been updated with DHS after you receive your EAD or GC. Some SSA agents will not follow the SSA policy and you may be able to. 

2. Do we need to send in supporting documents such as pictures of the wedding with the I-485 or is the marriage certificate enough?

Photocopies (one for each form) of your original MC is enough.

3. Do I also need passport style photos of my husband or do they only need mine?

Just the intending immigrant.

4. I completed my medical examination and vaccinations, where do I put my medical records?

Were you a K1? If so just submit a photocopy of your DS3025 Vaccination Record with the I485 and bring your copy to the interview. Your medical exam that was collected at your POE will be waiting for you at your interview.

Thanks in advance!

 

 

Edited March 11, 2019 by K1visaHopeful

[C90 376]

6 hours ago, stayfee said:

I am starting to gather documents for my AOS applications and I have numerous questions

 

1. I have filed a Social Security Number before my marriage. I am planning to change my name, is it smart to update my Social Security number first with my new name? 

As long as you do it before your I-94 expires you're good. I changed my name while I sent my AOS/EAD/AP. Got the new card with married name 2 weeks after filing.

SSN and USCIS are 2 separate entities, they don't care that you update your name after filing for AOS.

 

2. Do we need to send in supporting documents such as pictures of the wedding with the I-485 or is the marriage certificate enough?

Marriage certificate is enough (don't forget the I-864 and tax documents with your I-485)

 

3. Do I also need passport style photos of my husband or do they only need mine?

Nope, just you

 

4. I completed my medical examination and vaccinations, where do I put my medical records?

Send a copy of the DS-3025 with your I-485

 

Thanks in advance!

 

 

[K1visaHopeful 2,817]

1 hour ago, C90 said:

As long as you do it before your I-94 expires you're good. I changed my name while I sent my AOS/EAD/AP. Got the new card with married name 2 weeks after filing.

SSN and USCIS are 2 separate entities, they don't care that you update your name after filing for AOS.

Not necessarily. SSA's policy is to only issue SSNs in the name that DHS has on record for you. SSA is not supposed to update your name as an immigrant applicant with just the MC. Until DHS updates what they have listed as your name to your married name (when the EAD/GC is approved), SSA is not supposed to issue you an SSN in your married name without checking with DHS. Even if you do try to update your SSN in your married name long before your I94 expires, it won't necessarily happen. The policy of SSA is not to but you may encounter an agent that doesn't know the rules or just doesnt follow them and will update your card to your married name with a copy of the MC without checking what DHS has on file for you.

I applied to update original maiden name SSN card to my married name one month before my I94 was going to expire. Unluckily I was being helped by an agent that follows the policy and was unsuccessful.

Edited March 12, 2019 by K1visaHopeful

[C90 376]

2 minutes ago, K1visaHopeful said:

Not necessarily. SSA's policy is to only issue SSNs in the name that DHS has on record for you. SSA is not supposed to update your name as an immigrant applicant with just the MC. Until DHS updates what they have listed as your name to your married name (when the EAD/GC is approved)  SSA is not supposed to issue you an SSN in your married name without checking with DHS. Even if you do try to update your SSN in your married name long before your I94 expires, it won't necessarily happen. The policy of SSA is not to but you may encounter an agent that doesn't know the rules or just doesnt follow them and will update your card to your married name with a copy of the MC without checking what DHS has on file for you.

I applied to update original maiden name SSN card to my married name one month before my I94 was going to expire. Unluckily I was being helped by an agent that follows the policy and was unsuccessful.

You need to take your marriage certificate, that's your proof of name change. I filed my AOS right after I requested my name change (had to go through manual verification again to check my status), and before I got NOA1 my new SSN got approved.

 

It seems like you got very unlucky, everyone I know that changed their name after marriage did this right before or while filing for AOS (so the name change was not known yet at USCIS) The officer I had even told me that my MC was enough and that I had the right to change my name right away. He got a lot of immigrants in this office, so he knew his way around immigration. Not saying what you're saying is wrong, it's just weird that SSN would not follow the rules.

 

OP should try to get her name changed before EAD, since she can't work with an EAD in one name and SSN in the other (I just started working and for the background check it states that if your SSN doesn't match you have to get that corrected first, (almost) every employer / temp agency runs a background check, even if you already started working)

[K1visaHopeful 2,817]

2 hours ago, C90 said:

You need to take your marriage certificate, that's your proof of name change. I filed my AOS right after I requested my name change (had to go through manual verification again to check my status), and before I got NOA1 my new SSN got approved.

 

It seems like you got very unlucky, everyone I know that changed their name after marriage did this right before or while filing for AOS (so the name change was not known yet at USCIS) The officer I had even told me that my MC was enough and that I had the right to change my name right away. He got a lot of immigrants in this office, so he knew his way around immigration. Not saying what you're saying is wrong, it's just weird that SSN would not follow the rules.

 

OP should try to get her name changed before EAD, since she can't work with an EAD in one name and SSN in the other (I just started working and for the background check it states that if your SSN doesn't match you have to get that corrected first, (almost) every employer / temp agency runs a background check, even if you already started working)

I know many ppl who were unable to change it for the same reason as me too so my situation is not unique.

Not all SSA agents follow the rules. It's not really that weird because the results you have seen and the results I have seen are obviously very different and there are many of us who applied long before our I94s expired and had no luck.

She can try to change it before her EAD is approved but without a valid I94 she would be unsuccessful. She could change it of course with her EAD in her new married name once that is approved.

[dwilder 74]

We're having the same questions here.  We got her SS card last week and now are debating if we should change her name before we finish the AOS/AP/EAD paper work.

 

The embassy in Panama told us to not change her name until we do it in Panama first, if we do that her Green Card won't match her passport.  Anyone else been told to wait?  For those that applied then changed name, is there any issue that your green card doesn't match your passport?  Any one know if this is easy to change?  

 

 

[K1visaHopeful 2,817]

37 minutes ago, dwilder said:

We're having the same questions here.  We got her SS card last week and now are debating if we should change her name before we finish the AOS/AP/EAD paper work.

 

The embassy in Panama told us to not change her name until we do it in Panama first, if we do that her Green Card won't match her passport.  Anyone else been told to wait?  For those that applied then changed name, is there any issue that your green card doesn't match your passport?  Any one know if this is easy to change?  

 

 

You dont have to ever change the name on your passport as that's a foreign document. You can always travel with it. Just book your flight in the name of the passport and carry your MC to prove the person on the passport matches your US immigration documents.

[dwilder 74]

31 minutes ago, K1visaHopeful said:

You dont have to ever change the name on your passport as that's a foreign document. You can always travel with it. Just book your flight in the name of the passport and carry your MC to prove the person on the passport matches your US immigration documents.

Ahh thank you very much! Makes sense.  So would probably be wisest, if SSA lets her change her name this week. To use her new name on the AOS/EAD paper work to get the green card with her new name?  Sorry if that is redundant.  Trying to make sure everything is straight in my head.

[K1visaHopeful 2,817]

39 minutes ago, dwilder said:

Ahh thank you very much! Makes sense.  So would probably be wisest, if SSA lets her change her name this week. To use her new name on the AOS/EAD paper work to get the green card with her new name?  Sorry if that is redundant.  Trying to make sure everything is straight in my head.

Yes. You will need the names to match on the SSN and the EAD to do anything...get a job, get a driver's licence etc. They need to match. But to change her SSN name you will need an EAD in the married name.

If she filed all of her AOS paperwork in her married name like she was supposed to, the EAD, AP and GC will come in her married name. 

After that you will have plenty of time to update her passport if you chose to do so.

Edited March 12, 2019 by K1visaHopeful

[stayfee 3]

UPDATE:

 

In Wisconsin Social Security Office I wasn't allowed to change my SSC to my married name. I needed to wait for my greencard or EAD. I tried but I guess I didn't succeed

[K1visaHopeful 2,817]

17 minutes ago, stayfee said:

UPDATE:

 

In Wisconsin Social Security Office I wasn't allowed to change my SSC to my married name. I needed to wait for my greencard or EAD. I tried but I guess I didn't succeed

95% chance you would not have been able to as your SSN application name (married name) doesnt match the name DHS has on file for you (maiden name) as that name wont change until DHS issues your EAD or GC (whichever comes first).