Clarifications on SSN and getting married

[valentinanola 17]

Hi guys,

I hope you can help me as I just need some clarifications on how to proceed once I get to the US. I am the beneficiary, my fiance is the american citizen.

I will be entering the US on 3rd February and I'm slightly confused with the chronological order of some of the things we have to file for, I'm trying to make a list of everything we need and mostly WHEN does everything have to be filed.

So below are my questions:

- When arriving to New York, do I need to apply for an SSN number before applying for a marriage licence or I can apply for an SSN after we get married?

- How long after I enter the US should I apply for an SSN? I read somewhere that it isn't advised to do so straight away, but wait a couple of weeks.

- Do I just need my passport and my i-94 form to get an SSN?

- Where do I get my i-94? Is it given to me at the POE or do I have to download from the DHS website?

These questions might be stupid to some, but I just need some help to understand this fully so I hope you can take the time to give me some answers.

Thank you

[Catalina Cuqui 17]

They're not stupid questions. I have the same doubts, and want to know too.

[Hypnos 6,576]

No US state requires you to have an SSN before you can obtain a marriage licence, but if you have an SSN you are obligated by federal law to provide it at the time you make the application.

You can and should apply for an SSN immediately after entering. You used to have to wait a short period to be properly entered into the system, but now that I-94s are electronic you no longer have to do so.

Take your passport, a certified copy of your birth certificate, a printout of your I-94, and a completed SS-5 (application for an SSN) to your nearest SSA office, and you should receive your SSN in the mail within 10-14 days.

You will be able to print out your I-94 from this site following PoE: https://i94.cbp.dhs.gov/I94/#/recent-search

[LionessDeon 2,060]

My then fiance applied for his social security number 2 weeks fter arriving in the USA and prior to our wedding.

He took his original birth certificate (make sure you bring one with you, as you will not get the one you gave the embassy back), his passport with visa in it, and his I-94. We obtained the forms at the SS office to fill out. They called us up to the window and the process took about 5 minutes. He received his card a week later.

This topic has been covered many times here on VJ. You can use the search tool to see those other threads.

Edited October 24, 2016 by LionessDeon

[valentinanola 17]

No US state requires you to have an SSN before you can obtain a marriage licence, but if you have an SSN you are obligated by federal law to provide it at the time you make the application.

You can and should apply for an SSN immediately after entering. You used to have to wait a short period to be properly entered into the system, but now that I-94s are electronic you no longer have to do so.

Take your passport, a certified copy of your birth certificate, a printout of your I-94, and a completed SS-5 (application for an SSN) to your nearest SSA office, and you should receive your SSN in the mail within 10-14 days.

You will be able to print out your I-94 from this site following PoE: https://i94.cbp.dhs.gov/I94/#/recent-search

Thank you SO SO SO SO much. This clarifies everything for me

[valentinanola 17]

My then fiance applied for his social security number 2 weeks fter arriving in the USA and prior to our wedding.

He took his original birth certificate (make sure you bring one with you, as you will not get the one you gave the embassy back), his passport with visa in it, and his I-94. We obtained the forms at the SS office to fill out. They called us up to the window and the process took about 5 minutes. He received his card a week later.

This topic has been covered many times here on VJ. You can use the search tool to see those other threads.

Thank you

[Pitaya 2,576]

easily accessible at the top of the forum page. You will be just about done with the K1 stuff, take a look at the K1 Flowchart: http://www.visajourney.com/content/k1flow

[valentinanola 17]

easily accessible at the top of the forum page. You will be just about done with the K1 stuff, take a look at the K1 Flowchart: http://www.visajourney.com/content/k1flow

With all due respect, I have read that and as it turns out, there have been changes.

This is a great place to gather infos, but some of them are not up to date. Trust me, I HAVE READ ALL THE GUIDES, I only create a topic if I need more clarification.

[Pitaya 2,576]

With all due respect, I have read that and as it turns out, there have been changes.

This is a great place to gather infos, but some of them are not up to date. Trust me, I HAVE READ ALL THE GUIDES, I only create a topic if I need more clarification.

You were asking about the sequence of events after POE, the sequence noted in the Flowchart is still valid. Hence the rationale for my recommendation.

BTW, If it is dated, please be a good forum member, and mention it in a post in the Site Discussion, Updates Forum. The forum administrator would like to know and correct it. Help keep the site current, this is a DIY forum.

Good luck on your immigration journey.

[valentinanola 17]

You were asking about the sequence of events after POE, the sequence noted in the Flowchart is still valid. Hence the rationale for my recommendation.

BTW, If it is dated, please be a good forum member, and mention it in a post in the Site Discussion, Updates Forum. The forum administrator would like to know and correct it. Help keep the site current, this is a DIY forum.

Good luck on your immigration journey.

As you can see, out of four of my questions only one could've been answered by the flowchart, and even still, I wanted clarification.

Thank you for your help and wishes

[Catalina Cuqui 17]

Why do some people always assume we are just lazy and haven't read the guides? Most of us DO, but each case is different and things change.
You cannot ask someone who is asking about something to change the guides, because they don't know for sure. That's why they're asking. haha.

Why do some people always assume we are just lazy and haven't read the guides? Most of us DO, but each case is different and things change.
You cannot ask someone who is asking about something to change the guides, because they don't know for sure. That's why they're asking. haha.

[valentinanola 17]

Why do some people always assume we are just lazy and haven't read the guides? Most of us DO, but each case is different and things change.

You cannot ask someone who is asking about something to change the guides, because they don't know for sure. That's why they're asking. haha.

Why do some people always assume we are just lazy and haven't read the guides? Most of us DO, but each case is different and things change.

You cannot ask someone who is asking about something to change the guides, because they don't know for sure. That's why they're asking. haha.

I wanted to say that, but I thought it wasn't worth it because people might take it the wrong way and I'm not trying to start an argument.

But I 100% agree with you, this is a forum where we are free to open topics if we have inquiries, if the admins don't think they're relevant they can let us know and delete or close them. I said that some information are dated, as you can see that the topic's date and replies are from 5-6 even 10 years ago and even if I don't know if those rules have changed, I WANT and HAVE to make sure because this is a complicated process and we should be here to help each other, not to point out silly things like reading the guides, which I'm sure everyone does (considering the guides are the reason I found out about this forum).

Please do try to be helpful and understanding because we're all on the same boat and we are all entitled to ask clarification where needed without other users stating the obvious and making us feel like we're asking stupid or obvious questions.

Also, not everyone is in their 30s-40s and this might be their first experience with this amount of bureaucracy and paperwork (like myself, given I'm 24 and I never had to deal with this much hassle) so it can definitely be an overwhelming experience and support is always appreciated, regardless of where is coming from.

Have a lovely day everyone!

[Catalina Cuqui 17]

Exactly. I have read guides, books, etc for months, but wasn't sure about the SSN process either, as I've found a lot of contradicting info on the topic. I do have some experience on these matters, having lived in the UK for 1.5 years in the past. But each country is different, and the amount of paperwork for the USA is huge and at times overwhelming.

Good luck with your process! x

[LionessDeon 2,060]

Exactly. I have read guides, books, etc for months, but wasn't sure about the SSN process either, as I've found a lot of contradicting info on the topic. I do have some experience on these matters, having lived in the UK for 1.5 years in the past. But each country is different, and the amount of paperwork for the USA is huge and at times overwhelming.

Good luck with your process! x

Well some of us have been on VJ for a very long time. I know I have seen several posts even just recently that covered this topic. So as one who reads alot of posts and tries to offer help, I noticed that many newcomers ask questions that are easily answered in the guides, the flowchart, the wiki, and the search tool. I have literally seen posts on a topic where someone else posted the exact same question just a few days prior.

So while we old timers don't mind helping out and responding, sometimes the answer are very easily found if you do your own research. I'm not saying you posters here do not but I have told people many times to read the guides because the answer to their question is right there.