Changing name on SS card

[NihonJim 3]

Wife entered in January on K1 (fiancé when she entered, married shortly after), went to courthouse a couple days later to pick up marriage paperwork, ended up just getting married    Court clerk was trying to go home (still had 2 hrs on her shift why the hurry?), rushed us through the paperwork, so we were unable to change wife's last name.  Applied for SS card, had to wait 5 weeks for it to come (manual verification or something).  Immediately submitted paperwork back to county to change her name, then went and submitted request for new SS card with new name. 

 

We applied for the new card in March, about 4 weeks before her K1 expired, and were told that it needs manual verification (####### again? didn't they just verify everything?).  A week or so later we submitted our I485 package.  Yesterday she gets a voicemail from SSA saying her paperwork was sent back from immigration, and she has to apply for her card again.  #######?!  Has anybody else run into this? 

 

Am I crazy for thinking this should have been taken care of quicker?  She already has a SSN, we're just changing the name.  We've encountered problems every step of every process (k1, ssn, drivers license, etc etc), and she's super frazzled right now.  We're planning to head to local SSA office this afternoon to find out what the f is going on.  I guess we just go back, apply for SS card again, bring ID, proof of residence (maybe?), marriage cert, name change order, expired I-94, and her 797c for the I-485 and maybe they can get this stuff taken care of?   

 

Also, I'm probably just a bit paranoid about this, but in today's deport-happy environment, I'm just scared that we show up to do some paperwork and they kick her out.  I'm 100% sure I'm overreacting, but based on all the troubles we've had even though we're doing everything the right way, I feel like I'm just a hair away from having a stroke over this.

 

ARG!!!

 

/endrant

Edited April 18, 2019 by NihonJim

[treppenwitz 78]

22 minutes ago, NihonJim said:

I guess we just go back, apply for SS card again, bring ID, proof of residence (maybe?), marriage cert, name change order, expired I-94, and her 797c for the I-485 and maybe they can get this stuff taken care of?

Incorrect. First of all, was her married name on the I-485 and I-765? If yes, then do the following:

1. Wait until either her EAD or GC is issued in the married name
2. Go to the SSA office with the relevant card from #1 above and her current SSN card. You can also have an already filled out SS-5 form, if you wish: https://www.ssa.gov/forms/ss-5.pdf

Edited April 18, 2019 by treppenwitz

[Dashinka 24,512]

6 minutes ago, NihonJim said:

Wife entered in January on K1 (fiancé when she entered, married shortly after), went to courthouse a couple days later to pick up marriage paperwork, ended up just getting married    Court clerk was trying to go home (still had 2 hrs on her shift why the hurry?), rushed us through the paperwork, so we were unable to change wife's last name.  Applied for SS card, had to wait 5 weeks for it to come (manual verification or something).  Immediately submitted paperwork back to county to change her name, then went and submitted request for new SS card with new name. 

 

We applied for the new card in March, about 4 weeks before her K1 expired, and were told that it needs manual verification (####### again? didn't they just verify everything?).  A week or so later we submitted our I485 package.  Yesterday she gets a voicemail from SSA saying her paperwork was sent back from immigration, and she has to apply for her card again.  #######?!  Has anybody else run into this? 

 

Am I crazy for thinking this should have been taken care of quicker?  She already has a SSN, we're just changing the name.  We've encountered problems every step of every process (k1, ssn, drivers license, etc etc), and she's super frazzled right now.  We're planning to head to local SSA office this afternoon to find out what the f is going on.  I guess we just go back, apply for SS card again, bring ID, proof of residence (maybe?), marriage cert, name change order, expired I-94, and her 797c for the I-485 and maybe they can get this stuff taken care of?   

 

Also, I'm probably just a bit paranoid about this, but in today's deport-happy environment, I'm just scared that we show up to do some paperwork and they kick her out.  I'm 100% sure I'm overreacting, but based on all the troubles we've had even though we're doing everything the right way, I feel like I'm just a hair away from having a stroke over this.

 

ARG!!!

 

/endrant

My wife went through something similar as the SSA seems to not really understand the immigration side.  To be honest, assuming you applied for the AOS with the name change, you might be best to wait for the EAD or GC showing the new name rather than to fight the SSA.  I would not worry about deportation as you have already submitted the AOS.

 

Good Luck!

[Crazy Cat 41,887]

If she has submitted her I-485, she has "authorized stay" while it is pending....Relax, take a deep breath, and take care of the SS issue..you might have to wait for her EAD to do that....good luck.

Edited April 18, 2019 by missileman