SS card question: before or after wedding?

[madmanmike 200]

Hi all,

We now start the next chapters. My fiancee arrived last week, and we are settling in here in Vegas. My question is regarding getting her the SS card.

It looks like all we need to get a license here in vegas is our passports. If that is the case, would it save time in the long run to wait until after we get the marriage certificate to get her the SS number? Saves getting one now then having to reapply after the wedding?

Plus the posts here say to wait at least 2 weeks before applying for the number to allow her paperwork to enter the system. So we would have to wait longer to tie the knot if we wait until she has a number.

Any thoughts on this are much appreciated!

Thanks,

Michael

[TracyTN 237]

Ah, bless your heart - I feel your SSA pain, brother! I learned all this the hard way last week. First off, are you required to have an SSN for her in order to get the marriage license? I guess that would answer when you should get it & when to get married. Other than that, it doesn't matter.

As you mentioned, waiting 2 weeks for her to be in the system before going to the SSA is best.

Then, if you and your fiance DO happen to marry before you apply for the SSN, don't confuse the poor SSA worker by telling them you're married. We did and they proceeded to tell us that my hubby now needed a K3 visa.

It'd be wise to print this and take it along (I was glad I did). Pay particular attention to section C.

https://s044a90.ssa.gov/apps10/poms.nsf/lnx...33;opendocument

Most SSA workers don't know what the heck the rules are when it comes to K1ers getting SSNs, nor do they know when to shut their mouths and not give immigration advice.

[YuAndDan 153]

We did it after the wedding no problems, but some SAA offices will refuse to issue after marriage.

[TracyTN 237]

We did it after the wedding no problems, but some SAA offices will refuse to issue after marriage.

Which is flat out wrong.

[Yodrak 7]

Michael,

Some SSA offices and districts are not as well versed as they should be, and can make it difficult for a K1 to get a SSN after marriage and, in the case of a woman, using her husband's surname. To minimize the possibility of hassle apply before marriage.

If marriage has already taken place, possibility of hassle can be minimized by making no mention of the marriage and a woman can apply in her maiden name. Change to married name at some convenient later date (such as after adjustment of status, when most people want to get a new SS card anyway).

Yodrak

Hi all,

We now start the next chapters. My fiancee arrived last week, and we are settling in here in Vegas. My question is regarding getting her the SS card.

It looks like all we need to get a license here in vegas is our passports. If that is the case, would it save time in the long run to wait until after we get the marriage certificate to get her the SS number? Saves getting one now then having to reapply after the wedding?

Plus the posts here say to wait at least 2 weeks before applying for the number to allow her paperwork to enter the system. So we would have to wait longer to tie the knot if we wait until she has a number.

Any thoughts on this are much appreciated!

Thanks,

Michael

[TinTin and Samby 11]

We did it after the wedding no problems, but some SAA offices will refuse to issue after marriage.

Which is flat out wrong.

Hi TracyTN,

Thanks for the link. A quick question regarding the marriage first/SSN application second option: I just wanted to confirm with you that that I didn't see any language in the linked document that discusses this one way or another for K1 beneficiaries. Did I miss it somewhere? The document does CLEARLY show that EAD is NOT required for SSN for K1 beneficiaries. So for that one, it sure is a great document to have in your pocket if you find yourself at an SSA office that is trying to tell you differently!

[TracyTN 237]

No, you didn't miss it anywhere. Well, let me restate - if you missed it, then I missed it too!

I had NOT heard about this 'its easier to apply for it BEFORE you marry' idea until after I had my experience (and then started digging around here in old topics about it). We were lucky in the sense that the foreign fiance (now spouse) is male - whereas we didn't have the name AND K1 confusion to throw them off. (I literally think that lady's head would have exploded if that had been the case!)

And yes, you're right - its obvious from reading the document that K1ers are entitled to SSNs without any further documentation - but good luck telling that to someone at the SSA...!