Lara45

AOS/EAD and Advance Parole were sent to Atlanta on 31st March - I didnt apply for a social security number before we got married as I (stupidly) thought it would save time later on by avoiding a name change. I now also realise that for me to get a driving licence/bank account I need a social security number - can I apply for a social security number AFTER marriage?? Is it worth my while in actually applying now for a number or should I just wait until EAD has been processed??

sibsie

You don't need your SSN to open a bank account.

AlisonPA

Actually you do if you are opening one at Wachovia. My husband wanted to add me to this account and we had one hell of a row with the woman there. I was added to my husband's account at the Bank of America no problem but Wachovia kept quoting some terrorist legislation regarding bank accounts. Needless to say that we will be moving out money out of Wachovia.

Regarding a social security number - I am not sure you will be able to get the SSN before you get your EAD card. I had to take my passport and EAD card to my local SS office - they would not issue one without employment authorisiation.

Ray

Depend a lot upon the State..Here in Florida ..Wachovia are very obliging..and you can open an account with nothing except a passport..

Bluegrass Lass

I bank at a credit union here in KY (only about 10 branches state-wide). They have informed me that yes Scott will need a SSN before they will allow me to add him to my account. Unfortunately since I live in a tiny town, there are no nation-wide banks here that would let us get around the SSN issue.

Scott arrived here last Friday, and we went in to the SSA office yesterday. They told us it will most likely take around 4 weeks or so to get his SSN & the card. All we took was his passport and birth certificate (wasn't really necessary), and a copy of the memo stating that K1's are eligible for a SSN even if they don't have work authorization papers.

Lara, from what others have said, waiting to apply for your SSN until after you are married is somewhat of a gray area (look for a post from SecretGarden). Some SSA offices will state that once you are married, that changes your status, and thus won't give you a SSN until after you get your EAD. Also, we were informed that if we had let the I-94 expire (waited more than 90 days) to apply for a SSN, we would have had a tougher time getting him one.

Good luck!

FlyergirlUK

Same here in MD. Hubby and I opened a joint account with Wachovia prior to marriage, visa or SSN with no difficulties whatsoever, they couldn't have been more obliging.

Danny Davis

Lara,

Unfortunately the answer is NO. You have to have your EAD approved before
you can get an SSN. I wrestled with exactly the same problem. This question
has frustrated many a K1. Sorry but that is the answer.

I am guessing you are in Georgia from your filing in Atlanta. Some states do
make provisions for drivers license. All you can do is ask. Did you have a
DL in your home country? If so, then you should be able to take the state
test and get a license for a foreign citizen. I know you can in Texas.

Hope that helps,
Dan


"Lara45" <member8242@british_expats.com> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    > AOS/EAD and Advance Parole were sent to Atlanta on 31st March - I didnt
    > apply for a social security number before we got married as I (stupidly)
    > thought it would save time later on by avoiding a name change. I now
    > also realise that for me to get a driving licence/bank account I need a
    > social security number - can I apply for a social security number AFTER
    > marriage?? Is it worth my while in actually applying now for a number or
    > should I just wait until EAD has been processed??
    > --
    > Posted via http://britishexpats.com

AlisonPA

The Wacovia bank we went into to change the account was in MD. I do believe that bank officials are like the Immigration officials - you get a different story depending on who you talk to.

sibsie

A lot of the banks telling you about the SSN are referring to the Patriot Act. The Pat Act does not require a SSN to open an account but a lot of banks have adopted it as their own policy.

I've just come back from my bank and wanted to add my SSN to my account as I'm already being taxed. They insisted that my card is in fact work authorisation and a - and I quote "working only number"! I'll be going to a bigger branch tomorrow to sort it out.

AlisonPA

Yep it was the Patriot Act that was quoted to us. Had no idea what it actually says.

sibsie

I had a couple of banks quote that to me when I was trying to open an account. The Act does require that the banks check ID but it does not say that you have to have a SSN. Either try higher up in the chain of command asking them to tell you where exactly the Pat Act says that, or try another bank.

AlisonPA

Just gone on-line at Wachovia and all they need to open a bank account (on line) is a SSN or a Driver's License, StateID or Military ID. Guess it was just the wrong person we spoke to. We will go in at the weekend to another branch.

Michael D. Young

AlisonPA wrote:

    > Originally posted by sibsie
    > > A lot of the banks telling
    > you about the SSN are referring to the Patriot Act. The Pat Act does
    > not require a SSN to open an account but a lot of banks have adopted it
    > as their own policy.
    > >
    > > I've just come back from my bank and wanted to
    > add my SSN to my account as I'm already being taxed. They insisted that
    > my card is in fact work authorisation and a - and I quote "working only
    > number"! I'll be going to a bigger branch tomorrow to sort it out.
    > Yep it was the Patriot Act that was quoted to us. Had no
    > idea what it actually says.

http://www.treasury.gov/press/releas...rts/js7432.doc

On May 9, 2003, the U.S. Treasury, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network
and the federal financial regulators announced final regulations
implementing customer identification and verification requirements under
Section 326 of the USA PATRIOT Act. These new regulations will provide
another tool to protect the U.S. financial system from money laundering,
terrorist financing, identity theft and other forms of fraud.

What it requires:

The rule requires that financial institutions develop a Customer
Identification Program (CIP) that implements reasonable procedures to:
1) Collect identifying information about customers opening an account
2) Verify that the customers are who they say they are
3) Maintain records of the information used to verify their identity
4) Determine whether the customer appears on any list of suspected
terrorists or terrorist organizations

Collecting information:
As part of a Customer Identification Program (CIP), financial institutions
will be required to develop procedures to collect relevant identifying
information including a customer's name, address, date of birth, and a
taxpayer identification number – for individuals, this will likely be a
Social Security number. Foreign nationals without a U.S. taxpayer
identification number could provide a similar government issued
identification number, such as a passport number.

scrubbedexpat099

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Danny Davis
Lara,

Unfortunately the answer is NO. You have to have your EAD approved before
you can get an SSN. I wrestled with exactly the same problem. This question
has frustrated many a K1. Sorry but that is the answer.

Actually the answer is YES.

A KI can, K3 can not, perhaps that is where the confusion arises. I have heard that some have had problems because of SS staff not understanding their own regulations, but I had none.

Not sure why you would not get it asap, so many things require it. I have a bank account but to get online banking I needed a SSN.

Whole process took 6 weeks from arrival and that included a glitch at their end.

lpdiver

The Patriot Act and Immigrations are used as scapegoats a lot here in Louisiana. I now carry copies and ask questions.

I suppose an institution could require a SS# as part of their own regulations. Just don't let them use USCIS or the Patriot Act as an excuse!!!