Hi everyone,

My wife will be arriving in America next week on a k-3 visa and i wanted to make sure she'll be on my heatlh insurance coverage via my work ASAP. She has no medical issues whatsoever, but I just want her on it sooner than later.

My HR department told me it was required that she have a SS number before she can join the health plan.

My question is now.. what's the best and fastest route for me to obtain this? I think i'm going to file for her EAD immediately and then shortly after (once i gather the rest of the information, I.E. medical forms/supplements), I will file her AOS.

From what I've read it appears it'll take about 3 months for her to obtain her EAD, I then can go to the SS office and obtain her card.

Please let me know if I am mistaken somewhere in this process or if there is another route. Thank you all for your help.

You can get a SS number right away but it will be stamped not authorized to work but this should be OK for insurance.

Thanks.. I looked into that and the SS-5 application states ..

If you check "legal alien NOT allowed to work", you must provide a document from a U.S federal, state, or local government agency that explains why you need a SS number and that you meet all of the requirements for the us government behalf.

Not quite sure what that all means....

I added my wife to my BlueCrossBlue Shield without a SS# so I didnt have this problem. Check with your insurance company, not your HR and see if it is really required. Call your local SS office and ask them what documents are needed, maybe it could be a letter from your bank or your insurance company requiring a SS#?

Thanks for your help. I'll try to contact my insurance company directly and then call the SS office.

K3s CAN"T get a SSN without a approved EAD or GC.

I can't believe I am hearing this. Requiring SS # for medical is hokey at most. I was able to put my wife on my medical right after I got back from pakistan, and that was in january. Soon after that I received new insurance cards with her name on it. They covered her retro actively to the marriage date, and yes they did ask for the SS, but I told them she was not here and would not have one until all the immigration crap was done, thats all it took. The medical insurance is based on familial relastionship and not immigration status or SS number, your HR folks are wasting your time. You should talk to them, ask them to show you where is says an SS # is required for medical insurance. Having any medical issues is also not a valid issue as they have to cover her... she is your spouse. Ask thern if she will be covered retro actively to the marriage date, since they are acting so idiotic, they might be setting you up.

Call the insurance company direct - you do not need a SS# - tell them the date she is arriving and she should be covered from that that date forward as she is your wife

This is not correct. A K3 cannot get a SSN without a EAD or greencard.

OP, would probably go with your plan to file EAD straight away but what concerns me atm is how the new fees are going to apply when you do file for AOS. It is all very new so it might pay to watch and see how this affects individual cases. I just hate the thought of losing money to the govt when not necessary.