When should we apply for SSC? I-94 expires soon

[Ryan76 46]

My wife came here in K-1 visa and we are married, just had biometrics appointment and have not been issued EAD..obviously the AOS paperwork is all still pending.

Her I-94 is valid until Nov. 21.

Should we hurry up and go to the Soc Sec office next week to get the card, even though I'm told it will say something about "not being able to work"? Or do we wait until we get the EAD, Green Card, or what? I'm not sure what the point of getting the SSC would be if it can't be used for work. My wife doesn't want to get any credit cards or take out any loans or anything, so we're unsure if we should apply for the SSC now.

Thanks

[reese1 68]

The only point to obtaining the SS card now is if you needed it to add her to your bank account, or health insurance things of that nature. You may as well wait now until she gets her EAD card, this way when she gets the card it won't have the "not valid for work" message on it.

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

Well, it's too late now to apply for a SSN anyway, so you will have to wait until you have the EAD or the GC. You need at least 2 weeks left on the I-94 for a SSN to be issued.

Most people want a SSN earlier so they can get added to insurance, bank accounts, etc. But no, it's not required.

You should start thinking about financial co-mingling though, because the next steps of the immigration process (Removal of Conditions) ask for this sort of evidence as proof of a bona fide marriage. If you get called for an interview for AOS, they will ask you to bring this sort of thing as well.

Edit for above: The SS Card one gets from an EAD also has the "not valid" message on it. That message will only be removed once the GC is obtained.

Edited November 14, 2012 by Harpa Timsah

[MrsSuarez 2]

Well. i dont know if you know.. but you need to have a SSC to apply to get a driver's license....

[Ryan76 46]

Okay, that all makes sense...and that's kind of what I thought. Though aside from the "co-mingling" of accounts there's really no point in her having a bank account since she is not working yet. We are saving letters she receives to our address, and she is on my renter's insurance policy, but other than that and a boatload of photos at our apartment, with family, wedding and reception, birthday / birthday cards, that's pretty much all we have accumulated for the AOS interview so far.

So once she is granted her EAD she will then be able to use that to get a SSC, and it won't have the "unable to work" line on it?

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

A SSN gotten from an EAD will still have the "not valid" stuff on it. Read my edit.

[Ryan76 46]

Okay, well, she will need to start driving at some point. Since we anticipate the EAD coming within a few weeks we will just take that and get the SSC asap after it arrives. Then we will open up a joint bank account, or I'll add her to mine. It won't be a problem that the I-94 will have expired, we can get the SSC with the EAD?

Then i guess when she gets the Green Card we will return to the Soc Sec offices to get her SSC updated without the 'unable to work' line on it.

Sound like a good plan?

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

Great plan!

I-94 is now dead, no longer needed, no longer meaningful. You have filed AOS which means she is in a NEW period of authorized stay.