SSN application timeline question

[1983Electric 23]

My fiancee is planning to come to the US on her K1 Visa, November 20, 2023, to Texas.  My plan is to go to request a marriage license before the Thanksgiving holiday closes the offices and schedule marriage at the courthouse early December.  

 

My thoughts are that we can wait to apply for a SSN after the wedding so that she can change her last name at the same time without having to go back to the SSN to do a name change.  By early December, that should be enough time for her to be in the "SAVE" system (I think it's called).  

 

Does anyone see any potential problems with this logic?  Thank you.

[1983Electric 23]

Nevermind, I literally found another thread asking the same.  Seems everyone's suggestion is to get the SSN first.

[K1visaHopeful 2,852]

20 minutes ago, 1983Electric said:

My fiancee is planning to come to the US on her K1 Visa, November 20, 2023, to Texas.  My plan is to go to request a marriage license before the Thanksgiving holiday closes the offices and schedule marriage at the courthouse early December.  

 

My thoughts are that we can wait to apply for a SSN after the wedding so that she can change her last name at the same time without having to go back to the SSN to do a name change.  By early December, that should be enough time for her to be in the "SAVE" system (I think it's called).  

 

Does anyone see any potential problems with this logic?  Thank you.

You "can't" apply for a K1 SSN in the married name. 

It works 0.1% of the time. 

Please read and follow the VJ SSN guide. 

[Lemonslice 4,922]

Married name might bring other complications since her French (flag shows France, sorry if I am mistaken) documents will stay in her name, with the possibility of yours being added on, after going through marriage recognition with the French consulate.  

[1983Electric 23]

1 minute ago, Lemonslice said:

Married name might bring other complications since her French (flag shows France, sorry if I am mistaken) documents will stay in her name, with the possibility of yours being added on, after going through marriage recognition with the French consulate.  

 

I read a blog about applying for a Family Book and getting the marriage recognized in France (the banns), but she says we aren't going to go live in France so didn't see the point in going through that process.

[Lemonslice 4,922]

11 minutes ago, 1983Electric said:

 

I read a blog about applying for a Family Book and getting the marriage recognized in France (the banns), but she says we aren't going to go live in France so didn't see the point in going through that process.

It is not compulsory, but she will then have her French documents in her maiden name, as I said.  Some do not care, some are worried about the name discrepancy. 

 

A few benefits of having a carnet de famille, if you want to look into it, but that can be done later if you ever want too.  

[Ontarkie 14,310]

~~Moved to SSN, from AOS Family K1/K3 P&P- As the questions is about SSN's~~

[Dashinka 24,645]

7 hours ago, Lemonslice said:

It is not compulsory, but she will then have her French documents in her maiden name, as I said.  Some do not care, some are worried about the name discrepancy. 

 

A few benefits of having a carnet de famille, if you want to look into it, but that can be done later if you ever want too.  

Similar for Russia relative to changing names on things like passports (Russia has a national ID knowns as Domestic Passport, and a travel passport).  My wife has chosen to keep all her Russian documents in her maiden name and she has had no issues.

Edited October 27, 2023 by Dashinka

[Loren Y 2,756]

11 hours ago, 1983Electric said:

 

I read a blog about applying for a Family Book and getting the marriage recognized in France (the banns), but she says we aren't going to go live in France so didn't see the point in going through that process.

Worth while to get that done on your next visit there. I was able to do most of my stuff stateside at the Thailand embassy in LA to make the process easier in Thailand. Sure it's similar in France. You want to get your marriage registered there because it allows you to open bank accounts, get drivers license, and basically be able to apply for citizenship there if you ever wanted down the line. I fly out to Thailand late November and plan on getting my citizenship finalized while there. My wife who came on a K1 also got her citizenship this past April. As others have said, do the SS office the day she arrives. I arrived in LA on a Sunday night late and drove back to Vegas. Dragged the wife to the SS office at 9am the next morning and applied for her SS card. 13 hours after landing in the US. Don't let the office give you any pushback saying you have to wait a few weeks before you can apply. The Computer updates the moment they enter on their K1 now, 10 years ago you used to have to wait 2 weeks, not anymore. Make sure if they say come back, politely ask them to check the computer, information is there, just government employees tend to like to kick the can down the road whenever they can. Good luck on your journey, I remember when I was in the same place you are. it's going to take some serious patience and studying to get thru it, but it is soooooo worth it in the end.

[1983Electric 23]

1 hour ago, Loren Y said:

Worth while to get that done on your next visit there. I was able to do most of my stuff stateside at the Thailand embassy in LA to make the process easier in Thailand. Sure it's similar in France. You want to get your marriage registered there because it allows you to open bank accounts, get drivers license, and basically be able to apply for citizenship there if you ever wanted down the line. I fly out to Thailand late November and plan on getting my citizenship finalized while there. My wife who came on a K1 also got her citizenship this past April. As others have said, do the SS office the day she arrives. I arrived in LA on a Sunday night late and drove back to Vegas. Dragged the wife to the SS office at 9am the next morning and applied for her SS card. 13 hours after landing in the US. Don't let the office give you any pushback saying you have to wait a few weeks before you can apply. The Computer updates the moment they enter on their K1 now, 10 years ago you used to have to wait 2 weeks, not anymore. Make sure if they say come back, politely ask them to check the computer, information is there, just government employees tend to like to kick the can down the road whenever they can. Good luck on your journey, I remember when I was in the same place you are. it's going to take some serious patience and studying to get thru it, but it is soooooo worth it in the end.

Thank you for that information.  Everywhere has posted to wait 10 days to go to the SSA office, so that's good news to me.  We're not planning to go to France to live and I don't need to open any accounts in her country.  

[mam521 2,113]

36 minutes ago, 1983Electric said:

Thank you for that information.  Everywhere has posted to wait 10 days to go to the SSA office, so that's good news to me.  We're not planning to go to France to live and I don't need to open any accounts in her country.  

You might change your mind when you're old and grey and have to pay for health care.  I always say never turn down an exit plan, even if you don't think you'll ever exercise it.  

 

TX requires 72 hours between obtaining the marriage license and marrying.  Just letting you know so you time it well with all of the holidays, as you've noted.  

[NorthByNorthwest 359]

16 hours ago, 1983Electric said:

My thoughts are that we can wait to apply for a SSN after the wedding so that she can change her last name at the same time without having to go back to the SSN to do a name change.  By early December, that should be enough time for her to be in the "SAVE" system (I think it's called).  

 

Not sure if you really meant SAVE - that's only used by federal agencies to verify entitlements to benefits or immigration status, as a K-1 proof of immigration status is passport at first and I-797 for the AOS once you file it after the wedding. SAVE was never used by anyone I dealt with but perhaps that happened behind the scenes.

 

The initial SS card will say it's not valid for employment without authorization and once she has her EAD approved companies can use E-Verify to make sure she can work but that's 9+ months out after you file.

[1983Electric 23]

2 hours ago, NorthByNorthwest said:

 

Not sure if you really meant SAVE - that's only used by federal agencies to verify entitlements to benefits or immigration status, as a K-1 proof of immigration status is passport at first and I-797 for the AOS once you file it after the wedding. SAVE was never used by anyone I dealt with but perhaps that happened behind the scenes.

 

The initial SS card will say it's not valid for employment without authorization and once she has her EAD approved companies can use E-Verify to make sure she can work but that's 9+ months out after you file.

This was the article that I was referring to that I had found just trying to do research several places  that had stuck in my mind (that is apparently invalid): https://www.fickeymartinezlaw.com/immigration/k-1-fiance-visa/how-can-a-k1-visa-holder-get-a-us-social-security-card

 

It said the following: "Specifically for K-1s, the best time to apply is about 2 weeks after entry into the US as this would allow the government “SAVE” system to be up-to-date at your SSA Visit."

[NorthByNorthwest 359]

7 hours ago, 1983Electric said:

This was the article that I was referring to that I had found just trying to do research several places  that had stuck in my mind (that is apparently invalid): https://www.fickeymartinezlaw.com/immigration/k-1-fiance-visa/how-can-a-k1-visa-holder-get-a-us-social-security-card

 

It said the following: "Specifically for K-1s, the best time to apply is about 2 weeks after entry into the US as this would allow the government “SAVE” system to be up-to-date at your SSA Visit."

 

Makes sense for SSA to use SAVE to verify your K-1 status - these days I think it's faster than 2 weeks in most cases but unless you're in a rush that should be a safe period to wait. Worst case the SSN application will take a bit longer.