This has nothing to do with immigration so I don't know where to put it. I went yesterday to Social Security to change my last name. Gave them my license, my marriage certificate and the translation and the woman said my marriage is not recognized in the US since it was done in Cairo, Egypt. I told her that immigration and the US Embassy and the Dept of Homeland Security all recognized it and she said they're wrong and I have to get a marriage certificate from my town......which I wasn't even married in.

Try a different day and a different clerk, or a different office. You don't have to use the office closest to you.

thats crazy! its good enough at the US Embassy, good enough for Immigration to get them here but not good enough there? Someone dont know what they are talking about... there are lots of people who get married in other countries and surprising you were the first one she had to deal with. But I have been curious myself if we have to get our papers registered at our local courthouses or not ? That question I still dont have answered.

BS

Tell him or her to go read EM-06064

https://secure.ssa.gov/apps10/public/refere...33;OpenDocument

B. NEW POLICY – NAME CHANGE DUE TO FOREIGN MARRIAGE

1. Evidence of Name Change Event

Accept a foreign marriage document (includes same-sex marriage documents recognized by the issuing foreign government).

You no longer need to request a legal opinion to determine whether the State where the applicant lives recognizes the foreign marriage in question.

I'm opting to get a marriage certificate from my town. It'll be easier in the longrun and will prevent these problems. I'm waiting on an answer from them re: what is needed.

To apply for a name change due to marriage? If that's what you are waiting for, I think I can provide that.

Only the marriage document (foreign or domestic) is needed to establish the name change 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, i.e. groom taking bride’s last name.

-- 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
current Social Security number (Numident) record.

The applicant may 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.

In name change situations when evidence of identity in the old name is required, e.g., name change occurred more than 2 years ago and the applicant does not have any acceptable evidence of identity in the old name with him or her at the time the SSN application is filed, we can request the following documentation to process the name change:

1. Name change document (e.g., marriage document) showing the old name that agrees with the name on the latest Numident record (Numident) (e.g., maiden name), and

2. Acceptable evidence of identity in the new name (name to be shown on the SSN card), excluding marriage document if it was submitted as the name change document and

3. Verification of identifying information (SSN, name(s) on latest Numident record, date of birth, place of birth, parents’ names) from the latest Numident record.

If these three documentation requirements are not met, the name change request cannot be processed under this new policy. Evidence of identity in the old name would need to be submitted per EM-06064.

Note: Refer the Social Security office personnel to EM-06064, which was issued 10/02/2006 and EM-07045, which was issued 07/03/2007 for the current procedures regarding name changes based on marriage and divorce.

https://secure.ssa.gov/apps10/public/refere...cttocategory=EM

Foreign-born United States (U.S.) citizens also need to provide proof of U.S. citizenship, unless U.S. citizenship has previously been established on the SSN record.

An alien applying for a work authorized card also needs to provide proof of work authorization.

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.

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 for a United States citizen age 18 and older:

-- United States driver’s license (not expired)
-- United States state issued non-driver identity card (issued by the
same State agency which issues driver’s licenses/State-level agency
with issuing authority over the State’s identity card and not
expired)
-- United States passport (not expired)

Secondary evidence United States citizen age 18 and older:

-- U.S. military identification card (DOD Common Access Card) (active
duty, retiree, national guard, or dependent)
-- Certificate of Naturalization
-- Certificate of U.S. Citizenship
-- U.S. government employee identification card (Form OF-55, U.S.
Government Identification, or other document issued by the employing
agency)
-- Non-government employee identity card/badge card showing the
applicant’s name and either a photograph or the applicant’s date of
birth (DOB).
-- Marriage document
-- Certified copy of medical record (clinic, doctor, or hospital) or
letter providing extract data from the medical record showing in
addition to the applicant’s name, the applicant’s DOB or age
-- Health insurance or Medicaid card showing in addition to the
applicant’s name either a photograph of the person or the person’s
DOB (card must be current)
-- Life insurance policy for the person showing his/her age or DOB
-- School identity card or record (for current school year) showing, in
addition to the applicant’s name, either a photograph of the
applicant or the applicant’s DOB)

Primary Identity Evidence for an alien:

-- Form I-551, Permanent Resident Card (includes temporary I-551
stamp/machine readable immigrant visa (MRIV) 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

Secondary Identity Evidence for an alien:

-- Unexpired valid U.S. driver’s license (excludes licenses known to be
suspended or revoked)
-- U.S. State issued non-driver identity card (issued by the same State
agency which issues driver’s licenses/State-level agency with
issuing authority over the State’s identity card and not expired)
-- Marriage document showing in addition to the applicant’s name
either the applicant’s date of birth ( DOB) or age
-- Certified copy of medical record (clinic, doctor, or hospital) or
letter providing extract data from the medical record showing in
addition to the applicant’s name, the applicant’s DOB or age
-- Health insurance or Medicaid card showing, in addition to the
person’s name, either a photograph of the person or his/her DOB
-- School identity card or record (for current school year) showing, in
addition to the applicant’s name, either a photograph of the
applicant or the applicant’s DOB
-- Life insurance policy for the person showing his/her age or DOB.

If primary evidence is not available (available means the document exists and the applicant can access or obtain it within 10 business days) secondary evidence can be submitted.

For applications where no primary or secondary evidence document is available, the office will handle on a case-by-case basis.

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

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

SSA accepts the following documents as conclusive evidence of U.S. citizenship:

-- Form N-550 and N-570 (Certificate of Naturalization)
-- Form N-560 and N-561 (Certificate of Citizenship)
-- Form FS-240 (Report of Birth Abroad of a Citizen of the United
States)
-- Form FS-545 (Certification of Birth)
-- Form DS-1350 (Certification of Report of Birth)
-- U.S. Passport (current or expired)

Employment Authorization Documents:

-- I-688B
-- I-766
-- I-94 (With visa status that allows work in the U.S.)
-- I-551 (Stamp or card)

RM 00203.500 Employment Authorization for Nonimmigrants:

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

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

SSA will not accept an application filing receipt or notice of action as evidence of an immigration document.

Take it or mail it the required documents, to the nearest Social Security office.

SSA treats an application brought in by someone other than the applicant as a mail-in application; when the applicant has signed the application and provided all appropriate evidence.

When an application is received by mail or brought to the office by someone other than the number holder, the photo on the picture identity document cannot be compared to the applicant. Therefore, unless the applicant is present and the photo can be compared to him/her, a picture identity document must also show the person’s biographical information, e.g., age, date of birth, or parents’ names, that can be compared to the data on the application and/or SSN record.

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: Applicants who live or receive mail in the Brooklyn, NY, Queens, NY, Phoenix, AZ, Orlando, FL or Las Vegas, NV area MUST apply in person at one of the Social Security Card Centers.

Card Center Information:

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

Normally, an SSN card should be received in the mail within two weeks after the application and document(s) have been received and verified.

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

Since 01/06/2007 Social Security field offices can submit an additional electronic online verification, which in the majority of applications eliminates the need to send a Form G-845 along with copies of the applicant’s immigration documents.

However, some applications still require a copy of the immigration document(s) being verified to be sent at the request of the Department of Homeland Security along with the Form G-845 for manual verification.

All cards are mailed from Social Security Headquarters in Baltimore, Maryland to the postal address provided on the Form SS-5.

I started with the driver license, had the marriage cert and translation, she read and read then did, then went to the soc security after sitting for long while she said this needs to be registered at the court clerk, so i had to make trip downtown, she attached a piece of paper that has to stay with my copy. Then back to the soc sec and they finished right up. I did ask them why their instructions dont mention this registering

In most cases your own translation is not acceptable.

“If the applicant has no immediate need for the SSN and the translation can be done promptly or the foreign language document is the only evidence available; have the document translated by an authorized translator and use the document as evidence.�

“If the applicant has a pressing need for an SSN, and evidence other than the foreign language document is available; request other evidence and process the application without the foreign language document.�

RM 00203.040 Reviewing SSN Evidence:

http://policy.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0100203040#B3

SSA translators comprise two groups:

-- Field office and Payment Center employees who volunteer their
services as translators
-- Central Translation Section translators who hold actual translator
positions.

GN 00301.340 Authorized Translators Defined:

http://policy.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0200301340

it wasnt MY translation it was the certified translators from morocco and everyone took it just fine after i registered the marriage certificate

It was MY translation, since your provided it. If the SSA office accepted it, good for you, but they shouldn't have.

"A non-SSA translator is an individual other than an SSA employee, employee of the VARO in Manila, U.S. military translator, consular official or designated employee of the Federal Benefits Unit of a U.S. Foreign-Service Post trained in the claims-taking process, or of the U.S. Consulate in Adana, Turkey, who has been approved under the selection process."

1. Selection Process

A non-SSA translator must submit a statement of qualifications to SSA FO manager.

GN 00301.350 Non-SSA Translator Services:

https://secure.ssa.gov/apps10/poms.nsf/lnx/0200301350

i can only go by what i did......and had if yours was different fine..(i meant as I did not do the translation)