Marriage after entry

[Yace 43]

Hello, Once my fiance crosses the border and is here, what exactly needs to happen before we can get married? What does she need with her for us to be able to apply for our marriage license? Does she need a SS? What does she need to do to get the SS? How long does it take to get it? We want to get married within 3 weeks of her arrival, is that possible? Thanks!! 

[RJandHamid 1,133]

It depends on the state you are living in. In my state (Illinois), we just needed to provide 2 forms of ID, fill out a marriage license application and pay a small fee. SSN usually isn't needed to apply for a marriage license. To get the SSN, fill out the online application on the Social Security Website (https://www.ssa.gov/forms/ss-5.pdf) and take it to your local ss office. I would do this after getting married if she plans on changing her name. It took my husband just over 1 week to receive his SSN card in the mail after submitting the application.  It's best to apply for the SSN at least a few weeks before the expiration date on her I-94, so it's best to apply as early as possible. 

 

We got married within 3 weeks of my fiance's arrival, so I do think it would be possible. 

Edited September 25, 2017 by RJandHamid

[Dutchster 1,107]

It's advisable to get your fiance(e) a SSN as soon as possible after they enter the US. You say crossing border? Will she fly in or drive (from Mexico or Canada i.e.)? While most states do not require a SSN for a marriage license, it's handy to apply for one. 

If she flies, her I-94 arrival/departure will update her entry. Print that one out (just google I-94 and it'll pop up) if it's correct (Entry as K-1), passport & visa and apply for one at the SSA Office. Depending on the SAVE verification, it's mostly in hand within 7-14 days. 

[Going through 5,671]

 

18 minutes ago, Yace said:

Hello, Once my fiance crosses the border and is here, what exactly needs to happen before we can get married? What does she need with her for us to be able to apply for our marriage license? Does she need a SS? What does she need to do to get the SS? How long does it take to get it? We want to get married within 3 weeks of her arrival, is that possible? Thanks!! 

Found this info regarding applying for marriage licenses in the state of California:

 

https://www.usmarriagelaws.com/marriage-license/california/county-clerks-recorder/office-requirements.shtml

 

IMO, it's better to wait until after the marriage for her to apply for the SSN if she is legally changing her last name on the marriage certificate.

Edited September 25, 2017 by Going through

[C-ma'am 684]

**Post moved from K1 Process to SSNs.

[Dutchster 1,107]

6 minutes ago, Going through said:

 

IMO, it's better to wait until after the marriage for her to apply for the SSN if she is legally changing her last name on the marriage certificate.

That method gave a whole lot of people problems, but that's what I've seen here on VJ the past two years. Plus it happened to someone I personally know too.
It's easier to apply in maiden name and then go back after marriage to change. 

[Going through 5,671]

3 minutes ago, Dutchster said:

That method gave a whole lot of people problems, but that's what I've seen here on VJ the past two years. Plus it happened to someone I personally know too.
It's easier to apply in maiden name and then go back after marriage to change. 

I can understand that.  I waited until after I was married with no issues...everyone's experience is different, of course.

 

The reason I suggested it to the OP is that he said they are planning on marrying within 3 weeks of her arrival...average processing time for the SSN to arrive to the fiance in the mail would be 2 weeks....it might not make sense hassle-wise for the fiance to apply for the SSN first, then get married, then have to go back to the SS office only a week after getting the actual SS card to do the name change (if she is doing a name change) and wait for the new card to arrive again in the mail.  Plus, it also would count towards her SS limit on getting replacement cards issued...even though it was issued only a week or so after if following the OP's planned timeline.

 

 

[Yace 43]

1 hour ago, Dutchster said:

It's advisable to get your fiance(e) a SSN as soon as possible after they enter the US. You say crossing border? Will she fly in or drive (from Mexico or Canada i.e.)? While most states do not require a SSN for a marriage license, it's handy to apply for one. 

If she flies, her I-94 arrival/departure will update her entry. Print that one out (just google I-94 and it'll pop up) if it's correct (Entry as K-1), passport & visa and apply for one at the SSA Office. Depending on the SAVE verification, it's mostly in hand within 7-14 days. 

I live in florida and she is from the Netherlands. Wss net als jij! Haha her english is pretty good but we only ever speak dutch with eachother! If we do the ss# 1st, will it be harder to get her name change later? Or will it take 2 weeks to change her name? Will t change her name in her country too? Thanks 

[Dutchster 1,107]

Just now, Yace said:

I live in florida and she is from the Netherlands. Wss net als jij! Haha her english is pretty good but we only ever speak dutch with eachother! If we do the ss# 1st, will it be harder to get her name change later? Or will it take 2 weeks to change her name? Will t change her name in her country too? Thanks 

Haha. Ja, ik ben Nederlands  

Okay so, she will have an electronic I-94. I got my SSN card in my maiden name, applied two-three weeks after arriving because they misspelled my name on the I-94 so I had to get that corrected and after marriage, I changed it. Give it about a day (maybe two, maybe three) after she arrives, and check the I-94 online if it's updated correctly. Print it out and take it to the SSA Office and get her a SSN. Then get married, go back ASAP, and change her name to her married name.

No, it'll not change her name in Nederland though. Rijksoverheid still send me mail in my maiden name. I'm currently looking into registering my marriage in Den Haag, so that they are aware of my new name.  

[Suss&Camm 2,213]

The issue is that some SSO's don't allow a K1 to get their SSC in their married name before getting a primary ID with the name (for example the EAD). If this wasn't a problem for you ofc you wouldn't know this. The problem is that you can't get unmarried - so if you happen to end up at an office where they will deny you then you're SOL - and have to wait for the EAD - whereas if they deny you to change the name,  you atleast have the number and can use it for everything while you're waiting for the EAD or GC - and then change the name.

It's quite common that ppl do get told no, which is why the standing advice on VJ is to get it in the maiden name. 

Edited September 26, 2017 by Suss&Camm