Which SSA office in Denver has staff knowledgeable about K1 visas?

[taknev 10]

Hello all,

I am moving to the US (Denver, CO) on Feb. 26th and I would like to actively avoid delays by knowing beforehand which SSA office in Denver has staff knowledgeable about K1 visas so that I can make an appointment and get my SSN.  Also, kindly let me know if the chances of rejection are high if I apply for SSN after marriage. One more thing - can I go apply for SSN by myself without my wife accompanying me?

 Thanks in advance for your help! 

Edited February 15, 2022 by taknev

[Rocio0010 5,560]

1 hour ago, taknev said:

Also, kindly let me know if the chances of rejection are high if I apply for SSN after marriage

Absolutely unrelated.

 

1 hour ago, taknev said:

can I go apply for SSN by myself without my wife accompanying me?

Yes.

[arken 4,197]

Apply for SSN after before marriage. Lots of people have been denied a SSN post marriage. While you can fight legally to get it after marriage, your i94 will be expired by the time your fight will be over and it can't be issued thereafter anyway. Then you have to apply the SSN thru EAD or GC.

Edited February 15, 2022 by arken

[Crazy Cat 39,182]

3 hours ago, taknev said:

Hello all,

I am moving to the US (Denver, CO) on Feb. 26th and I would like to actively avoid delays by knowing beforehand which SSA office in Denver has staff knowledgeable about K1 visas so that I can make an appointment and get my SSN.  Also, kindly let me know if the chances of rejection are high if I apply for SSN after marriage. One more thing - can I go apply for SSN by myself without my wife accompanying me?

 Thanks in advance for your help! 

Apply before marriage....

[JeanneAdil 6,190]

Try this site to see SS offices per the area code/ the web site should say if office(s) are open

 

https://secure.ssa.gov/ICON/main.jsp

[P055UM 256]

If not changing names, before/after marriage shouldn't make any difference - they don't ask for proof of marriage. If changing names, prudent to do it before if possible. You can go alone since it is your application.

 

I don't think you can shop around for which office to go to. At least where I am, you have to go to the one assigned to your zip code.

[Boiler 43,392]

I am intrigued as to how any one would know, as far as I am aware there are no available test scores published on this issue.

[flicks1998 1,044]

7 hours ago, taknev said:

Hello all,

I am moving to the US (Denver, CO) on Feb. 26th and I would like to actively avoid delays by knowing beforehand which SSA office in Denver has staff knowledgeable about K1 visas so that I can make an appointment and get my SSN.  Also, kindly let me know if the chances of rejection are high if I apply for SSN after marriage. One more thing - can I go apply for SSN by myself without my wife accompanying me?

 Thanks in advance for your help! 

As others have said, there is no way to know who is more knowledgeable as alot of times it comes down to the individual person.  Wait about two weeks after your entry, then call them.  We called the SS office closest to my work and they wanted us to mail all of the documents in, including the passport.  We werent going to do that.  We then called the SS office closest to where we live and they said they would call us back for an appointment.  About 10 minutes later, received the call back for an appointment the next day.  Went the next day, dropped off the documents and received the SS card in the mail a few weeks later.  They only needed to look at the passport and visa.

 

You will need to call around and ask.  Someone above said they could only apply within their zip code, but that was not the case for us.

Edited February 15, 2022 by flicks1998

[martinzl 91]

You can apply for your SSN before marriage but remember getting an SSN does not give you work eligibility.  For that you need work authorization (EAD) from USCIS and this work authorization expires upon marriage.  If working legally is the issue your best bet may be to get married ASAP and then file simultaneously for AOS and EAD.  USCIS will then get your application for an SSN processed and you should get it from SSA along with work authorization. That's what my fiancee and I did. of course, that was pre-covid.

[Chancy 6,233]

*** Moved from Moving to the US forum to the SSN sub-forum ***

 

[Crazy Cat 39,182]

11 minutes ago, martinzl said:

If working legally is the issue your best bet may be to get married ASAP and then file simultaneously for AOS and EAD. 

While this is true, there are many advantages to applying for and receiving a SSN as soon as possible after entering the US.  Filing taxes, opening bank accounts, renting an apartment, applying for loans, etc. are all much, much easier with a SSN.  While a SSN can be requested during the Adjustment of Status process, it would mean a long delay in receiving it.  Personally, I would apply asap after entering the US. 

Edited February 15, 2022 by Crazy Cat

[KateD 28]

8 hours ago, Crazy Cat said:

While this is true, there are many advantages to applying for and receiving a SSN as soon as possible after entering the US.  

So many opinions re: when to file.

 

 

[Treegrower 4]

On 2/15/2022 at 10:15 AM, Crazy Cat said:

While this is true, there are many advantages to applying for and receiving a SSN as soon as possible after entering the US.  Filing taxes, opening bank accounts, renting an apartment, applying for loans, etc. are all much, much easier with a SSN.  While a SSN can be requested during the Adjustment of Status process, it would mean a long delay in receiving it.  Personally, I would apply asap after entering the US. 

This is absolutely true.  We missed the deadline to get SSN immediately on entry and have to wait 12 months for the EAD and SSN.

We had to file a tax extension to get around of having get a TIN and the spouse could not open or get name added to bank accounts.

[DaveAndAnastasia 2,078]

On 2/15/2022 at 8:48 AM, flicks1998 said:

You will need to call around and ask.  Someone above said they could only apply within their zip code, but that was not the case for us.

It's not; you typically deal with the SSA by going in-person to an office, and there's no requirement you go to any specific one. It's not like USCIS field offices, where you have to use the one your case is assigned to you, and that's typically based on where you live.

 

We used the downtown SSA office for my wife's dealings with them because we were in the area (the store where we got wedding rings for the initial application for a number, our USCIS field office when we got her name changed and the 'valid for work only with DHS authorization' text removed) but there's actually a suburban office closer to where we live.