After my fiance arrives with the K1 visa, what do we need to do for him to get a SSN? How long does this usually take? Is there anything to do to make the process as quick as possible?
Thanks!

Wait about 2 weeks after he arrives then he goes to your local Social Security office with his passport and his filled application form. You can get the forms online in advance. I just applied for mine last Thursday. They said it would take 1 to 2 weeks for my card to arrive.

Gillian

Is there a reason we have to wait 2 weeks after he arrives?
Also, do you know where online I can get the forms?
Thanks so much!

It will take about 2 weeks for him to be in the system. The forms can be downloaded from http://www.ssa.gov/

Gillian

I left out the name change stuff, since I assume you are the one that will be applying for the name change after getting married. Plus might be a good idea that he not apply the same time you apply, since some SSA offices start making up procedure when a K-1 says he or she has got married.

An individual with K-1 status applying for a work authorized SSN must present evidence at an SSA office to establish his or her age, identity and current lawful employment authorized status.

The applicant needs to provide at least two documents as evidence to establish age, identity and current lawful employment authorized status. If one document is used for identity and employment authorized, another has to be provided for age.

SSA will not assign an SSN or issue a card to an individual that is within 14 days of his or her alien status expiring. Until the 76th day after entry an individual with K-1 status only needs to provide an unexpired I-94 showing current K-1 status to establish employment authorized status for SSN purposes.

Once, an individual that entered the United States with K-1 status has been in the United States 76 days he or she will need another document, i.e. I-551, I-688B or I-766 to establish employment authorized status for SSN purposes.

>From day one of entry individuals that have entered the United States with K-2/3/4 status must provide an I-551, I-688B or I-766 to establish employment authorized status for SSN purposes.

RM 00203.500 Employment Authorization for Nonimmigrants:

http://policy.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0100203500#C1

RM 00203.410 Evidence of Alien Status for an SSN Card for an Alien Lawfully Admitted for Permanent Residence:

http://policy.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0100203410

When requesting an SSN card, the documents presented, as evidence must be either originals or copies certified by the issuing agency. SSA will not accept uncertified or notarized photocopies as evidence.

If a foreign-born person has the foreign birth certificate (BC) in his/her possession or can easily obtain a copy, he or she must submit it as proof of age. When a person is foreign-born, a BC may not exist, may not have been recorded shortly after birth, or the probative value of the document may not be high. In these situations, SSA can accept alternative evidence of age in order of probative value. The alternative evidence of age may be less than a year old, e.g., a DHS document or passport.

You can find detailed information regarding evidence that establishes age on the SSA Website at:

http://policy.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0100203110

The documents acceptable as evidence of identity are now based on three factors: (1) the applicant’s age, (2) the applicant’s citizenship/alien status, and (3) the relative probative value of documents.

Primary Evidence of identity for an alien:

-- Form I-551, Permanent Resident Card (includes temporary I-551 stamp in combination with an unexpired foreign
passport when the I-551 Permanent Resident Card has not yet been issued)
-- Form I-94, Arrival/Departure Record in combination with an unexpired foreign passport
-- Form I-766, Employment Authorization card
-- Form I-688B, Employment Authorization card

However, the acceptability of an identity document must be evaluated on a case by case basis by the office processing the application, taking into consideration the applicant's situation and exploring what evidence is available for the person.

You can find detailed information regarding evidence that establishes identity on the SSA Website at:

http://policy.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0100203200#E

SSA will not accept an application filing receipt or notice of action in place of an immigration document.

Take the required documents, to the nearest Social Security office. Individuals age 12 or older applying for an original SSN and card must apply in person at one of our offices.

You can obtain the address and directions to the nearest Social Security office from the Social Security Office Locator, which is available on the Internet at:

http://www.ssa.gov/locator

Note: Individuals that live or receive mail in the Brooklyn, NY, Queens, NY, Phoenix, AZ and Las Vegas,NV areas must apply in person at a Card Center:

http://ssa-custhelp.ssa.gov/cgi-bin/ssa.cf...hp?p_faqid=1412

When an alien requests an SSN or replacement/corrected SSN card, SSA will verify his or her documents and current status with the appropriate Bureau of the Department of Homeland Security. If the initial verification is not available through the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) system, SSA may need to send Form G-845 for manual verification.

RM 00203.735 Requesting Online (Primary) Verification By SAVE:

http://web.archive.org/web/20051002025945/.../lnx/0100203735

The 14 day status expiration limit for assigning an SSN and/or issuing a card applies even if an individual submitted his or her application before being within the 14 day period and entered the 14 day period while waiting for his or her status to be verified.

For applications submitted after 01/06/2007 SSA offices can submit an additional electronic verification request, that in most cases eliminates the need for a Form G-845 to be sent. However, the response to the additional electronic verification request can be to send copies of the immigration document(s) under cover of Form G-845.

If your status does not verify through the initial SAVE request be sure that the secondary request has been made and return to the SSA office no more than once a week to see if the SSA office has received a response from the secondary verification request. If the G-845 is sent wait two weeks and start checking once a week for a response. Be sure to take your document whenever going into the SSA office.

All cards are mailed from Social Security Headquarters in Baltimore, Maryland to the postal address provided on the application.

You may find additional SSN and employment information on the Internal Revenue Service Website at:

http://www.irs.gov/businesses/small/intern...=129227,00.html

The IRS issues Individual Tax Identification Numbers for tax purposes to individuals that are not eligible to be assigned an SSN.

To be issued an ITIN Form W-7 must be submitted.

For more information you can contact the the ITIN office by calling 1-215-516-4846.

If issued an ITIN and later assigned an SSN, be sure to contact IRS to have the ITIN canceled.

We waited until Claudeth was here for two weeks and it took about a week to the the card.