Can anyone help me navigate this nightmare? SSA vs Immigration records

[dukeandduchess 141]

Okay. When I first got to the US I got my social security card in my maiden name. Everything was perfect and correctly spelled. We got married and I tried to change my name but by then I was out of status and they told me to wait til I got my EAD. Fair enough. Finally got my EAD at the start of October (I applied for AOS in July but had an RFE). I took in everything to the social security office and applied for a name change to my married name. Everything was fine, she told me they would need to verify my EAD with USCIS. Fine.

2 weeks later I got my social security card in the mail. To my dismay, my new card had my first and middle name combined into one name. My first name is Holly, middle name is Anne and this card says "Hollyanne". I called the 800 number for social security and after talking to two idiots I asked to speak to a supervisor. The whole time they insisted my name is Hollyanne and that is how my ORIGINAL (maiden name) card had it spelled. I told them, "No, I'm looking at my card and that's not what it says..." The supervisor told me to mail in the misspelled card "Hollyanne" with copies of the documents I submitted and a letter of explanation and I should get a new card within 2 weeks.

2 weeks later I get a phone call saying "you need to come in with your original documents because we can't change your name without the originals".... Ugh! So today I missed a day of work and brought all of my cards, birth certificate, original social security card - everything. They told me that my name in their system is "Hollyanne" and they cant change it because that's what USCIS says my name is. I asked how I got the original card correctly spelled then and they replied "Well it was never in the system as Holly Anne..." and I was like "Do you see the space between the two names?" and she said "Yes I see it but I'm telling you that's not how it is in the system..." - lol! So I asked if I should contact USCIS and inform them of the mistake. They told me there's no point, they're sending my stuff in for manual verification and it will take up to 4 weeks. I asked if they were sure this would correct it because the first time I came in for the name change they said the EXACT same thing (my information needs to be verified). They said - either they will update their information and we can issue the card in the correct name or you will get back the same card "Hollyanne".... WHAT THE HELL? --- the worst part is they actually said "It's because you're not a US citizen" Well, screw you too. I'm pretty proud I maintained my composure.

So my question is: what the hell do I do in this situation? This has already been a month and a half ordeal. I need to get my driver's license but I can't without an updated SSN. They told me I could "try" taking in my receipt from today - but the DMV would issue my Driver's license as "Hollyanne". I need to drive for work (it's about an hour drive away and taking the bus for 2.5 hours is getting old fast) and I need to drive for the actual job itself. My employer has been amazing and understanding so far but once they don't need my help in the office I'll lose my hours until I get a license. I'm thinking I should just go try to get the license in the wrong name and change it later (if possible) but I'm not sure if this will cause a bigger mess in the end. (I live in California if this matters at all)

Should I try calling USCIS? Has anyone else had this problem? Any advice would be appreciated.

[Darnell 8,478]

forget USCIS for a moment.

When you go back to the SSA office, ask them to look you up in the SAVE database system, instead of the SSA system.

Show them yer visa stamp, as they were supposed to have you 'as that name' originally with the SSA system, as that's how it was stored in the SAVE system.

I claim shenanigans, on the part of a data entry clerk, working for SSA.

[dukeandduchess 141]

I already went back and they said "We only have 2 records and BOTH show "Hollyanne" not Holly Anne".... I said how would my first card be CORRECT as Holly Anne. She said "it's not correct there's just a space there" - what kind of sense does that make? She's saying it's USCIS because they sent my info to be verified and it "verified as Hollyanne not Holly Anne" so that's why I got the card the way I did. So maybe she was just trying to make it seem like it wasn't their fault and the last person messed it up?

I wish I had that info before I went in, but if they mess up again I'll be sure to write it down.

So much bureaucratic nonsense. I'm so fed up!

[tracy&david 2]

I am so sorry to hear about your sad story. I had so many bad experiences with them too, first when I POE they held us for 3 hours as they mistakenly gave me an alien number which was previously given to another person. I had to go back to Canada and reenter another time. Then after applied my EAD and Green card i received 3 NOA letters and 2 of them had my name misspelled. Then another time, after waited for over 6 month for my green card I got a letter saying my medical document was not forwarded to their center and also they need more evidence. So i have to do my whole medical again. Thank God i finally got my green card after over 7 month of application.

I read the similar stories again and again, i wonder that how this people got their job at the first place? They are so careless and made so many mistakes.

I did not change my name after i got married because i knew that it would be a lot of troubles if i did as i had my SIN card and my driver's licence with my maiden name. My Canadian passport is in my maiden name too. Another thing is, you have all your history in another county, like your education, work, training... if you change your name and use your married name on your resume the future employers will check your background, you may get trouble too. I still have my maiden name on my resume so they are all consistent.

I am sorry that i cannot help with this but just want to share my stories so other people may be aware when they consider changing their names before they get all ID cards.

[pocheros 101]

Ugh, what a nightmare. Sorry you have to put up with all this BS. What is it with SSA offices and incompetence? Seriously, they seem to screw up constantly.

[Hugglebuggles 60]

I had a similar situation (sort of) with the CO DMV. Except, it was over my last name. The system they access to had my maiden name, and my EAD had my married name, so they would not issue me a license.

It sounds like they may be looking at SAVE already, since they said they were looking at 2 different systems. Apparently some offices have access to it, and some do not. At least, that's how it works here in CO- its actually a huge mess, since they are constantly sending people to the same place for verification. The wait times are insane. So if they are using SAVE, it may be an issue of your name being wrong in the SAVE system, which is what happened to me. When I applied for AOS they didn't update their system to change my last name even though they issued all documents to me with my married name on it. It sounds like whoever entered your information when they received your AOS spelt your name incorrectly and it filters down.

If that's the case, you will probably not pass manual verification. I didn't. I waited 9 weeks for them to tell me they couldn't find me. I ended up making an info pass appointment with USCIS and they manually changed my name in their system. I went back to the DMV a week later and magically everything was fine.

Hopefully you don't need to go through all that and manual verification works. If it doesn't USCIS should be able to fix it.

Since you live in CA, don't you need to take a new written and road test before you can get a state license?

[dukeandduchess 141]

I need to take a written test first (permit) then a driving test. You only have to wait 1 week between the two tests so no big deal. I'm mostly concerned that I'll be "using a false name" and get in trouble if I try to get the license using the incorrect name.

Ugh, what a nightmare. Sorry you have to put up with all this BS. What is it with SSA offices and incompetence? Seriously, they seem to screw up constantly.

Yeah I mostly hear of SSA horror stories. I thought I was going to get through without one... lol

I am sorry that i cannot help with this but just want to share my stories so other people may be aware when they consider changing their names before they get all ID cards.

I almost wish I hadn't!

[Hugglebuggles 60]

Gotcha. I don't really think getting the license as "Maryanne" is fraud... its you, its just missing a space. The DMV system is probably wrong too (if the SSA is not just dropping the ball) so you will probably be looking at delay and manual verification there to if you contest the name.

My middle name is Lenora and my maiden name is Swords. Once I was issued a credit card as Amanda LeSwords It was an error, but I used it for like 2 years... I was also in university and irresponsible...

Edited November 15, 2012 by Hugglebuggles

[dukeandduchess 141]

Haha - I'm just trying to avoid doing anything wrong. They did tell me I could try to get the license, but I'm not sure if I trust their advice!

[keysjangle 145]

Insane. Good luck. No advice but bring every single thing with your name properly spelled on it and explain it to them like they're five.

[The Mean Lady 604]

I don't see why you can't just go to the DMV and explain.

The DMV in illinois at least is very flexible.

I have seen people on here suggest that you have to go to the SS office and change your maiden to married name first before going to the DMV, but that isn't the case. My license is in my married name and my SSN is my maiden name. Has been like that for over a year (and my mom has been like that for 11 years) We vowed that this december we're finally going to both take a half day and fix it lol.

Anyways, my point is, I don't see why you can't get your license.

Even if they issue it incorrectly, you go back after you fix the SSN issue and pay another 10 dollars to get it fixed.

No one is going to peg you for fraud.

Edited November 16, 2012 by KDubovik

[Darnell 8,478]

Seriously? an SSA clerk looked you up in the SAVE database and yer name is listed there as 'Hollyanne' ?

What's the name in the visa stamp resemble?

[dukeandduchess 141]

Not sure if it was the SSA database or not.

Update: Good news - I applied for and received my (temporary) driver's license with my name spelled CORRECTLY! Thank goodness!

[Darnell 8,478]

ya, SSA database is not the SAVE database.

I still think is quite possible a SSA clerk entered it incorrectly the first time.

[canada_socks 97]

I had a similar situation, except the SSA office said my name isn't Firstname Middlename, but that according to their system, I am actually FirstnameMiddlename, and that I shouldn't try to change my name just because I moved to a different country. I was like, uh no...that IS my name. When they looked at my passport they still didn't believe that the two were separate names. So annoying. When I got my first SSN with my maiden name (because i was not 'allowed' to get it in my married name), the guy gave me a hard time about applying with the 'wrong' name. When I went to change my last name after getting my green card, they had to send a bunch of copies of my IDs and passport to DHS to get them to fix it. I got my corrected card back in about 4 weeks.