US entry on K-1

[Noradam 0]

Hi everybody,

I am going to fly out to the US next week and can finally be together with my fiance in Seattle.

So at Customs and Immigration they take the brown envelope and send it to the USCIS right? And then they send it to my local office? Will it be Seattle then and does someone will inform me about it? Also at the consulate in Germany they told me not to apply for my social security number before the wedding, because I don't have any status there until then. But here everyone says you should do it 2 weeks after your arrival.

Thanks for your help.. I just love this forum :-)

[Omark 3]

Hi everybody,

I am going to fly out to the US next week and can finally be together with my fiance in Seattle.

So at Customs and Immigration they take the brown envelope and send it to the USCIS right? And then they send it to my local office? Will it be Seattle then and does someone will inform me about it? Also at the consulate in Germany they told me not to apply for my social security number before the wedding, because I don't have any status there until then. But here everyone says you should do it 2 weeks after your arrival.

Thanks for your help.. I just love this forum :-)

Apply for ssn after u get married n get approved for EAD,i dont think they will issue a ssn on k-1 since ur I-94 will be valid for maximum 90 days.In my case i already had an ssn since i was here on student visa but when i went to the social security office they said they will change status on my ssn after i get approved for I-485 and ead and i be able to work... so no need to rush..just get here safe and have a wonderful wedding.

[SunDrop 59]

Hi everybody,

I am going to fly out to the US next week and can finally be together with my fiance in Seattle.

So at Customs and Immigration they take the brown envelope and send it to the USCIS right? And then they send it to my local office? Will it be Seattle then and does someone will inform me about it? Also at the consulate in Germany they told me not to apply for my social security number before the wedding, because I don't have any status there until then. But here everyone says you should do it 2 weeks after your arrival.

Thanks for your help.. I just love this forum :-)

Yup, the brown envelope gets taken at POE. Haven't a clue where it goes, but technically it gets reunited with your AOS filing and then it depends on whether your case is forwarded to the CSC for adjudication (meaning you won't be interviewed) or to your local office, which is whichever one is closest to you. Some places have them, others don't. I think you can look it up on the USCIS website.

You should be able to get a SSN without getting married. The reason everyone waits 10-14 days is that when you go through POE, you are entered on the SAVE system. Takes 10-14 days for you to show up on it. There have been stories of people having problems getting their SSN if they wait until their I-94 is too close to expiry before applying, but I don't remember seeing anything about people not getting them because they're not married yet.

Have a safe trip and congratulations

[Noradam 0]

thanks for the info!

I guess everyone has differnt opinions regarding when to apply for a SSN. I guess it can't be wrong to apply for a SSN 2 weeks upon my arrival, right? The worst thing could be that they cannot issue one for me right? I mean it's better than failing to apply for one.

So before the wedding the only thing I have to do is getting a marriage liscence and a SSN right? I don't need to call someone or go somewhere?

I am sorry, I am just a little bit nervous ;-)

Thanks!

[Hamburger Man 3]

thanks for the info!

I guess everyone has differnt opinions regarding when to apply for a SSN. I guess it can't be wrong to apply for a SSN 2 weeks upon my arrival, right? The worst thing could be that they cannot issue one for me right? I mean it's better than failing to apply for one.

So before the wedding the only thing I have to do is getting a marriage liscence and a SSN right? I don't need to call someone or go somewhere?

I am sorry, I am just a little bit nervous ;-)

Thanks!

You will need a marriage license but you don't need a SSN to get married.

PS- Welcome to the US!

[Ellie-and-David 38]

You will need a marriage license but you don't need a SSN to get married.

PS- Welcome to the US!

Except for in those states where you need an SSN number to get a marriage license (Alaska is one example where an SSN is required)

I applied for the SSN two weeks after arriving and it took about 5 weeks to get my SSN to me. That is not typical, mine took a little longer than most.

[Bernie C 24]

Have your fiance check the local laws. Marriage liscences are by state and not a federal jurisdiction. SOME LOCALITIES DO REQUIRE A SSN WHEN FILING FOR A MARRIAGE LISCENSE!

Not a big deal, just a phone call to the local courthouse can answer your question.

We applied for SSN a few weeks after my fiancee's arrival and she received one - no problem.

If your local courthouse does not require it you have the option of waiting until you are married, just make sure you apply for it before the I94 expiration gets to close.

Here is a link to the VJ info for varoious type visa holders.

http://www.visajourney.com/content/ssn

[Noradam 0]

thanks everyone!!!

I am pretty sure that I do not need my SSN to get married in Seattle, WA. I was just confused, because the officer at the US consulate in Germany told me not to apply for a SSN before I get married. But apparently most of you did/ do and it's not a problem at all.

Thanks for your helpful advice!

Nora

[kweenbee 0]

You can apply for SSN as soon as you get in the US. I applied for mine after two weeks of arrival and got it in the mail after a week or so. K1s can apply for SSN although some SSN offices are not that well informed. I had to come back coz the SSN officer wasnt sure if I could get one. Although you might want to wait too till you get married, if you're planning to change your name.

[Inky 1,111]

I waited till after I got married so I could get the SSN in my married name and not my maiden name. Sometimes they can give you problems issuing a new name, They only issue a person so many SSN cards in the year and once you get your green card you will need to get another ssn with the black words on it removed, since you dont need authorization to work anymore when you have your GC.

[VanessaTony 3,567]

I got one before marriage just in case it was required by my state. It wasn't, but I also wanted to open a bank account and it WAS needed for that.

Here is the SSN guide: http://www.visajourney.com/content/ssn

My SSN is still in my maiden name as most offices don't like to change it until you have your EAD or GC. They're apparently SUPPOSED to but I don't mind waiting until I get my GC so that I can have the "required DHS authorisation" removed in the one visit. Otherwise it's takes my visits to the SSA to 3. (one for maiden name, one to married name, one because of GC).

The only issue I had (which you shouldn't just yet) is my husband has since filed taxed with me jointly so I filed in my maiden name (has to match SSN).

Hope that makes sense. Wait 2 weeks and take a trip to the SSA. You should be fine

Edited March 24, 2010 by Vanessa&Tony

[Danu 19]

I waited till after I got married so I could get the SSN in my married name and not my maiden name. Sometimes they can give you problems issuing a new name, They only issue a person so many SSN cards in the year and once you get your green card you will need to get another ssn with the black words on it removed, since you dont need authorization to work anymore when you have your GC.

The limit per year doesnt count name changes or removing the DHS authorization. Some offices will not issue it in the married name, some will, just depends on the office you get. I got mine in my maiden name 10 days after entering the country and got it changed to my married name once we got our marriage certificate, and had no issues either time, but our office seems to be use to doing them.

[HeatDeath 431]

I had read somewhere here that a recent court case had overturned those state's laws requiring a SSN for a marriage license , saying that states had no right to require a SSN to get married. Couldn't tell you where, though.

Of course, that doesn't mean the county offices have updated their forms or bothered to retrain their employees yet. I know in Utah I did not technically need a SSN - the county clerk said I could just leave it blank if I didn't have one - but the both form and the written instructions seemed to imply I needed one.

It's a good idea to get one as soon as possible anyways. Me and my now-wife ended up needing the joint bank account we set up using mine: several of the checks we received as wedding presents were made out to both of us. I also ended up needing one to get necessary car insurance before my GC arrived (in Utah, you could, until January 1, get a full driver license with an EAD). It's just less of a hassle for a lot of things if you have one, and it's not like it's hard, assuming the local SSA office has actually trained it's employees.

[raymaga 25]

I waited until after the weekend that we got married so that I could take my marriage certificate with me to the SSA office to apply for my SSN card. We got the judge that married us to give us the signed marriage certificate and we took it to the Court House on the Monday after our wedding and got our marriage certificate that same day. My SSN card arrived in my new married name. I did not need a SSN card to get my marriage license in Seattle.

[Noradam 0]

Thanks a lot for your stories and advices. Apparently there's more options and no 'right' approach. We'll get married almost 2 months after my arrival, so it might be a better idea to apply for a SSN before (because of the expiring I-94). And if it's okay to have the maiden name on the SSN until you receive the green card it sounds like the 'safer' way to apply for a SSN 2 weeks upon arrivl.