forms to fill out on the plane to the USA (for POE)

[bgamb 3]

Really depends on how well trained the SSA people are at your local office. Yes, you are SUPPOSED to be able to apply for a SSN in the married name usin gthe K-1 visa, but there are those SSA people who believe once you get married your status changes. If they give you a lot of grief about being able to apply in the married name, I would just leave and come back another day and apply in the visa or maiden name. You could also write the main SSA an e-mail describing the situation in detail like date, time, persons you spoke to and what they said.

As a K-1 visahold you are allowed to get a SSN based on teh K-1 and an unexpired I-94. As a person with a SSN you can use a certified copy of the marriage certificate to change the name, SOme SSA people will do this as a two step process which means they will use the maiden anme to verify immigration status and then use the mariage certificate to do the name change and yo get a SSC in the married name--that is how it is suppose to be done. Too many times they are not well trained and will feed you a whole lot of BS. Sometimes even the supervisors are not well trained.An old VJ memebr "I'M GONE" used to work for the SSA and had lots of good advice on how to handle the SSA workers. You can use the advanced seach feature to find his posts or maybe this link will work.

Good luck,

Dave

Dave...thank you

So interesting how dysfunctional our own govt agencies are.....amazing..>!

So....from what you are telling me...it may be better to have her apply for the ss card in her maiden name as soon as she arrives...

and then have her take the test for the driving permit.......then we get married and change her name on the SS card

I will call the local SSA and advise what "they" tell me----oh BTW...how long to get the SS card once u apply?

Edited September 11, 2013 by bgamb

[Steve&Roi 12]

Hey folks...in about a month, my hunny should be on a plane to the USA

From plane flights I have looked at, her POE will probably be Detroit

I remember they pass out forms for everyone to fill out while on the plane

What will she as a K1 visa carrier be required to fill out? anything? nothing?

hey...im going to the USA this coming oct. 1 my poe is also in detroit...because my fiancee is from michigan

[Steve&Roi 12]

Hey folks...in about a month, my hunny should be on a plane to the USA

From plane flights I have looked at, her POE will probably be Detroit

I remember they pass out forms for everyone to fill out while on the plane

What will she as a K1 visa carrier be required to fill out? anything? nothing?

hi..when will ur fiancee go to the US? ill be leaving Oct. 1... to Michigan.... so my POE is Detroit

[BughouseMaster 3]

When is the SOONEST she can apply for SSN? She wants to work asap after arriving here.

[sunandmoon 450]

she should wait for 7 to 10 days after arrival to apply for a SSN, so her info can be entered into the SAVE System. for all pratical purposes, she will not be able to work until she files for AOS and applies for and receives an EAD Card. there is no fee for the EAD Card when applied for with AOS. if you apply for an EAD card before filing for AOS, it will cost $380, will take few weeks to arrive and wiil expire with the

I-94, which is 90 days after POE.

Edited September 12, 2013 by sunandmoon

[DavenRoxy 1,073]

When is the SOONEST she can apply for SSN? She wants to work asap after arriving here.

She can get SSN shortly after arrival. a 2-week wait is recommended to ensure entry into the SAVE database. You can always try sooner and see if she's in there already.

Get SSN first, then get married and change the name on SSC. Or get married, then get SSC in married name. Not that it really matters either way. We waited until after marriage.

But she can't work until she has GC or EAD. Those are the work-permitting documents. She CAN get a drivers permit/license with a SSN, provided she does it before her I-94 expires (some states).

[BughouseMaster 3]

She can get SSN shortly after arrival. a 2-week wait is recommended to ensure entry into the SAVE database. You can always try sooner and see if she's in there already.

Get SSN first, then get married and change the name on SSC. Or get married, then get SSC in married name. Not that it really matters either way. We waited until after marriage.

But she can't work until she has GC or EAD. Those are the work-permitting documents. She CAN get a drivers permit/license with a SSN, provided she does it before her I-94 expires (some states).

What is the SAVE database? And what would happen if she applies for SSN the very next day she arrives? What's the importance of this SAVE database? After applying can she immediately work or would we have to wait til we physically get it in the mail? How long does it take to get?

GC? EAD?? What's with all these "abbs"??? Helps to explain them too you know....

[Hank_ 9,174]

The GUIDE for AOS

[sunandmoon 450]

What is the SAVE database? And what would happen if she applies for SSN the very next day she arrives? What's the importance of this SAVE database? After applying can she immediately work or would we have to wait til we physically get it in the mail? How long does it take to get?

SAVE - Systematic Alien Verification For Entitlements

http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/menuitem.eb1d4c2a3e5b9ac89243c6a7543f6d1a/?vgnextoid=1721c2ec0c7c8110VgnVCM1000004718190aRCRD&vgnextchannel=1721c2ec0c7c8110VgnVCM1000004718190aRCRD

if she applies before she is in the SAVE System, she will not be able to get an SSN. she will not be able to work until she has either an Employment Authorization Document ( EAD) or Green Card ( GC) from USCIS.

Edited September 12, 2013 by sunandmoon

[DavenRoxy 1,073]

Just common terms for visa components.

Green Card.

Employment Authorization Document USCIS info

She will most likely not be able to apply for SSN until the person taking your SS-5 can "see" her in the database. But whether or not she gets a SSN right away (I DO recommend getting it for drivers license, as I said above), she cannot work until she has a GC or EAD card in hand. Not just applied for.

[BughouseMaster 3]

Thanks for the prompt replies! Much appreciated, and I do mean this.

Okay, so...... who is responsible for inputting names in the SAVE database & how quickly does happen after the fiance arrives here in the states? I went to the SAVE website but couldn't find where to check if people are already in the system... is there a link to be able to do this?

Which is quicker to obtain, GC or EAD?

"She will most likely not be able to apply for SSN until the person taking your SS-5 can "see" her in the database. "

Explain what you mean by "most likely" because. And who is "SS-5"?

As you all can tell, I know absolutely nothing about the process after fiance is in U.S. and will have to immerse myself in that website sooner or later! On average, how long does it take to complete everything after entry in U.S.? A range would be nice.

[DavenRoxy 1,073]

First of all, read this sentence and understand... times vary. A LOT.
When we did our process in early 2012, we delayed marrying and SSN for a bit due to a family emergency. And we decided to wait on getting SSN until after marriage to only have to deal with them once, as opposed to a maiden name then married name situation. (Looking back, I would get SSN 2 weeks after POE, and deal with the married name change)

But from the time she arrived in the US til she had GC in hand, it was 6 months. And she got EAD after her GC, rendering it invalid (EAD allows one to work prior to GC in hand; once you have the GC, you are supposed to surrender/destroy the EAD to prevent fraud, but my wife wanted a "keepsake". Whatever.) But it could have been less than 6 months, because we had to wait to get married. From marriage to GC was just over 4 months.

And, we had to have an interview. Some don't. But I have seen other threads on here that people are waiting several months, I think up to 9, without a GC or an interview letter. (Check out other AOS threads, shouldn't have to go back more than 5 pages or so) The process seems to have slowed down this year for some reason. Probably because most government workers were furloughed, going from 5 to 4-day work weeks. Whatever the reason, GC issuance is taking a while. Which means EAD will probably be the sooner issued card, and what she will need to get a job.

As for the "when entered" question, I believe that is done by the Customs folks where she arrives. And why does it take up to 2 weeks? I have no idea. Shouldn't. That's why I say wait a few days (a week maybe?) and ask the SS officer at the counter when you apply if your fiance's name is in the SAVE database. If not, don't apply, cuz it can cause more delays. And always, always be nice to those folks. They have the power to lose your paperwork many times over. Our gal was very nice, and we had no issues, but as I said, we applied for SSN a coupla months after her arrival.

AOS (GC/EAD/AP) is done after marriage. So the sooner you guys marry, the sooner you can file. That's even more expensive than the medical and visa, so be prepared. But if her getting a job is your priority, don't delay.

Good luck, and keep the questions coming. Also, the AOS guide at the top of the page is very helpful. (as is Hank's, but I know you don't like his)

ETA: SS-5

Edited September 12, 2013 by DavenRoxy

[RobBell 32]

Just to add our experience...

We went to the SS office yesterday, 13 days after Lili's arrival. We waited for about 30 mins for our number to be called. Once we sat down at the window it only took about 15 mins. I handed the lady the I-94 printout and the SS-5 form. She asked a few questions to verify the information, and typed Lili's information into the computer. She paused for a moment and said something like, "Good you've cleared INS", which i supposed is where the problems may arise. It went smoothly. I don't think they even kept the SS-5 form as she said everything went directly into the computer system.

I asked about the name change later and she said we needed to bring the I-94 form back with the marriage certificate, didn't sound like a big deal to me.

Edited September 13, 2013 by Rob & Lili