Applying for SSN after POE with K1 visa, SAVE-ASVI question

[Bahrainexpat 12]

My fiancee(K1) and I will be arriving in the US from Bahrain(we both lived and worked here) on 16-September(Friday), and want to apply for a SSN as soon as possible. My question is, if we are able to print off an I-94 from the CBP website after our arrival does that mean we are in SAVE-ASVI? The SSN SS-5 guidance from VJ says to wait 14 days to ensure we are in SAVE-ASVI, but I want to apply for the SSN prior to our wedding on 30-September. Is the 14 day requirement still set in stone? I looked in the forums related to this topic and didn't see anything newer than 2018, so I want to check if anyone has updated info that is more recent. Some people are saying they successfully applied for their SSN as soon as they got here. 

 

Thanks in advance. 

[Mike E 11,722]

3 hours ago, Bahrainexpat said:

My fiancee(K1) and I will be arriving in the US from Bahrain(we both lived and worked here) on 16-September(Friday), and want to apply for a SSN as soon as possible. My question is, if we are able to print off an I-94 from the CBP website after our arrival does that mean we are in SAVE-ASVI?

Not in our experience.  Of course if your I-94 is not available online a trip to SSA is likely in vain but should be attempted before getting married or day 30 which ever comes first.  

3 hours ago, Bahrainexpat said:

 

The SSN SS-5 guidance from VJ says to wait 14 days to ensure we are in SAVE-ASVI, but I want to apply for the SSN prior to our wedding on 30-September. Is the 14 day requirement still set in stone?

No. We waited 2 working days, printed the I-94, and then applied. The SSA worker said he could not verify my fiancée’s status and didn’t approve our application on the spot.  2 weeks later we got a letter saying the same. A few days after that an SS card arrived in the mail.  
 

3 hours ago, Bahrainexpat said:

 

I looked in the forums related to this topic and didn't see anything newer than 2018, so I want to check if anyone has updated info that is more recent. Some people are saying they successfully applied for their SSN as soon as they got here. 

 

Thanks in advance. 

This  is a contentious topic and you will have to make a judgement call. Some say apply immediately after POE. Some say wait 2 weeks.    Most K-1s who try to get lab SSN before marriage succeed but some fail to do so, usually because of SSA and/or USCIS incompetence and not because the K-1 “tried to soon”.  

[Chancy 6,233]

*** Moved from Moving to the US forum to the SSN sub-forum, where similar topics are discussed ***

 

[Bahrainexpat 12]

Good news, we applied for our SSN on 19-Sept, and they were able to verify us in SAVE-ASVI. We received the SSN in the mail a week later. Also, we married on 30-Sept and applied to change her name on her SSN on 11-October, the SS office was great, they just reverify all original docs again(passport, I-94 and certified marriage certificate). Super smooth.