Social Security Card for K1 Holder Questions

[soprano82 5]

Hello all,

 

My fiancee recently entered the US on the K1 visa. We are planning on getting married next month, but we were planning to head over to the social security office to apply for her SS card this week (as suggested by visa journey). We have been compiling the required documents, but we have a few questions we wanted to see if we could get some feedback. Any input is very much appreciated as always.

 

1. Since she just came in a few weeks ago, she clearly still has a foreign passport, which it seems will be fine for identification purposes, but we aren't sure what is acceptable for the 2nd form of identification as required by SS-5. Driver's license and state id card are called out on the form, but she doesn't have any form of US id card yet. She does have her passport and driver's license from her country with her, but I don't know whether they'll accept the driver's license alongside the passport in this situation or not.

 

2. Under the citizenship question on the form, we have checked legal alien allowed to work. It is my understanding that she will be able to work after we have filed the I-785, but that won't happen until we file for status adjustment. I wanted to make sure marking that option at this time is permissible.

 

3. It appears that it is recommended in the K1 flow chart to get the SS card as soon as possible and return to the SS office after we're married to change the name on the card, but would it make more sense in our situation to wait to apply for the SS card until after we're married. She's been here for 2 weeks on Friday, and if we get married within the first few weeks of February, it should be well within the 90-day expiration date of her I-94.

[Scandi 4,168]

1. Passport is enough. The visa inside it could potentionally also work as some kind of identification I suppose. But only passport is needed (along with the other documents such as birth certificate, i-94 etc).

 

2. Legal alien allowed to work, correct.

 

3. Don't wait. It's not always just a name change issue, but some uninformed SSA workers won't even issue people a SSN after they get married no matter how much time there is left on their i-94. It's as if they believe the requirements of the visa have somehow changed because you got married and that you're no longer eligible for a SSN. Weird, I know. Better get it now, in her maiden name, that way she will at least have a SSN when the tax season starts etc. Doesn't matter that it's in her maiden name. She can change it when she gets her EAD, or greencard, or whenever, doesn't matter much.

[NikLR 13,227]

~~moved to SSN from K1 process and procedures~~

[LionessDeon 2,060]

Yes apply for her SS# asap.  Her birth certification is a second form of ID, along with her passport.

Don't wait.  She can go back and change her name after marriage.

[Detron 15]

The Social Security card is needed as soon as possible, not for the marriage certificate per say, but when you apply for work, to open bank accounts to receive your salary, to apply for credit card, etc... Without SSN you cannot insure yourself, drive a vehicle unless you got an international driver's license but that only lasts for 1 year in US. So all in all... Get SSN asap so you can apply for work and do your business once you receive your work authorization after 3 months of waiting time.

 

Waiting to get your papers in order just delays the process for no reason.