social security number for non-immigrant spouse

[Chilisquid 2]

Can my non-immigrant spouse get a social security number or taxpayer ID number in the USA for beneficiary purposes only ?   

 

We plan to travel to the USA on a K1 visa to get married, but don't intend to pursue permanent residency or green card right away.  Maybe after a few years we will do this, but not on our initial trip under the K1 visa. We will forfeit AOS and return to Thailand.  I'm a retired US expat and spend most of my time in Thailand.  I own real-estate there. I don't own any real estate in the US and have no immediate plans to make a permanent home in the US.  Living in Thailand is much cheaper for a retiree. 

 

But, I want to add her to my US health insurance,  I want to open a joint bank account with her,  and I want to add her as the "Pay on death" or "transfer on death" beneficiary to my banking and brokerage accounts.   All these tasks and forms require her to have some sort of SSN or TIN.    My US health insurance will cover myself and my spouse worldwide. 

 

I've searched the forums, but all discussions of social security numbers seem to center around employment, and we have no plans for permanent residency in the US right away.   From what I've read so far, it seems that you must at least have filed an AOS before you can apply for SSN. 

 

 

 

Edited June 22, 2021 by Chilisquid

[milimelo 4,479]

For bank account you can do W-8ben and just use her passport number - no SSN needed (works for joint accounts). 
 

Based on what you detail, you’re after a wrong visa. Tourist one would make more sense. 

[Chilisquid 2]

3 minutes ago, milimelo said:

For bank account you can do W-8ben and just use her passport number - no SSN needed (works for joint accounts). 
 

Based on what you detail, you’re after a wrong visa. Tourist one would make more sense. 

 

 

Thanks for pointing me towards the W8-BEN

 

Impossible to get a tourist visa for her.  She has no travel history, no assets, no income and no way to prove she'll come back.  The interviewing officer at the embassy will consider her an overstay risk and is certain to deny it.  Once she has been to the US on a k1 visa, and returned without overstay,  then she'll stand a better chance at the tourist visa.  I'll have to write a letter explaining my intentions to reside in thailand and not the USA.  

 

I applied for the K1 while I was stuck in the US and unable to return to thailand during the covid crisis.  It was a bit of a desperate measure at the time, I was unsure when I would ever get back to thailand to see her again.  Now it is coming to fruition, so I might as well use it.  

[Chilisquid 2]

I looked over W8-BEN and it doesn't appear to suit my needs.  She isn't going to have signatory control over any income producing accounts in the USA.  I probably won't open any joint accounts with her until she has immigrant status. I only want to list her as beneficiary on some accounts if I die. 

 

So am I correct in assuming she cannot get a SSN unless she has immigrant status ?  

[arken 4,197]

Once your fiance arrives in the US on the K1 visa, have her apply for her SSN asap. She will get it.

[Chilisquid 2]

1 minute ago, arken said:

Once your fiance arrives in the US on the K1 visa, have her apply for her SSN asap. She will get it.

OK, so she doesn't have to have an AOS filed first ?   that's good to know. I wasn't sure from all the guides and discussions I have read so far.   But I'm concerned it will take too long.  She'll have to leave within 90 days.  Will I be able to get an SSN that quickly ?  Some of the discussions and guides listed here talk about long waits, especially if they require manual verification. 

 

 

[Chilisquid 2]

We would have to get married first, right ?  before applying for the SSN ? 

[arken 4,197]

1 minute ago, Chilisquid said:

We would have to get married first, right ?  before applying for the SSN ? 

No.

If she applies for it as soon as she arrives, she should be able to get it in a few weeks.

[Chilisquid 2]

 

12 minutes ago, arken said:

No.

If she applies for it as soon as she arrives, she should be able to get it in a few weeks.

 

what about this manual verification delay ?  is that still a thing ?  it is discussed here

 

[arken 4,197]

23 minutes ago, Chilisquid said:

 

 

what about this manual verification delay ?  is that still a thing ?  it is discussed here

 

Yes, that may still be a thing. Waiting 2 weeks shouldn't be bad.

[Lemonslice 4,841]

8 hours ago, Chilisquid said:

Can my non-immigrant spouse get a social security number or taxpayer ID number in the USA for beneficiary purposes only ?   

 

We plan to travel to the USA on a K1 visa to get married, but don't intend to pursue permanent residency or green card right away.  Maybe after a few years we will do this, but not on our initial trip under the K1 visa. We will forfeit AOS and return to Thailand.  I'm a retired US expat and spend most of my time in Thailand.  I own real-estate there. I don't own any real estate in the US and have no immediate plans to make a permanent home in the US.  Living in Thailand is much cheaper for a retiree. 

 

But, I want to add her to my US health insurance,  I want to open a joint bank account with her,  and I want to add her as the "Pay on death" or "transfer on death" beneficiary to my banking and brokerage accounts.   All these tasks and forms require her to have some sort of SSN or TIN.    My US health insurance will cover myself and my spouse worldwide. 

 

I've searched the forums, but all discussions of social security numbers seem to center around employment, and we have no plans for permanent residency in the US right away.   From what I've read so far, it seems that you must at least have filed an AOS before you can apply for SSN. 

 

 

 

You can do all of the bolded actions without a SSN; we did before I moved to the US, and I did it myself to put my foreign family as beneficiaries on some of my accounts.  

 

Best of luck.

[Ontarkie 14,224]

~~Moved to Taxes and Finances, from K1 P&P - as the OP is asking a more than a few questions then just a SSN~~

[Chilisquid 2]

10 hours ago, Lemonslice said:

You can do all of the bolded actions without a SSN; we did before I moved to the US, and I did it myself to put my foreign family as beneficiaries on some of my accounts.  

 

Best of luck.

 

 

Maybe, depends on your bank and insurer, but eventually I'm going to have to file a federal income tax return with married status and I'm going to need to put something down for my spouse's SSN, right ? 

 

Would it be easier to get an ITIN from IRS instead ?  She will probably never work in the US.  I'm looking into SSA offices and they all seem to be "phone service only"  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Lemonslice 4,841]

1 hour ago, Chilisquid said:

 

 

Maybe, depends on your bank and insurer, but eventually I'm going to have to file a federal income tax return with married status and I'm going to need to put something down for my spouse's SSN, right ? 

 

Would it be easier to get an ITIN from IRS instead ?  She will probably never work in the US.  I'm looking into SSA offices and they all seem to be "phone service only"  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

No, if you do get the K1 visa, you should absolutely apply for her SSN, it will simplify filing for taxes  - and other transactions.  

 

Again, check the law, not having a SSN is NOT a factor that can be used to prevent someone from having health insurance, nor is it required for a beneficiary.  Might be more complicated, but it is feasible.  Joint accounts will depend on the bank, however it is not uncommon, many do it.   

[CinnamonToast 25]

On 6/22/2021 at 11:24 PM, Chilisquid said:

I screwed this part up by not getting her applied for a SSN when she got here. Now her Visa has expired and they told me the only option I have now is when i filled out her EAD ( i think it's on that one) "if you haven't filled out for a SSN, would you like us to apply for one for you, mark yes"....i had to do that and now i'm sitting with a finished tax form but i can't submit it because now i'm waiting for them to send us a SSN, which i'm assuming is coming WITH the EAD...which according to others timeline could be another 7 months....I've been waiting so far for 4 months. I think most people wait 2 weeks after they get to the US and then go in and apply and i've heard that 2 weeks before the expiration on your passport is the cut off time for the SSN office to allow for one to be applied for.

 

 

 

Maybe, depends on your bank and insurer, but eventually I'm going to have to file a federal income tax return with married status and I'm going to need to put something down for my spouse's SSN, right ? 

 

Would it be easier to get an ITIN from IRS instead ?  She will probably never work in the US.  I'm looking into SSA offices and they all seem to be "phone service only"