SSN - I still have my old au pair social security card

[tachy 0]

I think I have asked this question before but I am just concerned about it:

many years ago I used to be an Au Pair in the US on a J1-visa and I did get a social security card then.

I was told that once you have a SSN you will always have it for the rest of your life and it will never expire.

Now I have heard that SSN can be inactivated or something like that. So is it possible that even though I have this old SSN I might have to go to the SS-office and have it reactivated?

Also I compared my SSC with the one of my fiance and I found this difference:

unlike my fince's SSC my SSC has the following words written on it right above my number:

"valid for work only with INS authorization"

what does that mean? does this mean it is some kind of a limited SSN?

we want to get married asap after my arrival in the US, we really would like to get married in the first week after my arrival. I know that our state requires a SSN to issue the marriage certificate.

So my question is: can i use this old Au-Pair-SSN to get the marriage license or do i have to go to the social security office first?

I am planning to keep my maiden name for now after we are married to make everything easier. I would like to change my name to my future husbands name a few years after the marriage. Is that possible or is it too late then?

Thank you all so much

[payxibka 10,045]

I think I have asked this question before but I am just concerned about it:

many years ago I used to be an Au Pair in the US on a J1-visa and I did get a social security card then.

I was told that once you have a SSN you will always have it for the rest of your life and it will never expire.

Now I have heard that SSN can be inactivated or something like that. So is it possible that even though I have this old SSN I might have to go to the SS-office and have it reactivated?

Also I compared my SSC with the one of my fiance and I found this difference:

unlike my fince's SSC my SSC has the following words written on it right above my number:

"valid for work only with INS authorization"

what does that mean? does this mean it is some kind of a limited SSN?

we want to get married asap after my arrival in the US, we really would like to get married in the first week after my arrival. I know that our state requires a SSN to issue the marriage certificate.

So my question is: can i use this old Au-Pair-SSN to get the marriage license or do i have to go to the social security office first?

I am planning to keep my maiden name for now after we are married to make everything easier. I would like to change my name to my future husbands name a few years after the marriage. Is that possible or is it too late then?

Thank you all so much

You should be OK. I can think of no reason why the SSN card you have will not be sufficient to get the marriage certificate.

As far as the activation/reactivation of the number with the SSA, you might simply want to call the local office upon arrival and inquire.

[I'm Gone 60]

The Social Security Administration (SSA) does not delete, destroy, rescind, inactivate or cancel Social Security numbers once they are assigned. Your SSN and card are still valid.

Your SSN card having the legend, “VALID FOR WORK ONLY WITH INS AUTHORIZATION,” only means you cannot use your SSN card as proof of authorization to work in the United States. It does not otherwise affect the validity of the card or number.

To change the name on your SSN record due to marriage

Only the marriage document is needed if it meets the following criteria:

-- The new name can be derived from the marriage document, i.e. bride

takes the groom’s last name, groom takes bride’s last name, compound

name (with or without hyphen) of each spouse’s original name for

either or both parties.

Note: The type of name change requested must also be allowable under state law.

-- The marriage occurred within the past two years

-- The marriage document shows sufficient identifying information

(e.g., biographical data such as age, date of birth or parent's

names), and

-- The identifying information matches the information on his/her

Social Security number (Numident) record.

The applicant will need to submit an identity document in the old name along with the marriage document if:

-- The marriage occurred within the last two years and has biographical

Information, e.g., age, date of birth or parent's names which does

not match our records, e.g., the SSN record.

-- The marriage occurred within the last two years, but does not show

biographical information, or

-- The marriage occurred over two years ago (with or without

biographical information.

The identity document used to establish the old name must match the name on the current SSN record. The identity document is acceptable even if over two years old or expired.

When issuing immigration documents, the Department of State and Department of Homeland Security issue them in the person’s legal name. The legal name is also generally the name in which the foreign passport was issued.

When an alien applies for an SSN card, we presume the name on the immigration document is the legal name unless the applicant presents evidence of a legal name change, e.g., marriage that occurred after the immigration document was issued.

This is in addition to proof of current lawful employment authorized status.

You can find detailed information regarding changing SSN record (Numident) data on our Website at:

http://policy.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0100203210

[tachy 0]

Thank you very much for this info, it helps a lot

[CarolineM 0]

Stewart had the same thing from an old J-1 visa. He tried to use his SS card and it was INVALID without the work authorization.

They wouldn't let him use it for ANYTHING.

He kept the same number, but couldn't use it, or the card, until that phrase was removed.

[I'm Gone 60]

Stewart had the same thing from an old J-1 visa. He tried to use his SS card and it was INVALID without the work authorization.

They wouldn't let him use it for ANYTHING.

Who is they?

[tachy 0]

'CarolineM'

so you are saying he could not even get his marriage license with his "invalid" SS card?

[I'm Gone 60]

'CarolineM'

so you are saying he could not even get his marriage license with his "invalid" SS card?

That's why I asked "who is they," since SSN cards do not expire.

50 different versions of the Social Security card have been issued since 1936, all of which are still valid.

[tachy 0]

well, so you are saying if I don't have EAD I can not get a valid SSN, but in order to get EAD I have to get married which I can not do without a valid SSN. That is so confusing. I will not get a temporary work authorization.

I just want to get the marriage license right away when I arrive there and I was hoping not to have to wait till the SS office finds me in their "safe system" to issue me a valid SSN before I can get the marriage license.

So what did you do to have this phrase removed from his card and get him a valid SS number?

thanks everyone

[I'm Gone 60]

well, so you are saying if I don't have EAD I can not get a valid SSN, but in order to get EAD I have to get married which I can not do without a valid SSN. That is so confusing. I will not get a temporary work authorization.

I just want to get the marriage license right away when I arrive there and I was hoping not to have to wait till the SS office finds me in their "safe system" to issue me a valid SSN before I can get the marriage license.

So what did you do to have this phrase removed from his card and get him a valid SS number?

As long as your I-94 is not expired or within 14 days of expiring you are eligible to be assigned an SSN and issued a card on your K-1 status using your I-94.

It's the SAVE system and a restricted SSN card is a valid SSN and card. As I stated previously, it only keeps you from using the SSN card as proof of work authorization.

Once you have proof of permanant resident status you can apply for an unrestricted SSN card.

Edited October 10, 2006 by mdyoung

[samantha_lou 0]

I used my SSN from a previous J1, and it went just fine - the only thing I had to do was change my name on it once we'd been married and everything was in the system for AOS.

[tachy 0]

Ok, thank you for making this clear once more. I was just worried by the post of 'CarolineM'.

sorry for being an illiterate, save system is what it is.

greetings

[Miranda&James 8]

You shouldn't even need a SSN to get a marriage license in the first place. My husband did not, all he needed to show was his valid visa. I know this could vary from state to state, but it wouldn't make sense if you HAD to have a SSN to get a marriage license if you came here on a K1 visa because often times the SSA can screw up (as they did in our case) and not give you the SSN before your 90 days expires or say if you wanted to get married as soon as you got into the states. If I were you I wouldn't worry too much about your ssn (although it seems like you have it all worked out in this thread) and check with your local courthouse to see if you need it at all or if your visa is enough. I hate the SS office anyways so I'm a bit biased because of the way they screwed us over

[anya-D 8]

I was an Aupair also and I used my SSN(with restriction) from my J-1 on my marriage certificate and it was no problem.

But to use that SSN for work you need to apply for EAD (same time you apply for AOS) and once you have your greencard then you can use your green card with SSN or go change your SSC with no restriction (i havnt change mine.. dont think there's be any problem if not change if i have my GC.. correct me if i'm wrong though)

[JackieandAustin 45]

So I have the exact same question now. I was here as an au pair on the J1 visa and only want to change the name on my SSN so I can get my driver's license. Can I just show up at the SSC Office with all my documents, including my au pair ones? I am preparing for AOS at the moment as well and I do not intent to work before that is all done. Thanks!

Edited September 24, 2017 by JackieandAustin