How to get a social security when AOS is processing?

[LadyInGreggs 30]

So I applied for my social security number back in early April pretty much as soon as I got my marriage certificate back from the court house. I applied under the immigrant not authorized to work category and provided my passport with K1 visa and admission stamp, my (at the time) current I-94 and even a page from the social security administration website stating that K1 immigrants are eligible for a social security number, because I've read that some of their employees don't know.

 

Despite all this, two weeks after I sent the application I got a letter saying that they sent my case to DHS for verification of my immigration status and it would take up to four weeks. Much more than 4 weeks went by and I didn't hear anything so I contacted the social security office and they said my case was still waiting for verification from DHS but my I-94 had just expired so I would now need to get new evidence of my legal immigrant status.

 

I just received my notice of receipt from my I-485 AOS application (finally, after a while month), so does this count as my proof of legal immigrant status now? Can I send this to the social security office to get a social security number? I can't find anything online specifically stating that.

 

I'm starting to freak out because I haven't been able to be enrolled on my husband's Tricare without a social security number so I've not had any health coverage this whole time and I have a chronic health condition so really need to see a doctor as soon as I can. I really can't wait until my EAD is approved. I did everything I could to make sure I got this social security number before my K1 admission expired and now I don't know what to do.

[geowrian 22,335]

* Moved from AOS from K-1 Visas to SSNs forum *

 

17 minutes ago, LadyInGreggs said:

I just received my notice of receipt from my I-485 AOS application (finally, after a while month), so does this count as my proof of legal immigrant status now? Can I send this to the social security office to get a social security number? I can't find anything online specifically stating that.

It is evidence of your period of authorized stay. Your legal status ends at the 90 day mark still.

If DHS is unable to complete manual verification before 76 days from entry (90 days legal status - 14 days left of status required for the SSA to issue an SSN), you will need to wait for an EAD (or the green card itself if that comes first) to qualify for an SSN again.

 

Quote

I'm starting to freak out because I haven't been able to be enrolled on my husband's Tricare without a social security number so I've not had any health coverage this whole time and I have a chronic health condition so really need to see a doctor as soon as I can. I really can't wait until my EAD is approved. I did everything I could to make sure I got this social security number before my K1 admission expired and now I don't know what to do.

Sure you can - an SSN is not required for insurance. It is actually explicitly prohibited by the ACA to require one.

That said, many times the staff may not be aware of this and you have to go hunting for somebody who knows how to input it into their system without an SSN. Sometimes they will use a placeholder SSN (like all 0s, all 9s, etc.) until you get your own SSN.

Edited July 4, 2020 by geowrian

[SalishSea 16,737]

For others reading this thread:  SSN should be applied for before marriage, AOS etc.  Like - shortly after POE.....

[LadyInGreggs 30]

11 hours ago, geowrian said:

* Moved from AOS from K-1 Visas to SSNs forum *

 

It is evidence of your period of authorized stay. Your legal status ends at the 90 day mark still.

If DHS is unable to complete manual verification before 76 days from entry (90 days legal status - 14 days left of status required for the SSA to issue an SSN), you will need to wait for an EAD (or the green card itself if that comes first) to qualify for an SSN again.

 

Sure you can - an SSN is not required for insurance. It is actually explicitly prohibited by the ACA to require one.

That said, many times the staff may not be aware of this and you have to go hunting for somebody who knows how to input it into their system without an SSN. Sometimes they will use a placeholder SSN (like all 0s, all 9s, etc.) until you get your own SSN.

Well that's good that I can definitely get health insurance, thank you! 😄 Although, it is frustrating I can't get a social security number for now since I did apply in plenty if time before my I-94 expired, but oh well can't help the coronavirus delays, the insurance is the important thing.

 

10 hours ago, Jorgedig said:

For others reading this thread:  SSN should be applied for before marriage, AOS etc.  Like - shortly after POE.....

I applied for the SSN three weeks after I arrived, we got married pretty much as soon as I arrived so that I could apply for my SSN with my new last name. It just took much longer than could have been expected because of the coronavirus and everything.

[Ayrton 965]

2 hours ago, LadyInGreggs said:

I applied for the SSN three weeks after I arrived, we got married pretty much as soon as I arrived so that I could apply for my SSN with my new last name. It just took much longer than could have been expected because of the coronavirus and everything.

 

That was the issue. You should've applied with your maiden name. Your married name isn't in any system, so DHS won't be able to verify your new name and that's why you never received anything.

[LadyInGreggs 30]

13 minutes ago, Ayrton said:

 

That was the issue. You should've applied with your maiden name. Your married name isn't in any system, so DHS won't be able to verify your new name and that's why you never received anything.

Ah okay that kinda makes sense. Although I wouldn't have thought it would be an issue because I applied for the SSN with both new name and my maiden name (in pa you change name just by getting a new social security card under that name, so essentially I was applying for the name change as well as SSN), and all of my immigration documents I sent them had my maiden name so I would have thought DHS wouldn't have trouble verifying them. Oh well whatever happened I'll just have to wait now.

[Ayrton 965]

32 minutes ago, LadyInGreggs said:

Ah okay that kinda makes sense. Although I wouldn't have thought it would be an issue because I applied for the SSN with both new name and my maiden name (in pa you change name just by getting a new social security card under that name, so essentially I was applying for the name change as well as SSN), and all of my immigration documents I sent them had my maiden name so I would have thought DHS wouldn't have trouble verifying them. Oh well whatever happened I'll just have to wait now.

 

Your name change document is your marriage certificate. You don't need to apply for the change at SSA. What happens is that most places will require you to update your SSN first before updating everywhere else. You can use your new name as soon as you got your marriage certificate.

 

So when you applied for SSN, they only used your married name for the SSN. Your married name won't be in the system until your EAD or green card is approved, so there's no way DHS can verify it.

 

Anyway, now you will need to wait for you EAD to apply for SSN again.

[LadyInGreggs 30]

1 hour ago, Ayrton said:

 

Your name change document is your marriage certificate. You don't need to apply for the change at SSA. What happens is that most places will require you to update your SSN first before updating everywhere else. You can use your new name as soon as you got your marriage certificate.

 

So when you applied for SSN, they only used your married name for the SSN. Your married name won't be in the system until your EAD or green card is approved, so there's no way DHS can verify it.

 

Anyway, now you will need to wait for you EAD to apply for SSN again.

Yeah now that I know I can at least get health insurance I'm not too upset about having to wait for my SSN, still unfortunate tho, I wish I'd known about the maiden name thing earlier

[CMT 39]

15 hours ago, Ayrton said:

 

That was the issue. You should've applied with your maiden name. Your married name isn't in any system, so DHS won't be able to verify your new name and that's why you never received anything.

If I apply for SSN after getting married, I'd apply under my maiden name but am I required to take my marriage certificate with me? if so, would it be a problem if I signed it using my married name?

I'm aware that it is best to apply for it before getting married but my fiancé and I would need the marriage certificate asap for housing allowance. 

[Ayrton 965]

1 hour ago, CMT said:

If I apply for SSN after getting married, I'd apply under my maiden name but am I required to take my marriage certificate with me? if so, would it be a problem if I signed it using my married name?

I'm aware that it is best to apply for it before getting married but my fiancé and I would need the marriage certificate asap for housing allowance. 

 

Apply with your maiden name. Use your passport as ID. And apply for it ASAP if the offices are open where you live. I don't get why you want to wait to get married first before applying for SSN. It makes no sense. It literally takes 30 minutes or less to apply for SSN.

 

If you take your marriage certificate, they will say that's your legal name now, and will apply with the married name, which will result in no SSN until you receive EAD.

[CMT 39]

12 minutes ago, Ayrton said:

 

Apply with your maiden name. Use your passport as ID. And apply for it ASAP if the offices are open where you live. I don't get why you want to wait to get married first before applying for SSN. It makes no sense. It literally takes 30 minutes or less to apply for SSN.

 

If you take your marriage certificate, they will say that's your legal name now, and will apply with the married name, which will result in no SSN until you receive EAD.

I'm not in the US yet. I will most likely be going end of July.

 

We don't want to wait to apply for SSN, but I heard it takes one or two weeks to be able to apply for SSN. 

As I said, we want to get married asap because we need to apply for military BAH since my fiancé lives on base and I can't live with him. So I thought if I keep my maiden name even if we get married, apply under that name and change it to my married name when filling the AOS. 

But I don't even know if the offices will be open by then so I might just have to wait for EAD. 

 

Edited July 5, 2020 by CMT

[Ayrton 965]

14 minutes ago, CMT said:

I'm not in the US yet. I will most likely be going end of July.

 

We don't want to wait to apply for SSN, but I heard it takes one or two weeks to be able to apply for SSN. 

As I said, we want to get married asap because we need to apply for military BAH since my fiancé lives on base and I can't live with him. So I thought if I keep my maiden name even if we get married, apply under that name and change it to my married name when filling the AOS. 

But I don't even know if the offices will be open by then so I might just have to wait for EAD. 

 

No need to wait. I arrived on a Saturday and applied for SSN on Monday. I received my card after 3 weeks.

 

The marriage certificate is your name change document. If you will get married in a state that requires you to put your new last name on the marriage license, you shouldn't be using your maiden name after getting married. 

 

So always apply for SSN first. I'm pretty sure the offices will be open by the time you get herez at least by appointment.

[CMT 39]

28 minutes ago, Ayrton said:

No need to wait. I arrived on a Saturday and applied for SSN on Monday. I received my card after 3 weeks.

 

The marriage certificate is your name change document. If you will get married in a state that requires you to put your new last name on the marriage license, you shouldn't be using your maiden name after getting married. 

 

So always apply for SSN first. I'm pretty sure the offices will be open by the time you get herez at least by appointment.

That is great to know. I'll definitely try to apply before marriage then.

 

Obrigada!

[CMT 39]

On 7/5/2020 at 6:10 AM, Ayrton said:

No need to wait. I arrived on a Saturday and applied for SSN on Monday. I received my card after 3 weeks.

 

The marriage certificate is your name change document. If you will get married in a state that requires you to put your new last name on the marriage license, you shouldn't be using your maiden name after getting married. 

 

So always apply for SSN first. I'm pretty sure the offices will be open by the time you get herez at least by appointment.

Hi Ayrton, this might be a silly question but - after applying for SSN do I need to wait to get married or is it okay to marry anytime after that? Just arrived in the US on Saturday and we're calling today to make an appointment to apply for SSN.

[Ayrton 965]

1 hour ago, CMT said:

Hi Ayrton, this might be a silly question but - after applying for SSN do I need to wait to get married or is it okay to marry anytime after that? Just arrived in the US on Saturday and we're calling today to make an appointment to apply for SSN.

You can get married at any time before the 90 days. But your SSN needs to be under the maiden name, otherwise they won't be able to verify with DHS.