PuraVida11

You will still check 'allowed to work.'

When your SS card comes, it will be stamped with something that says 'Work with DHS Authorization only' or something of the like. You won't be able to work until EAD.

Ok - thanks much!

Thanks for your responses! So, what I'm hearing, Barbar, is that you didn't give a reason for needing a SSN and weren't asked for one?

Dave&Roza, I see that you said "On the SS-5 form you check legal Alien allowed to work when applying for the SSC." Did you mean that you checked that AFTER applying for AOS, EAD, etc? I didn't think K-1 visas allowed the alien to work until applying for an EAD? We're not getting married until the end of November and will wait to apply for AOS, EAD after that. My fiance's 90 days will be up about 30 days after the wedding (so we won't have his EAD) before the I-94 expires, unfortuantely...

In the K-1 guide on VJ, it's recommended to apply for a SSN approx 2 weeks after POE. I can appreciate why having a SSN would make life easier, since most institutions request it as a primary form of ID. However, in the SS-5 document, it states that:

"If you check "Legal Alien Not Allowed to Work" or "Other," you must provide a document from a U.S. Federal, State, or local government agency that explains why you need a Social Security number and that you meet all the requirements for the government benefit. NOTE: Most agencies do not require that you have a Social Security number. Contact us to see if your reason qualifies for a Social Security number." From: http://www.ssa.gov/online/ss-5.pdf

Since my alien fiance does not intend to work (nor drive) until after adjusting his status after we marry in a couple months, do we need a SSN? And, if so, what reasons/documentation have you provided as part of your application for SSN, as required based on the above statement?

Thanks, in advance, for any advice!

I was addicted, as well! Keep the faith. I'm not sure how Igor's list's metrics work. We got our NOA2 a week ago (NOA1 was 5/12 at CSC) - but today Igor's list says they're only working on May 10th. I imagine you'll hear soon.

For what it's worth, I did call a MN county (Ramsey) office of vital records today to ask for myself, and they said they're not affected by the state gov't shutdown (so you can request a birth cert from the county).

I don't think you need a new version of the birth cert if the old one is in decent enough condition to make a copy (mine from the 70s isn't). But, in MN you can also request a copy of your birth cert from the county you were born in (rather than from the state health dept). And I believe that county employees aren't state employees. You might want to call the county clerk to verify that before showing up.

I can appreciate where the OP is coming from and don't think it's a silly notion (aside from the whole "visa to live together" angle). It would be nice if there were a better visa option for fiance(e)s who want to see if they could be happy in the US. Tourist visas can be quite difficult to obtain in some countries, and they're 'non-immigrant' so your'e committing fraud if you get one and say you have no intention of immigrating.

It's a somewhat romantic notion to think you can love someone enough to be happy anywhere. I don't think that's necessarily true, at least not true for everyone. It's a responsible, mature desire to want to spend some time in the US to determine whether you could be happy there. In addition, you can't allow your relationship to grow at a distance in the same way. Sure, you can fall in love and learn all sorts of things about each other and build a great foundation; you can do that over visits, too. But living in the US together will be inevitably different. You will see a different side of both partners - you will see how the potential immigrant adapts to change and a new environment, and whether that suits the USC. And the foreign citizen will see how the USC is on their home turf - for example, he/she may be more independent and different than when traveling outside the US. And does that suit the foreign partner?

The government makes it hard to allow for such time or "research." There might be more successful marriages of this sort if they did.

Thanks for this helpful post. I realize this is an old thread, but if anyone's still paying attention, do you have any advice for seeking out a lawyer who practices family law and is familiar with prenups and implications if I-864 (per the OP's lawyer's recommendation)? Thanks, in advance!