SSN during COVID

[JeanneAdil 6,510]

A legal name change in California (and across the US) involves four major steps: filing a marriage license or court order, sharing your new title with the Social Security Administration, updating your passport and getting a new state ID.

 

Filing the marriage licence with clerk of the court works in CA

[Chancy 6,241]

3 hours ago, uapilot said:

we still have to process a name change at the local circuit court since they don't do the name change during marriage in the state where we married.

 

In most states, a court order is not necessary to be able to change your legal name to your married name.  Marriage certificate is a legal name change document even if it only lists the bride's maiden name.  You'll only need a court order if the name you want to use does not follow the state's naming convention (e.g. many states do not allow use of maiden surname as new middle name after marriage) or if your home country requires a legal document to explicitly state the new married name in order to change the name on your passport.

 

[uapilot 70]

4 hours ago, Ayrton said:

If you're applying for a SSN during the 75 day period of your I-94, you must apply in your maiden name because that's the name DHS has on file and that's the name on your immigration document (passport/visa/I-94).

 

After getting married, you can use the marriage certificate/court order to update the name on the SSN.

 

Btw what state do you live in that doesn't allow change of last name after marriage?

Florida, but during marriage it doesn't allow it. You can always change it after.

 

Interesting bit about the use of the maiden name for the SSN. I'll definitely get the SSN application filed ASAP in that case since we're not waiting on anything. I guess I was following some advise that was intended for folks coming on IR-1/CR-1? Although those folks get an automatic SSN after arriving.

Edited May 20, 2021 by uapilot

[uapilot 70]

2 hours ago, Chancy said:

 

In most states, a court order is not necessary to be able to change your legal name to your married name.  Marriage certificate is a legal name change document even if it only lists the bride's maiden name.  You'll only need a court order if the name you want to use does not follow the state's naming convention (e.g. many states do not allow use of maiden surname as new middle name after marriage) or if your home country requires a legal document to explicitly state the new married name in order to change the name on your passport.

 

Interesting. That may saves us some trouble, although we'd still need the certificate.

[Ayrton 965]

3 minutes ago, uapilot said:

Florida, but during marriage it doesn't allow it. You can always change it after.

The marriage certificate is your name change document. You don't need to go through the court. You can start using your spouses last name from the day of marriage.

 

If you're talking about a first name/middle name change, then yes, you would have to go to the court.

[Chancy 6,241]

32 minutes ago, uapilot said:

Florida, but during marriage it doesn't allow it. You can always change it after.

 

Florida allows use of married name with just the marriage certificate as legal name change document.  But note that to apply for a DL or state ID, the Florida DMV will only accept the name listed on the applicant's SS card.

 

I second @Ayrton's advice to apply for SSN using your maiden name, then request an update to your SS card after you get your marriage certificate.

 

[Charlie87 31]

I arrived in the US on an IR1 visa on May 22. My green card has arrived but not my SSN.

i called the SSA and they have not yet been informed by immigration of my arrival.

is this normal? Its been over 3 weeks now. Unfortunately I have had to fly back to the UK for a couple of months and so not in the country to walk over to the social sec office.

has anyone else had this delay?

[jtus043 0]

On 6/17/2021 at 12:40 AM, Charlie87 said:

I arrived in the US on an IR1 visa on May 22. My green card has arrived but not my SSN.

i called the SSA and they have not yet been informed by immigration of my arrival.

is this normal? Its been over 3 weeks now. Unfortunately I have had to fly back to the UK for a couple of months and so not in the country to walk over to the social sec office.

has anyone else had this delay?

Same here, I've been waiting for 2+ months. May I ask if anyone having same experience here?

 

PS: I arrived at 4th March, it took about 3 months to receive my GC, I also called countless of times to SSA, and their answer is verifying with DHS...

[P0907 127]

Received my card 11 days after arriving, no calling to SSA needed, I just checked the box on my DS-260 (IR1 visa)

[UsFin 1]

Arrived at JFK on CR-1 visa on June 18th, received social security card on June 28th, and green card on July 8th. Timelines seem to vary a lot..