Social Security Card Name Change After Marriage Difficulties 2026 Before AOS

[J.M. 362]

2 hours ago, Aquabac said:

I'd like to read the full section and see which RM is referenced.

Learn what documents you will need to get a Social Security Card | SSA

 

Select the appropriate boxes on the left of the page and it will lead you right to what I posted.

[Aquabac 20]

4 hours ago, J.M. said:

Learn what documents you will need to get a Social Security Card | SSA

 

Select the appropriate boxes on the left of the page and it will lead you right to what I posted.

That is what you need to get a social security card.
Not what you need to make a name change.

 

[J.M. 362]

18 minutes ago, Aquabac said:

That is what you need to get a social security card.
Not what you need to make a name change.

If you would select the appropriate boxes as I suggested, you would see this:

Corrected Card for a Noncitizen Adult

If you change your name, become a U.S. citizen, or your immigration status or work authorization has changed, you need to tell Social Security so we can update our records and when necessary, issue a new card.

 

[Aquabac 20]

10 minutes ago, J.M. said:

If you would select the appropriate boxes as I suggested, you would see this:

Corrected Card for a Noncitizen Adult

If you change your name, become a U.S. citizen, or your immigration status or work authorization has changed, you need to tell Social Security so we can update our records and when necessary, issue a new card.

 

Thank you.
 I did not consider "correct" to be a name change.
Clicked on it and saw what you are referencing 

[J.M. 362]

It's a government website.  It is supposed to be difficult to find things, even if you know exactly what you are looking for.

[rbv_shard 67]

Feels like you are missing the forest for the trees.

 

You can open joint accounts, using your wife's married name, by providing a copy of the marriage certificate to the financial institution along with SS card even though that card still has maiden name (as does her identity document - Filipino passport).  The marriage certificate is a name change document that allows the bank to use a newer name than on the card.

 

You can simultaneously file ROM with the embassy and start the process of getting a passport in married name, and that also won't need married name on SS card.

Edited Saturday at 10:05 PM by rbv_shard

[Aquabac 20]

15 hours ago, rbv_shard said:

Feels like you are missing the forest for the trees.

 

You can open joint accounts, using your wife's married name, by providing a copy of the marriage certificate to the financial institution along with SS card even though that card still has maiden name (as does her identity document - Filipino passport).  The marriage certificate is a name change document that allows the bank to use a newer name than on the card.

 

You can simultaneously file ROM with the embassy and start the process of getting a passport in married name, and that also won't need married name on SS card.

Thanks.
That's what i thought when I went to the bank with her.
The bank employee said the SSN card  had to be in the married name.
I know a bit about finance laws and regs and disagreed but my knowledge is over 10 years old and thought it had changed.
Now that you posted this you got me thinking I should have checked that more thoroughly.
Sometimes  employees state their policies are law when they are simply the financial institution's  policies.

 

I scheduled an appointment with my other bank for next  week to  see what they say.
I'll post what happens afterwards.


 

[rbv_shard 67]

51 minutes ago, Aquabac said:

Sometimes  employees state their policies are law when they are simply the financial institution's  policies.

 

This is definitely the explanation.  Searching online, I've found some banks that have a policy that a new SS card must be brought to process the name change, and others accept one photo ID (drivers license) and one additional proof of name and address (like a utility bill), plus the name change document (marriage certificate).