Social Security Name Change

[PWB 213]

Wife arrived on December 4, 2020, we married December 20, 2020.  Submitted Adjustment of Status and received  NOA  on March 22, 2021.  When she applied for Social Security Card we provided original Marriage Certificate and all current USCIS documents along with Passport and visa.  Local Social Security Office would not issue card with married name.  They would issue card only with name that appeared on passport.  Thinking they made a mistake I called National Social Security and was told that once my wife had a photo I.D. card issued by Texas DPS she could the name changed.  Found out that name changes can not be done via Email so back to local Social Security  Office and they told us that they do not do appointments for name changes, after many more calls local office has now said that until my wife receives a Permanent Resident Card  they will not allow a name change.  Is that right?   Given the waiting time for Permanent Resident Card that could mean two years to get a proper Social Security Card.

[Chancy 6,233]

44 minutes ago, PWB said:

Local Social Security Office would not issue card with married name.  They would issue card only with name that appeared on passport.

 

Your wife already got her SS card with her maiden name?  When did she apply and when did she get the card?

 

[powerpuff 5,941]

You’re gonna have to change the SS card anyway to get rid of the “valid for work only with DHS authorization” on it when you get the green card. This is because when she gets a green card she doesn’t need employment authorization like she does now. So I see no point of having it changed now to her married name and then changing it again to get a SS card without that wording. Also it’s not imperative to have a SS card in her married name, she can use her maiden name and show the marriage certificate as proof of name change if asked for it.

Edited June 17, 2021 by powerpuff

[PWB 213]

1 hour ago, powerpuff said:

You’re gonna have to change the SS card anyway to get rid of the “valid for work only with DHS authorization” on it when you get the green card. This is because when she gets a green card she doesn’t need employment authorization like she does now. So I see no point of having it changed now to her married name and then changing it again to get a SS card without that wording. Also it’s not imperative to have a SS card in her married name, she can use her maiden name and show the marriage certificate as proof of name change if asked for it.

She was issued SS card in January in her maiden name, standard card no notation from DHS.  Understand that it is the number that counts and not necessarily the name.  Just want to get it done now.

[PWB 213]

1 hour ago, Chancy said:

 

Your wife already got her SS card with her maiden name?  When did she apply and when did she get the card?

 

Received SS Card in name that appeared on passport in January 2021.

[Chancy 6,233]

4 hours ago, PWB said:

Local Social Security Office would not issue card with married name.  They would issue card only with name that appeared on passport.

 

K1 visa holders who apply for SSN while their I-94 is valid, would normally get their initial SSN card with the name on their passport.  Because that's the name in the applicant's record when SSA checks with DHS through SAVE verification.

 

4 hours ago, PWB said:

after many more calls local office has now said that until my wife receives a Permanent Resident Card  they will not allow a name change.  Is that right?

 

Not entirely accurate.  For applicants with no lawful status, EAD is acceptable, based on SSA policy --

 

RM 10211.001 Who Must Submit Evidence of Lawful Alien Status for an SSN Card

All applicants for a replacement SSN card who allege a foreign place of birth or who are not U.S. citizens must submit evidence of lawful alien status or DHS work authorization.

https://secure.ssa.gov/apps10/poms.nsf/lnx/0110211001

 

When your wife gets her EAD or GC, she may request for name change on the SSN card to a name that matches what's on her EAD or GC.  She filed her AOS paperwork using her married name, right?

 

[payxibka 10,044]

6 hours ago, PWB said:

after many more calls local office has now said that until my wife receives a Permanent Resident Card  they will not allow a name change.  Is that right?   Given the waiting time for Permanent Resident Card that could mean two years to get a proper Social Security Card.

My wife name was changed with EAD

[Ontarkie 13,933]

~~Moved to SSN, from K1 P&P - as this is no longer a K1 processing question.~~

[Scandi 3,976]

Like others said, it doesn't have to be the greencard itself, can be the EAD too. A ton of us K-1ers used our EADs to change name on the SSC. 

 

Not a biggie, she'll get the name changed eventually, the main thing is that she at least has an SSN and she can use it just fine even with her maiden name on it. 

[Rocio0010 5,571]

Came here to say that, whenever you decide to do it, do not mail your documents. Get an in- person appointment. SS offices and USPS are known for losing important documents. If they tell you they don’t take in person appointments, get your Congressman involved!

[PWB 213]

You are so right about mailing originals and that is exactly what SS wants us to do.  Can you believe  to register your marriage with the Philippine Consulate in Houston they would only accept originals of Birth Certificates and even the passport.  They returned our package which had notarized copies.    

[Rocio0010 5,571]

1 hour ago, PWB said:

You are so right about mailing originals and that is exactly what SS wants us to do.  Can you believe  to register your marriage with the Philippine Consulate in Houston they would only accept originals of Birth Certificates and even the passport.  They returned our package which had notarized copies.    

Oh wow!!! That is stupid and dangerous!!! Can’t you make an in person appointment for the Consulate? 
My understanding is that federal agencies in the US do not necessarily interchange their information. So employees in a SS office might not fully understand the importance of some international ID Documents such as passports, and I have read tons of testimonies of people saying that their IDs were lost either at the SS or in transit by the post office. And nobody can be held accountable. 
I am a PR now, and I wanted to lift my restrictions on my previous SS card. So I read the requirements and they said that you have to mail your GC and they’d do it. I thought “I would never, EVER, mail my card because chances are that they’d lose it and then I’ll have to pay for a replacement which might take who knows how long to get to me”. So I called their toll free number to explain my situation (I also told them I have an upcoming international trip and explained the agent that I’d need it in order to be allowed back in into the US. The agent had no idea of what a permanent resident card was, so I wasted my time. I didn’t give up though. Something I learned from living here is that Congressmen and Senators are there for a reason and you are entitled to use them if you know what I mean. So the same day I contacted my Congressman and then a couple of days later they got the ball rolling and got me an in- person appointment.

 

So, I don’t mean to be repetitive, but never, EVER, mail original copies of your IDs. Especially if you are an immigrant and getting those copies would mean a hassle to you in your home country.

[PWB 213]

2 hours ago, ra0010 said:

Oh wow!!! That is stupid and dangerous!!! Can’t you make an in person appointment for the Consulate? 
My understanding is that federal agencies in the US do not necessarily interchange their information. So employees in a SS office might not fully understand the importance of some international ID Documents such as passports, and I have read tons of testimonies of people saying that their IDs were lost either at the SS or in transit by the post office. And nobody can be held accountable. 
I am a PR now, and I wanted to lift my restrictions on my previous SS card. So I read the requirements and they said that you have to mail your GC and they’d do it. I thought “I would never, EVER, mail my card because chances are that they’d lose it and then I’ll have to pay for a replacement which might take who knows how long to get to me”. So I called their toll free number to explain my situation (I also told them I have an upcoming international trip and explained the agent that I’d need it in order to be allowed back in into the US. The agent had no idea of what a permanent resident card was, so I wasted my time. I didn’t give up though. Something I learned from living here is that Congressmen and Senators are there for a reason and you are entitled to use them if you know what I mean. So the same day I contacted my Congressman and then a couple of days later they got the ball rolling and got me an in- person appointment.

 

So, I don’t mean to be repetitive, but never, EVER, mail original copies of your IDs. Especially if you are an immigrant and getting those copies would mean a hassle to you in your home country.

One of many things that continue to amaze me is the lack of knowledge both at the State Level of Government as well as the Feds.  I find my self explaining the Immigration process all the time to those very same people who are in charge of servicing our unique immigration requirements.  I have received bogus information from entry level employees of USCIS as well.  Safe to say that most people who post and use Visa Journey are every bit as knowledgeable as Government officials they are trying to work with.  Covid has only added to the equation.  I only wish that there was one source of immigration processing and not the mess you have now with the State Department, Home Land Security and USCIS duplicating requirements and making this process much more difficult than is necessary.

[Lemonslice 4,570]

4 hours ago, PWB said:

You are so right about mailing originals and that is exactly what SS wants us to do.  Can you believe  to register your marriage with the Philippine Consulate in Houston they would only accept originals of Birth Certificates and even the passport.  They returned our package which had notarized copies.    

I'm not sure why your surprised that original documents would be required - it's pretty much the norm with the different countries I've had to deal with (to register birth, marriage, request passport, etc.).

 

Guess what? It's much easier to produce forged copies, than to forge original documents. 

Edited June 18, 2021 by Lemonslice

[PWB 213]

No problem providing original copies in person but to send them through the mail is foolish.