SS Card: sooner vs later?

[R. Wolfe 25]

My fiancé arrived at the end of October and we've been married almost a month now. I'm confused about whether we should apply for a SSN now (which we'd have to do in person) vs just moving on to the mountain of paperwork that is the I-485, I-864, I-994 etc..

 

First, am I correct in assuming that we don't have to do both? In other words, is a Soc Sec Card already a result of that larger, expensive, I-485 etc. process?

 

If we don't have to do both, what are the pros and cons of doing the SS card now, and early?

 

I assume we'll have it sooner (to potentially use for other stuff). But I don't think that's a huge deal since she's not going to be getting a job any time soon. Is it easier to do the marriage name change one way or the other? Anyway, all advice or suggestions are much appreciated. It's very disheartening to realize that the K-1 visa process was just the first hoop in a series of rings that stretches well out of sight.

[JFH 12,190]

*~*~*moved from “moving to the US” to “social security numbers” where this question is often discussed*~*~*

[KULtoATL 1,551]

When I arrived in the US in November 2017, the first thing I did was getting a SSN. That was simply my personal preference because my husband and I were going to file our 2017 taxes as married filing jointly in 2018. Having a SSN saved me from the need of applying for an ITIN for taxes.

 

Also, with SSN, it makes it easier to get a bank account with just about any banks. But without SSN, Bank of America is a great choice because they are immigrant friendly, so to speak.

 

Besides, getting a SSN was quick and easy so no point in delaying. With a SSN, that also means you can add your wife as your insurance and 401k beneficiary, both things usually ask for a SSN. That's just a couple of things that I can think of. These things make great evidences for her AOS package as proof of relationship (i.e. with you naming her as your beneficiary).

 

If she has already taken your last name upon marriage and this is indicated on the marriage certificate, she should bring the marriage certificate to the SSA office when applying for a SSN. That will prove her married name and the SSN will be issued under her married name. 

[Boiler 45,476]

I applied about  week after I got here. First thing I got.

[SteveInBostonI130 3,434]

I would recommend you to get your wife a SSN as soon as possible.  Along with what others have stated (bank accounts, health insurance, 401k), a few other thing hampered by not having SSN:

• Driver's License (our state requires a SSN or a denial letter from the SSA office)
• Car insurance 
• Taxes.  We filed jointly this year but had to do an ITIN, which delayed our tax return by 6 months (paper process only - no electronic filing option).
• No stimulus check 

 

If you wait to received it after filing I-485, I-131 and I-765, then it will take many months before she will get her SSN. 

[R. Wolfe 25]

Thanks for the advice.  The name change issues have been making it difficult to figure things out. Here in Pennsylvania there isn't a way to specify a "married name" on the certificate - they just say to contact the SS office to change your name after getting married. But since the SS office then says that your foreign passport has to match the name that's going to be on your SSN card, you can't really use your married name after all. Other places, of course, say that if you don't change it right away then it is way more difficult. 

 

I'm also now hearing that in-person SS office visits might be impossible anyway. So much fun.

[Ayrton 965]

12 hours ago, x3n said:

Thanks for the advice.  The name change issues have been making it difficult to figure things out. Here in Pennsylvania there isn't a way to specify a "married name" on the certificate - they just say to contact the SS office to change your name after getting married. But since the SS office then says that your foreign passport has to match the name that's going to be on your SSN card, you can't really use your married name after all. Other places, of course, say that if you don't change it right away then it is way more difficult. 

 

I'm also now hearing that in-person SS office visits might be impossible anyway. So much fun.

For the first SSC, you must apply with the name on the I-94. That's required because they have to do a manual verification, and the name in the system will be the maiden name.

 

After that, you can change your name by simply sending them the marriage certificate, an ID and the form. Most officers will say that you need the ID to have the new name. That's not true. The SSA rules specifically say that as long as the name change document (in this case your marriage certificate) is dated after the immigration document (your i-94, visa and passport) they must issue the SSC with the new legal name. 

 

When I tried to change my name in my SSC two months ago with a court order for name change,  they rejected the first time because they said the name on my EAD should be changed first. The second time I applied I sent a print out of their own instructions and highlighted where it said that as long as the name change was dated after the immigration document was issued, they must issue the new SSC. Two weeks later I received the card with the new name.

Edited December 8, 2020 by Ayrton

[Chancy 6,241]

On 12/8/2020 at 7:24 PM, Ayrton said:

a print out of their own instructions and highlighted where it said that as long as the name change was dated after the immigration document was issued, they must issue the new SSC

 

Hi @Ayrton,

 

Would you still have the link to the SSA instructions about this, particularly the part I bolded in your quote?

 

I'm still in the IR1 visa process, but preparing for future paperwork.  I'm researching whether I can have my SS card changed to use my preferred married name, but my IR1 visa and GC will have my maiden name.  For reasons involving my country's civil registry requirements, I'm not able to get a passport in my married name before my visa gets issued.

 

Thanks.

 

[Ayrton 965]

2 hours ago, Chancy said:

 

Hi @Ayrton,

 

Would you still have the link to the SSA instructions about this, particularly the part I bolded in your quote?

 

I'm still in the IR1 visa process, but preparing for future paperwork.  I'm researching whether I can have my SS card changed to use my preferred married name, but my IR1 visa and GC will have my maiden name.  For reasons involving my country's civil registry requirements, I'm not able to get a passport in my married name before my visa gets issued.

 

Thanks.

 

https://secure.ssa.gov/apps10/poms.nsf/lnx/0110212001

 

I don't think it will work for your case. Your name change document is your marriage certificate. So if you already have a SSN in your maiden name, you won't be able to change your name on your SSN because your name change document is dated before your immigration document (visa). So for you, what they consider as legal name is the name on the visa.

[Chancy 6,241]

3 hours ago, Ayrton said:

https://secure.ssa.gov/apps10/poms.nsf/lnx/0110212001

 

I don't think it will work for your case. Your name change document is your marriage certificate. So if you already have a SSN in your maiden name, you won't be able to change your name on your SSN because your name change document is dated before your immigration document (visa). So for you, what they consider as legal name is the name on the visa.

 

Thanks very much for this, @Ayrton!  I'll just wait til I can get my name changed for free on naturalization.