SS number

[Dave&Roza 748]

Say jacksonville take a look at dave and roza's post and read it carefully that is why I said get your adjustment and ead first don't listen to blow hards that think they know it all do it the right way and just because you are right dunell doesn't mean you

should give the advise that way with out her ead she can't legally work so why not just cut to the chase and tell her that way mmmmm ok then guys have a good one and good luck jacksonville.

The only reason I recommend getting the SSN ASAP upon arriving is that it has become a pseudo national ID and there are a lot of things that are easier to do with teh SSN than without it--i.e. adding th espouse to your employer's benefits, getting a joint account (yes a SSN is not required but there are several banks that make it very hard to get an account without that majic number), getting a joint CC, etc. Granted that the immigrant cannot work without the EAD or GC, but this is one of those items that is not immigration related. It is about being able to get on with your life. SInce the EAD is taking about 3 months and the GC about 6 now, you are putting your life on hold unitl those arrive.

This is one of those items that depends on how important the SSN is to each person and they can decide whether to apply before filing AOS or wait for the EAD or GC.

Dave

[KayDeeCee 4,892]

thanks to all those who replied to my post..i had to ask, sometimes what you read on the websites slightly differs from what others actually experience..

You can go ahead and apply for your SSN before you are married and get it in your maiden name. You can get the name changed on it later after you're married. Sometimes they won't do the name change with just the marriage certificate like they should and make you wait until you get your EAD or green card. You most certainly can go and apply for your SSN now though. You need to apply while you still have time on your I-94 because you will have to wait until you get your EAD or green card if your I-94 has less than 2 weeks until it expires. See the guide here: http://www.visajourney.com/content/ssn

[habibi11 16]

My Immigration Attorney told me that we could not apply for a soc card until after we are married... so you should check out the Uscis website for info.

[Clariz 2]

A K-1 visa holder is allowed to apply for a SSC upon arriving in the US. Typically you wait 14 days to allow your information to get into the SAVE database. You have up to about 14 days before your I-94 expires to apply. You can apply before getting married or after. You need to take your passport, I-94, and you birth certificate (as the SSA is now requiring two seperate documents to prove age and ID, YMMV) and fill out a SS-5 form at your local office. If for some reason you are not in the SAVE database, thank them and take your application and leave and come back in a couple of weeks. I would also record the date, time, location, and people you speak to so if you need to e-mail the main SSA office on their website you can explain what happened. If you are marreid take the marriage certificate (the original and a certified copy and let them keep only the copy) to show name change.

The fun begins as most SSA people do not know about a K-1 visa and that you can apply for a SSN as "legal alien allowed to work". Some will tell you you need the EAD or GC. Others will say that if you are married the K-1 visa is no longer valid or the name must match the name in the SAVE database. Just so you know the K-1 is no longer valid the moment you went thru the POE and used it to arrive in the US. The SSN is one of the hardest or easiest things to get depending on your local SSA office. You cannot legally work until you receive the EAD or GC.

I wish you well,

Dave

Any valid visa will allow you to get an SSN depending on the need. But it depends on the visa- if it doesnot allow you to work because you don't have the necessary papers you will have an SSN which says "not allowed to work". Besides you need to show your GC, EAD to be employed so why not inform them that in your situation you are not allowed to work so your SSN will carry that information.

[Dave&Roza 748]

My Immigration Attorney told me that we could not apply for a soc card until after we are married... so you should check out the Uscis website for info.

Your attorney is wrong as my wife is proof that you can get your SSC without geting married. We did so aboiut 3 weeks after she arrvied as I wanted to file taxes with her as married filing jointly and claim her international income on our taxes. We had the SSN by February. She arrived in the US December 22, 2010. Filing taxes and doing all the other life stuff is why you should have the SSN ASAP. Yes, you cannot legally work until the EAD or GC, but there are other things that seem to require or at least are easier if one has a SSN. The K-1 visaholded is one of those visa classes that the SSA allows to apply for a SSN based on the fact they list the K-1 as "legal alien allowed to work" Now that statement is for the SSA only as the actual SSC will have "NOT VALID FOR WORK WITHOUT DHS AUTHORIZATION" whicjh is the GC or EAD. There are two issues with the SSC as I see it: 1) is immigration status and 2) life in general. Do not get the two issues confused. For us it was important to do the life things sooner rather than waiting on immigration so we applied for the SSC after about 3 weeks. YMMV.

Dave

[KayDeeCee 4,892]

Any valid visa will allow you to get an SSN depending on the need. But it depends on the visa- if it doesnot allow you to work because you don't have the necessary papers you will have an SSN which says "not allowed to work". Besides you need to show your GC, EAD to be employed so why not inform them that in your situation you are not allowed to work so your SSN will carry that information.

K-1 visa holder is eligible for an SSN as a 'legal alien allowed to work'. https://secure.ssa.gov/apps10/poms.nsf/lnx/0110211530

You check that box when filing for the SSN, and the card comes printed with then stipulation, "Valid for work only with DHS Authorization". The authorization is the EAD. You can get the SSN before marriage or before getting the EAD, so long as your I-94 has more than 2 weeks left before it expires. Once you get your EAD, you can then begin to work. Once you get your green card, you can return to the SSA and have that stipulation removed from your SS card. http://www.visajourney.com/content/ssn

My Immigration Attorney told me that we could not apply for a soc card until after we are married... so you should check out the Uscis website for info.

Your lawyer is incorrect. See the link to the guide I posted above.

[Darnell 8,478]

Say jacksonville take a look at dave and roza's post and read it carefully that is why I said get your adjustment and ead first don't listen to blow hards that think they know it all do it the right way and just because you are right dunell doesn't mean you

should give the advise that way with out her ead she can't legally work so why not just cut to the chase and tell her that way mmmmm ok then guys have a good one and good luck jacksonville.

uhm... please try the advanced search tool...

you'll find my posts on what to do to get a SSN, as a K-1 visa holder.

search terms - 'SAVE SSA' then for member name put in 'Darnell' then click on 'show as posts' instead of the default 'show as topic list'.

Good Luck !