Warning: this is long, but hopefull really helpful!

Here is our experience at getting My new husband settled here state side. We have just jumped through the Social Security, State ID, Name Change, Bank Account hoops and I thought our experience might be interesting for others. I want to add that I am super glad we went in the order we did for his ID, SSN, etc and would recommend it to anyone! I know all states do things a little differently and maybe Washington is a bit strict (or not, I don't know), but while we had no problems getting his stuff, I saw people (recent immigrants) denied from improper evidence at every office we visited.

So, here is our order and experience:

Matthew arrived Jan 29th - no problems at POE in Seattle. took all of 10 minutes!

We applied for a marriage license Feb 4th for our Feb 16th wedding (only needed ID for both - his passport/visa and my driver's license) but had to be done at least 3

We married Sat Feb 16th and I stressed to our minister that we needed our marriage certificate filed with the records office as soon as possible. It was mailed (can be hand delivered too) to the courthouse/records office on Mon Feb 18th and we left for our honeymoon (returned Fri Feb 22nd)

Monday Feb 25th (one week after mailing) we went to the courthouse and purchased 5 CERTIFIED copies of our Marriage Certificate

Tues Feb 26th:
1st went to the Social Security Office to get his SSN. We needed to show his Visa, passport, certified marriage certificate and official birth certificate (I cannot recommend enough making sure your fiance comes over with several official certified copies of their birth certificate) With these docs, they processed his SSN right there on the spot and gave us a receipt saying the card had been ordered and would be mailed in 2 weeks. The receipt was KEY because it was an official document had his name and new address in the US printed on it proving his residence in Washington state which we needed for his State ID card at the department of licensing. They also told us we could come back to the social security office the next day to get a new receipt that had his actual SSN on it, which we did. It takes them 24 hours to assign the number, but this way we get the number before the card in 2 weeks and can use it to open bank accounts, sign him up for health insurance etc. (I changed my name at the same time only needed the marriage cert, my drivers license, and old SS card)

2nd went to the Dept. of Licensing for his State ID card (he does not drive yet!). There we had to take a number and wait for over an hour! Here we needed two forms of ID and proof of his state residency. We gave them his passport and visa, birth certificate, marriage certificate, and the printed receipt from social security showing his name and washington address. They accepted that as adequate proof and gave him the state ID card! YAY!! I also changed the name on my driver's at the same time. I do feel that it went more smoothly because we approached every window together with all of our evidence organized. A man at the next window was turned down for not having enough evidence to prove his residency in the state and told him to come back with a utility bill (water, electricity, gas) to prove that he lived here. I knew that they might require this so as a precaution I had called all my utility services and had Matthew added onto my accounts - we won't get any new statements showing his name until the March bills start coming in - but we didn't end up needing them.

Wed Feb 27th we returned to the Social Security office and picked up the receipt showing his name, address and new SSN!!! and picked up mine showing my new name as well. We then went to the bank to open joint bank acconts. We needed both our State ID's, SSN, marriage certificate, his birth certificate, his passport and visa to open the accounts. It feels good and very married to have it done though!!!! to celebrate we adopted to 7 week old kittens that same night.....they are too adorable! (not a required step by the way!)


Thurs Feb 28th - I went to my human resources dept and added him to my health insurance, made him my beneficiary, etc. all of which I needed his SSN to do. also, I called my auto/home insurance office to report my name change and new driver's license number and I am glad I did! even though Matthew does not drive yet, he hopefully will soon and apparently not reporting him and his name, birth date, and SSN to my insurance as part of my household even before he was eligible to drive would have raised red flags when we do go to get him auto insurance. not sure about why this is, but hey, I'm glad I know now and am passing it on!

so there it all is! now we are enamored of our new kittens and working on all the AOS paperwork to mail off hopefully tomorrow! I hope this is useful. once again feel free to PM me if anyone has any Q's about all of this. I am no expert, but can offer my experience this week!

Sara

Thanks for that its very helpful sure it will come in handy over the next couple of weeks

Awww, the sweet romance of two lives joining as one. Basking in the warm fuzzies and furry kittens of a new life together. Bluebirds singing; butterflies flitting; harpsichord melodies drifting through the air; waves crashing on the beach.

Oh wait. I'm sorry. That's the Marriage-Without-Immigration version. So sorry.

I always say that Immigration sucks the spontaneous romance out of a relationship...

Congratulations on the new addition to your family!!! I have two grown kids (I mean, cats), who love Darren...of course, that is a pre-requisite for a husband (to love my cats and be loved in return!!!)...

Gareth is the only person my cat ever did not hide from at first ... she loved him as soon as he came into my apartment. We often say that she had veto power over him! If she hadn't liked him, his first visit would have been the last

Hey Teach...I an also UKC in WA...i totally agree with you on getting the right id!...I found i could only open bank account with ID as at the time i didnt have my ead ....i know i would have loved for someone to give me the heads up on that one.

Ouch, bringing us all back down to earth like that so cruelly!

Sara - thank you so much for the information; it's really, really valuable having personal experiences like this!

too true!!!



unfortunatly I have to leave my wee girl here, she is getting old and always been easily stressed, I'm worried the move would literally kill her. She is going to live out her days destroying the local rodent population of the west scottish countryside with my parents.

I am however moving into an appartment in a house with 4 cats and a St. bernard. Nick's parents also have 3 dogs.

While we had a few more issues with the things you mentioned, I did want to say that my health insurance added him to my policy before he got a SSN by using his A#. Any of you that follow......Dont' let the fact that you don't have a SSN deter from getting health insurance.

This is true. I was covered under my husband's (then fiancé) health insurance the moment I crossed the border. He is with Blue Cross/Blue Shield and they were completely familiar with a K-1. They said it was their policy to cover the K-1 visa holder immediately because of the intent to marry.

Ditto on the health insurance thing - we didn't have my husband's SSN yet when they added him to my health insurance.

Same for us.

And in getting his SS#, they only looked at his passport. No birth cert or marriage cert required.

To the OP:

Just out of curiosity, what did you need the extra certified birth certs for, I can't tell from your post,

thanks!!