My wife applied for a social security card yesterday. The SS employee told us that she couldn't apply under (or even change to) her married name until she received her AOS/green card or EAD card because "her new name wasn't yet in the system". (Note: we applied for her AOS/EAD under her new name.) He went on to say that this rule only applies to foreign-born applicants. I found this incredibly bureaucratic and hard-to-believe because one's legal name isn't determined by immigration status but by your marriage license, of course. It was frustrating because I had read so many cases on this site where foreigners were changing the names on their SS card immediately after marriage but before AOS/EAD.

Does anybody have any experience with SSA in which they denied changing your name until immigration had first made the name change?

Go back and tell them that's BS. Ask for the office manager.

RM 00203.210 C. Procedure - Immigration Document as Evidence of Legal Name:

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, which occurred after the immigration document was issued.

RM 00203.210 Changing Numident Name Data:

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

However, when an alien requests an SSN or replacement card, we 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, we 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.

Note: If the applicant has changed his/her name after an immigration document, i.e. I-94, was issued, e.g., married and is now using the married name, but has not obtained a corrected immigration document showing the new name; this is not a name discrepancy for enumeration purposes, i.e. SAVE clearance, if the applicant can provide an acceptable legal name change document to establish the new name.

I had experience being turned down for the name change on my SSC (that means I had an SSC arleady). But it's not because I wanted to change my last name for the sake of marriage, but because I would like to change both first and last names. The reason I would like to change both is because I've been in the US for a long time and been using my English name for credit cards, bank account, etc on a daily basis. Both names are shown on my passport and marriage certificate (the English name is shown as "AKA"), but the SS officers go by your birth name unless you can show further evidence of name change including EAD card, GC or court order. They do said if I only wish to change my last name to my husband's, they can do that for me. But I decided to wait till I get AOS and GC which I applied for under my English name and my hubby's last name.

I was pissed at first cuz I brought my marriage certificate, passport, diploma, credit card, bank statement and etc to evidence my identity. And I definitely hate it when I was sorta questioned my own identity. But they did show me the computer screen that indicates 'certain' requirements for name change in their system. And that really can't be helped until you can present them 'legal' documents that is acceptable by their standard. I wasn't happy but I tried to understand their viewpoints for the purpose of homeland security. Some regulations should be followed though they're annoying.

Section 7213(a)(1) B of Public Law 108-458, The Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 (IRTPA), required SSA to establish minimum standards for verification of documents or records submitted by applicants to establish eligibility for original or replacement SSN cards.

Changing your name due to marriage is controlled by what the state where you live allows and I don't think any state allows the first name to be changed. Changes are limited to some configuration of your maiden name, middle name and husband's last name.

Diploma, credit card or bank statement are not of any use when applying for a SSN card.

RM 00203.210 C. Procedure - Immigration Document as Evidence of Legal Name:

In cases where an alien applies for a replacement SSN card and submits an immigration document showing a name that is different from the name on the prior Numident record, accept the immigration document as evidence of the legal name. In these cases, the prior SSN card may have been issued in a name that was not the number holder's legal name.

RM 00203.210 Changing Numident Name Data:

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