Confused about steps after marriage

[Sam Burns 155]

I’m glad my wife didn’t care to change her name and I don’t care if her last name is different than mine. Avoids a lot of problems…if your wife doesn’t care if your names match I’d definitely just skip all this hassle

[SP1988 24]

l i just wanted to confirm something you said on my thread just to make sure i dont make a mistake. I ended up getting my wife SSN through the SSA using her maiden name. I just finished doing the 485 and 765 and 131. Do i fill them out according to you then using my last name and under other names use her maiden name? Or do i continue to fill out 485 765 and 131 all under her maiden name and then down the line change her name?

 

Also even though she has a SSN now do i still check yes under 485 and 765 that i want a SS card? I understood that by putting yes they will send a replacement under my last name now or is that not how its done?

 

Sorry for all the questions its just a bit confusing thank you

[OldUser 6,595]

8 minutes ago, SP1988 said:

l i just wanted to confirm something you said on my thread just to make sure i dont make a mistake. I ended up getting my wife SSN through the SSA using her maiden name. I just finished doing the 485 and 765 and 131. Do i fill them out according to you then using my last name and under other names use her maiden name? Or do i continue to fill out 485 765 and 131 all under her maiden name and then down the line change her name?

 

Also even though she has a SSN now do i still check yes under 485 and 765 that i want a SS card? I understood that by putting yes they will send a replacement under my last name now or is that not how its done?

 

Sorry for all the questions its just a bit confusing thank you

It depends whether she wants to change name now (good opportunity) or at N-400 stage (good opportunity).

 

She has to put maiden name in other names used whenever she decides to use married name on immigration forms.

 

Putting married name will result in GC issued in married name.

 

Putting maiden name will result in GC issued in maiden name.

 

Getting GC in married name means names won't match on her foreign passport and GC, meaning she either has to:

- Get passport replaced with married name OR

- Carry marriage certificate whenever travelling internationally to explain difference between name in passport and GC

[SP1988 24]

9 minutes ago, OldUser said:

It depends whether she wants to change name now (good opportunity) or at N-400 stage (good opportunity).

 

She has to put maiden name in other names used whenever she decides to use married name on immigration forms.

 

Putting married name will result in GC issued in married name.

 

Putting maiden name will result in GC issued in maiden name.

 

Getting GC in married name means names won't match on her foreign passport and GC, meaning she either has to:

- Get passport replaced with married name OR

- Carry marriage certificate whenever travelling internationally to explain difference between name in passport and GC

She wants to change now like i said again im fine either way but sincd she wants to change it i want to see how to do it efficiently. The SSN question on the form is what confuses me on the 485 and 765. If she already has one under her maiden name do we put no we dont want one and do tbat down the line at the SSA or do we put yes and USCIS does the legwork for ssc under my name?

[K1visaHopeful 2,810]

18 minutes ago, SP1988 said:

l i just wanted to confirm something you said on my thread just to make sure i dont make a mistake. I ended up getting my wife SSN through the SSA using her maiden name. I just finished doing the 485 and 765 and 131. Do i fill them out according to you then using my last name

Have her fill out her forms using her MARRIED name. It is no longer your last name. It is hers too. 

18 minutes ago, SP1988 said:

and under other names use her maiden name?

Yes 

18 minutes ago, SP1988 said:

Or do i continue to fill out 485 765 and 131 all under her maiden name and then down the line change her name?

If SHE wants to go that route, sure. She'd apply for N400 years from now using her married name AT THAT TIME. She'd go by her maiden name until then. It's up to HER how she wishes to proceed.

18 minutes ago, SP1988 said:

 

Also even though she has a SSN now do i still check yes under 485 and 765 that i want a SS card?

YES!!! Yes yes yes yes yes.

18 minutes ago, SP1988 said:

I understood that by putting yes they will send a replacement under my last name now or is that not how its done?

Yes. You'll have to read all of my other comments for the full explanation I've provided twice already.

May I recommend the immigrant joining VJ so perhaps she can fill out her forms?

[K1visaHopeful 2,810]

5 minutes ago, SP1988 said:

She wants to change now like i said again im fine either way but sincd she wants to change it i want to see how to do it efficiently. The SSN question on the form is what confuses me on the 485 and 765. If she already has one under her maiden name do we put no we dont want one and do tbat down the line at the SSA

No. You want REPLACEMENT cards in her MARRIED name.

5 minutes ago, SP1988 said:

 

or do we put yes and USCIS does the legwork for ssc under my name?

Yes. She'll get SSN card(s) with the name she's filled out her AOS forms in which is her MARRIED name.

[SP1988 24]

Also i noticed a question that said current immigration status on the 485. What is the appropriate answer for K1 is it just "pending adjustment of status'?

[W199 331]

On 1/25/2024 at 12:38 AM, Sam Burns said:

I’m glad my wife didn’t care to change her name and I don’t care if her last name is different than mine. Avoids a lot of problems…if your wife doesn’t care if your names match I’d definitely just skip all this hassle

I I am so glad my wife decided to change her last name to mine. It makes it so much easier.

 

It was Trivial to change her name on the AOS package.  Then it was alao trivial at the registry of motor vehicles to give them the new last name. They just told me to write down the new last name that we wanted and show them the marriage certificate. makes it so much easier for everything insurance bank accounts, bills everywhere we go we just give them her first name and say “same last name”.  This makes it simpler every time we go to the doctor or go places they are confused who she is.  There’s no need to change her foreign passpor,  we just buy a ticket at her name maiden name.  Then for the N-400 we will get a us passport in the new name.  there will be no confusion with the future kids last name.  

 

My point is that there was no grief or hassle to change the name.  Maybe on form we had to write both the name in the new name. 

 

And is the tradition of the Filipinos to change the middle name to their maiden name then take on my last name.

 

I don’t think it makes any sense not to change your name just because you think it might be more grief for a hassle you should do what you want for your family and emotional needs because there is absolutely no grief hassle in doing so

[powerpuff 6,672]

*** Hijack post & reply were split off into their own thread ***

[snewbery 19]

Since my wife just went through this I will post our experience.

 

1. to move quickly after US entry we applied for a Marriage License in Colorado before going to the Social Security office. The County required her to sign an affidavit stating that she did not have a SSN at the time we applied for the license.

 

2. We went to the Social Security office with all the required documents (her Argentine passport with K1 Visa and POE stamp, I-94 form and just in case, her I-797 form from the I-129F submission). All was OK and they approved the SSN request using her maiden name.

 

3. We got married, submitted the completed marriage license and waited for the recorded Marriage Certificate to come back in the mail.

 

4. We went back to the Social Security office with the Marriage Certificate and requested her name change due to marriage. No problem at all and we got the updated SS card in the mail days later. That was the first official name change document.

 

5. I completed and submitted the I-485, I-864 and I-131 using her new married name which should result in an AP and green card in her new name.

 

[SP1988 24]

40 minutes ago, snewbery said:

Since my wife just went through this I will post our experience.

 

1. to move quickly after US entry we applied for a Marriage License in Colorado before going to the Social Security office. The County required her to sign an affidavit stating that she did not have a SSN at the time we applied for the license.

 

2. We went to the Social Security office with all the required documents (her Argentine passport with K1 Visa and POE stamp, I-94 form and just in case, her I-797 form from the I-129F submission). All was OK and they approved the SSN request using her maiden name.

 

3. We got married, submitted the completed marriage license and waited for the recorded Marriage Certificate to come back in the mail.

 

4. We went back to the Social Security office with the Marriage Certificate and requested her name change due to marriage. No problem at all and we got the updated SS card in the mail days later. That was the first official name change document.

 

5. I completed and submitted the I-485, I-864 and I-131 using her new married name which should result in an AP and green card in her new name.

 

But if i requested a SSC through 485 and 765 i should get a SSC with my last name now is what im tracking.

 

Or should i go anyway to SSA and get it myself?

[snewbery 19]

38 minutes ago, SP1988 said:

But if i requested a SSC through 485 and 765 i should get a SSC with my last name now is what im tracking.

 

Or should i go anyway to SSA and get it myself?

Good question! I saw in the I-485 where we could request a SSC but opted to go to Social Security directly since we thought that would move faster and we would have the new card in hand sooner. If you already requested yours through the I-485 it will probably be best to wait for them to process your submission. I hope this helps!

[K1visaHopeful 2,810]

2 hours ago, snewbery said:

Since my wife just went through this I will post our experience.

 

1. to move quickly after US entry we applied for a Marriage License in Colorado before going to the Social Security office. The County required her to sign an affidavit stating that she did not have a SSN at the time we applied for the license.

 

2. We went to the Social Security office with all the required documents (her Argentine passport with K1 Visa and POE stamp, I-94 form and just in case, her I-797 form from the I-129F submission). All was OK and they approved the SSN request using her maiden name.

@SP1988 That is the procedure for before marriage. 

2 hours ago, snewbery said:

3. We got married, submitted the completed marriage license and waited for the recorded Marriage Certificate to come back in the mail.

 

4. We went back to the Social Security office with the Marriage Certificate and requested her name change due to marriage. No problem at all and we got the updated SS card in the mail days later. That was the first official name change document.

No problem at all: It's rare for SSA to issue a married name SSN after K1 marriage. That's why we always recommend the procedure we've been telling you @SP1988 for a few weeks.

This occursance above happens maybe in about 1 out of 500 tries which is why we never recommend to go to SSA after marriage and apply in the married name and always recommend to go before marriage and apply in the maiden name only. 

 

*The official name change document is the MC not the SSN. Official name change documents are MCs, DDs, adoption papers or legal name change documents through the court system, etc.

The SSN is only a personally identifying document with the name changed. It's not a legal name change document.

2 hours ago, SP1988 said:

But if i requested a SSC through 485 and 765 i should get a SSC with my last name now is what im tracking.

Kind of but it's your wife's name now too not yours. 

Maiden name and married name is how you'll need to learn it by in order to understand the forms she'll need to fill out for the next 7 years. 

Learning it now will be helpful to avoid confusion later.

2 hours ago, SP1988 said:

Or should i go anyway to SSA and get it myself?

No!! Not after marriage and not in the married name. That's what the I765 and I485 forms are for. 

 

 

Has she attempted to read the VJ guides about SSNs yet or join the monthly AOS filers thread so she can learn some basics about her process?

[SP1988 24]

14 minutes ago, K1visaHopeful said:

@SP1988 That is the procedure for before marriage. 

No problem at all: It's rare for SSA to issue a married name SSN after K1 marriage. That's why we always recommend the procedure we've been telling you @SP1988 for a few weeks.

This occursance above happens maybe in about 1 out of 500 tries which is why we never recommend to go to SSA after marriage and apply in the married name and always recommend to go before marriage and apply in the maiden name only. 

 

*The official name change document is the MC not the SSN. Official name change documents are MCs, DDs, adoption papers or legal name change documents through the court system, etc.

The SSN is only a personally identifying document with the name changed. It's not a legal name change document.

Kind of but it's your wife's name now too not yours. 

Maiden name and married name is how you'll need to learn it by in order to understand the forms she'll need to fill out for the next 7 years. 

Learning it now will be helpful to avoid confusion later.

No!! Not after marriage and not in the married name. That's what the I765 and I485 forms are for. 

 

 

Has she attempted to read the VJ guides about SSNs yet or join the monthly AOS filers thread so she can learn some basics about her process?

But the member above me went to SSA with the marriage certificate and got the new SSC with new name. Wouldnt that just be quicker than? Regardless i doubt i cant do it now and have to wait for it in the mail since i requested it both on the 485 and 765 but it seems it could have been quicker like the person above me did

[K1visaHopeful 2,810]

22 minutes ago, K1visaHopeful said:

IT'S A HUGE PROBLEM.

No problem at all: It's rare for SSA to issue a married name SSN after K1 marriage. That's why we always recommend the procedure we've been telling you @SP1988 for a few weeks.

This occursance above happens maybe in about 1 out of 500 tries which is why we never recommend to go to SSA after marriage and apply in the married name and always recommend to go before marriage and apply in the maiden name only. 

 

6 minutes ago, SP1988 said:

But the member above me went to SSA with the marriage certificate and got the new SSC with new name. Wouldnt that just be quicker than? Regardless i doubt i cant do it now and have to wait for it in the mail since i requested it both on the 485 and 765 but it seems it could have been quicker like the person above me did

How would it be quicker if it didn't "ever" happen that way? The above guy got extremely lucky. You've got a less than one percent chance that the idiot you encounter at SSA knows anything about K1s and their eligibility for an SSN nevermind what name to issue it in or to believe they are even eligible for one AT ALL.

PLEASE read the guides on SSNs which explains all of this in full (if my several explanations are not good enough for you). 

The procedure is very straight forward if you'd just follow it and not try to understand why SSA is incompetent and there is nothing we can do about it.