Cautionary tale Social Security Card name change

[ATCSUSNRET 60]

A cautionary tale of incompetence.  I took my spouse to the closest SSA office to get her name changed on her social security card.  I had her I-94, Passport, SSA-5, our marriage certificate, her birth certificate, our 797 for AOS, my passport, and my birth certificate.  We were 2nd in line that morning.  There was only one lady working the desk.  I noticed she was being pretty short and rude with the Filipina in front of us, who was there with her disabled husband in a wheelchair.  She left in tears.  We approached the window and as I tried to say good morning she cut me off and asked if I had an appointment or was a walk in.  I told her we were a walk in. She rolled her eyes and mumbled something under her breath.  Now for the record, I am a retired Senior Chief from the US Navy, so I perhaps don't suffer fools as well as I should, but it was an immediate bad start.  She asked my spouse, who is Vietnamese, if she spoke English.  She answered a little.  The clerk rolled her eyes again and muttered something.  She then asked me what we were there for. As I tried to tell her she again interrupted me and said Just give me your paperwork.  She went through it saying Don't need this, don't need this, don't need this.  She then asked me for our form I-766.  I tried to explain to her we didn't have a 766 because we didn't file an I-765 with our adjustment of status.  She then told me my spouse is out of status since we got married and there was nothing she could do, to take it up with DHS.  I then tried to explain to her that that very office is where we got her initial Social Security card and we were just there to submit a name change.  She told me not to raise my voice.  On cue, the DHS security guard yelled at me and told me not to raise my voice.  I again tried to tell her what we were doing with her cutting me off repeatedly.  She told me to leave.  I asked to speak to a supervisor and she told me no.  Then the guard (I am not even joking), took 3 steps toward me with his hand on his weapon and told me to leave the building.  So we left.  I told him when I walked past him on the way out he should be ashamed of himself and a couple of other choice words.   In the parking lot, I called the office number and asked to speak to a supervisor.  They transferred me and the lady that threw us out answered the phone.  So we left.  My wife was terrified, both from being told she was out of status and that guard putting his hand on his pistol.  I finally got her calmed down on the drive home.  I called the 800 number for Social Security and after being on hold an hour, talked to a very nice young lady who assured me that we were not out of status, and that all I needed was the SSA-5, I-94, her passport, our Marriage Cert and my wife's birth cert to get the name change.  She was very apologetic and recommended we go to the office in Indianapolis where the people know what they are doing. (Her words, verbatim).  This incident was in the Bloomington, Indiana office.  My advice is don't try to reason with someone like that.  Don't argue your point, take your paperwork and go elsewhere.  We are going to Indianapolis in the morning.   I will update this post tomorrow afternoon.  

 

Seth

[Lemonslice 4,790]

As far as I know, your spouse will not be able to change her name until she receives an official document from USCIS in that name (EAD, PR card, etc.).   I will let others with more recent experience chime in, but it might not be worth to do the drive to another office. 

 

The service at my SSA office is very pleasant, the DMV on the other hand... I guess some offices just have a culture of bad service. 

 

Best of luck. 

Edited July 11 by Lemonslice

[Dashinka 24,358]

I agree, most at the SSA are useless.  Even though a person waiting for AOS should be able to change their name based on marriage, it is usually best to wait for the EAD or GC before attempting to deal with the SSA.  In my wife’s case we waited for her GC, and it was fairly easy.

 

 

[ATCSUSNRET 60]

I am not waiting for green card because I cannot enroll her for health insurance, add to bank account, get state ID, anything without the new Soc Sec Card.  Can't add her to my life insurance, get her driver's license, etc etc.  

[Lemonslice 4,790]

Just now, ATCSUSNRET said:

I am not waiting for green card because I cannot enroll her for health insurance, add to bank account, get state ID, anything without the new Soc Sec Card.  Can't add her to my life insurance, get her driver's license, etc etc.  

Why not?  Many spouses do not change their name and are able to get those benefits; also, her number won't change.  

You do you, but you might be creating your own hurdles now. 

[ATCSUSNRET 60]

7 minutes ago, Lemonslice said:

As far as I know, your spouse will not be able to change her name until she receives an official document from USCIS in that name (EAD, PR card, etc.).   I will let others with more recent experience chime in, but it might not be worth to do the drive to another office. 

 

The service at my SSA office is very pleasant, the DMV on the other hand... I guess some offices just have a culture of bad service. 

 

Best of luck. 

She can in fact get an updated card, not a new card.  There is a difference.  That is why we got her initial card, to avoid the hassle with name being different on passport etc.

[ATCSUSNRET 60]

She has to be enrolled in DEERS for TRICARE health insurance.  I am retired military.  They require a new Soc Sec Card.  Also, are you in Indiana?  Do you bank with Navy Federal?  So thanks for your input.  I'll do me as you said.  

[Lemonslice 4,790]

9 minutes ago, ATCSUSNRET said:

She has to be enrolled in DEERS for TRICARE health insurance.  I am retired military.  They require a new Soc Sec Card.  Also, are you in Indiana?  Do you bank with Navy Federal?  So thanks for your input.  I'll do me as you said.  

As I said, I wish you the best of luck. My husband was able to add me to whatever system at the VA without me changing my name, so there has to be a way... 

 

We actually bank with Navy Federal, but Indiana gets too cold in the winter for me!  Please keep us updated, will be interesting to see if they are able to help you at the other office. 

[Crazy Cat 41,587]

12 minutes ago, ATCSUSNRET said:

She has to be enrolled in DEERS for TRICARE health insurance.  I am retired military.  They require a new Soc Sec Card.

Many personnel centers used to, a few years ago, enter a placeholder number instead of a SSN until the spouse received a Social Security Card. Maybe they don't do that now.

 

 

BTW, when you get old (like me), the combination of Tricare For Life and Original Medicare is, imo, the very best health care coverage available in the country.

Edited July 11 by Crazy Cat

[Lemonslice 4,790]

3 minutes ago, Crazy Cat said:

Many personnel centers used to, a few years ago, enter a placeholder number instead of a SSN until the spouse received a Social Security Card. Maybe they don't do that now.

 

 

BTW, when you get old (like me), the combination of Tricare For Life and Original Medicare is, imo, the very best health care coverage available in the country.

As I understand the initial post, his spouse has a SSN already, so I am not sure a placeholder would be necessary.  

 

[ATCSUSNRET 60]

Yes.  It is a case of being caught in the middle.  Her Soc Sec card is in her maiden name, which matches her passport and (now expired) K1 Visa.  Her state ID card was issued in her maiden name, and expired on the same date as her K1.  By way, it expired May 15th, I received it in the mail June 6th, already expired.   Since we cannot get an new state ID card (that's a whole other issue) in her married name without the new Soc Card, she has no proof of ID in a whole myriad of things.  Her state ID card is expired, and her K1 is expired and many will look at the I-94 and see it is expired also.  I knew this process would not be easy, but Lord.  To clarify, I was told that the SSA-5, I-94, Passport, Marriage Cert, and her Birth Cert is all that is needed to update her card.  SSA and BMV like to point fingers and blame one another and leave many people caught in the middle.  

[OldUser 6,452]

What name did you use in I-485? Married or maiden?

 

Sometimes it's just easier to change name as part of N-400 to avoid all of this hassle now during immigration process. With everything updated in the US, how easy would it be for her to update the name in foreign passport?

Edited July 11 by OldUser

[Bob in Boston 675]

1 hour ago, ATCSUSNRET said:

I am not waiting for green card because I cannot enroll her for health insurance, add to bank account, get state ID, anything without the new Soc Sec Card.  Can't add her to my life insurance, get her driver's license, etc etc.  

That is not true in My state. As long as you have your marriage license it gives you the right to change your name. My wife had her maiden name on her SS and green card and passport till citizenship. health, state ID and all that can be in her married name with out social security card, Marriage license lets you change it.Try it 

[ATCSUSNRET 60]

1 minute ago, OldUser said:

What name did you use in I-485? Married or maiden?

 

Sometimes it's just easier to change name as part of N-400 to avoid all of this hassle now during immigration process. With everything updated in the US, how easy would it be for her to update the foreign passport?

We used her married name.  

[Ontarkie 14,190]

~~Moved to SSN, from AOS Family K1/K3 P&P- the topic is about the SSC~~