Changing Name after Marriage and Obtaining Driver's License

[brian_mosher 9]

We got married back in July. My wife tried to go to the Social Security Office in August to change her name on her Social Security Card and the person there basically told her that she had to wait util all of the Adjustment of Status stuff went through, which I'm nearly positive is not the case. Has anyone else experienced this? Or did she just get someone that has no idea what they are talking about? I don't want to send her back there again and be told the same thing again.

On a side note, she did not have a driver's license in Mexico. What is the process for her to obtain one here? We live in Florida. Does she have to go to a driving school and take a class like we did in high school? I haven't had a lot of time to research it. Was hoping someone here knew what had to happen. Do we have to wait for any of the AOS stuff to come back, or could she do it now?

Thanks,

Brian

[Rmmm12345 15]

We got married back in July. My wife tried to go to the Social Security Office in August to change her name on her Social Security Card and the person there basically told her that she had to wait util all of the Adjustment of Status stuff went through, which I'm nearly positive is not the case. Has anyone else experienced this? Or did she just get someone that has no idea what they are talking about? I don't want to send her back there again and be told the same thing again.

On a side note, she did not have a driver's license in Mexico. What is the process for her to obtain one here? We live in Florida. Does she have to go to a driving school and take a class like we did in high school? I haven't had a lot of time to research it. Was hoping someone here knew what had to happen. Do we have to wait for any of the AOS stuff to come back, or could she do it now?

Thanks,

Brian

I can only speak for New York as that's where I am. However for the SSN card you can definitely get that changed so long as you have all of your visa info and marriage certificate. With the driving - yes she'll need to do her permit test and possibly some other classes (basically what you done when you started learning how to drive in high school) some DMV's won't allow you to get a permit until she receives her GC - I got a temporary visitors DL which expires in a year upon issuance of my GC it'll be further extended.

Hope this helps. As I said this is relevant for New York so your state may differ. Good luck !

[slimbolina 48]

I got married in July, I waited until I received my NOA1 for AOS before I went to change my name on my social security. They worked from the copy of my marriage certificate and my K1 visa from my passport, photocopied everything then handed me a generic letter stating that it had been processed and when confirmed I'll receive a new card in the mail. I live in Illinois, I know not all states are the same.

To obtain a driver's licence she will have to wait until her AOS is through and then go to driving school.

[jannapalmer 10]

Hi! I got my driver's license in Fl. The thing here is, you'll have to take an online course first about alcohol & substance abuse, road signs and basic traffic rules..it comes with a test in the end. Once you pass that, you can go to the DMV and take the written exam (on a computer). It's kinda hard especially if you have no background at all with driving. They will ask for your social security and passport/visa or green card for this. Once you pass that, you take the actual behind-the-wheel driving test. Pass that and you get your driver's license right after

[shainawalker 0]

"We got married back in July. My wife tried to go to the Social Security Office in August to change her name on her Social Security Card and the person there basically told her that she had to wait util all of the Adjustment of Status stuff went through, which I'm nearly positive is not the case. Has anyone else experienced this? Or did she just get someone that has no idea what they are talking about? I don't want to send her back there again and be told the same thing again."

I experienced something similar. They said that my K1 visa had expired (which it had but I always thought the expiration date was just the date by which I had to be married), and they said that the computer would not accept my visa as proof of my immigration status because of this. She told me to come back when my AOS had happened, but I'm kind of stuck as I don't have any identification with my married name on it, other than my marriage certficate.

[KayDeeCee 4,893]

You should be able to change the name on the SSN with your marriage certificate, but you may have to wait for the EAD in married name to come first. It is not correct that you have to wait for the green card first. You can also get a FL license with the EAD, but it will be temporary and expire when the EAD does. You can go back when you get the green card and get the regular license. Also, driving school nor required. Person in Post #4 explained it well.

Edited September 20, 2016 by KayDeeCee

[brian_mosher 9]

I actually got some more clarity on this from the Social Security Office official as I took her back myself to find out why they turned her away when she went by herself. It validated what 'shainawalker' said above. It turns out in order get a Social Security Card or make any changes to it, you have to have some kind of status in the country. Most regular citizens get married and change their name no problem because they are US Citizens. She was able to get her Social Security Card without issue because she did that within the K-1 90 day valid window and that provided some kind of legal status here they could use. Now that she is outside of that and it is no longer valid, and she doesn't yet have the AOS back, she's in this "limbo" where she has no status and they can't make any changes until she does. I've learned way more about our immigration process through this than I ever wanted to know and I completely understand why so many people come to this country illegally. It's so freakin hard to do it the right way. The whole thing is absolutely asinine. Just sitting here waiting for that AOS to come back now since that takes someone 3 months to look at, apparently.

[slimbolina 48]

I actually got some more clarity on this from the Social Security Office official as I took her back myself to find out why they turned her away when she went by herself. It validated what 'shainawalker' said above. It turns out in order get a Social Security Card or make any changes to it, you have to have some kind of status in the country. Most regular citizens get married and change their name no problem because they are US Citizens. She was able to get her Social Security Card without issue because she did that within the K-1 90 day valid window and that provided some kind of legal status here they could use. Now that she is outside of that and it is no longer valid, and she doesn't yet have the AOS back, she's in this "limbo" where she has no status and they can't make any changes until she does. I've learned way more about our immigration process through this than I ever wanted to know and I completely understand why so many people come to this country illegally. It's so freakin hard to do it the right way. The whole thing is absolutely asinine. Just sitting here waiting for that AOS to come back now since that takes someone 3 months to look at, apparently.

Oh, this is too spooky. Okay so back in September I went to my local SSA to change my name to my married name and up until today (6 weeks plus later), I still don't have my replacement card. At my visit they said that I am now out of status hence no changes can be made even though they can see the request is there, USCIS have it pending until I have my GC, until then there's nothing I can do. Thank goodness I chose to apply for a SSN because at least I have that, albeit in my maiden name, I'm assigned something here. I did joke about 'damn immigrants'! He even said himself the system changes from one day to the next because it's under such scrutiny. Gotta hold tight, here's hoping the GC will come soon, until then it's back on the waiting train.

[Dashinka 24,589]

I can't speak for FL, but in MI my wife was able to get a learner's permit with her I94, SSC (maiden name), and proof of MI residency (phone bill). She had to take the written test which was possible in Russian, but my wife chose to take it in English. When she passed we used that time to practice with the permit, and when she got her GC she took her road test and we were able to get her full license. Since she was over 18, she was not required to take a formal class, and I was allowed to teach her, but if you are not comfortable with teaching your wife, you can have her take a class.

As to the SSC name change, we waited for the GC since we could get both the name changed and the DHS note removed, and she really didn't need it in her new name at that time.

Good Luck!