mikkitango

I'm sorry folks, but I am SO confused about this!! I've been searching for prior posts and the more I read the more confusing it seems. I'm hoping that someone who has been through this recently can clarify for me. I've read posts that say get the SSN right away - go and apply asap after arrival in the US! I've read posts that say wait 2 weeks before going because going too soon only causes delays for you due to systems not having your info!

When is the best time to apply for the SSN?? I KNOW this has been discussed but I've been reading old posts for hours and it just becomes a muddier issue the more I read......

Mikki

ScarlettHill

The BIG point is to get the SSN BFORE you marry. Some people have found it's taken a couple of weeks to get 'on the system', others have been luckier. If it was me doing it over I'd try right away and go back if necessary but please - get it before you marry. I didn't and I'm still waiting 5 months down the line.

Regards
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Scarlett

mikkitango

I appreciate your response, Scarlett, but why is it important to get it before marriage? We don't have a wedding date set yet but were planning on getting married a week or so after I arrive in the U.S. - not time enough for getting the SSN before if it takes a couple of weeks for the info to get 'on the system'. Is this significant enough that we should plan on marrying a little later? Sorry, I'm just trying very hard to understand the implications of it all so that we can make the right decision. Thanks for your help!

Mikki

robclews

If you are in no hurry for the card and can cope with a delay of up to 6 weeks or in some cases longer, then go straight away. You can leave it a couple of weeks and hope your on the system but if your not, its just delayed things even further.

It is best in the case of a woman to get it pre marriage, but then you will have to change it after you marry to alter the name if you are taking your future husbands last name.

With luck the resident SSA guru Michael D Young will enlighten you, if he does, then look no further for information, that guy has it all, plus he lives in Maryland which makes him a good guy.

Rob

ScarlettHill

If you wait till after marriage you are no longer K1 and have no right to get an SSN till after you get an EAD.

I had to wait for the EAD because I didn't apply for SSN before marriage. I came in December, got EAD in March and took it straight to the SS office. Because of new security checks they had to photocopy and send it back into the black hole of BCIS for verification - in May BCIS finally replied to the SS office about my case. Their reply said the SS office had done a poor photocopy of my EAD and I would have to return to SS office to apply all over again, after which they would have to forward it to BCIS all over again. And I have no guarantee they'll accept the SS office's second photocopy. I am a conditional resident now - adjusted status successfully - and I STILL don't have an SSN and therefore still can't work, despite having had a job since before I entered the country. When I asked at my AOS interview if there was anything they could do to help they were sympathetic but said no - the computer would be updated when they processed my green card and at that point I should be able to get an SSN. I'm lucky in that they're processing green cards in Texas within 2 months of AOS so I may not have much longer to wait - but some places take a year to process a green card! I know for a fact I'll have been in the country at least half a year before I get my SSN - and all because I didn't apply before I got married.

You must do what you think best but I keep preaching this because it's the only bit of advice from this group I didn't take seriously enough and I'm paying through the nose every day. I just don't want anyone else to fall down this particular hole.

Regards
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Scarlett

canuk_32

So sorry to hear about your SSN story. I'm sure many readers will be spared the greif you went through because you've shared your experience with us. Thank you
Good luck at getting your SSN soon

Scout

Are you sure about that Scarlett? Pete applied for his SS# after marriage and he already had his temporary EAD( maybe the temporary EAD made a difference with us?). The Social Security office wanted to see his Temp EAD before they sent in the application.

BTW Mikki, we waited the two weeks and Pete still wasn't in the computer. So now we are waiting on the SS# to send us his number. The guy told us it would be 2 weeks to two months to get it but also said it probably wouldn't be too long at all really.

Cheers,

Leslie

crap, why is this always so damned confusing and why must we submit all this paperwork a zillion times? Arrrrrrgh!!!

ScarlettHill

Thanks Canuk!

To be fair I think the SSN thing is the only bit of bad luck I've had - and it was my own fault, really - I was warned but too excited about being with hubby to think of anything but getting married as quick as possible.

Wishing you a speedy process

Regards
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Scarlett

mikkitango

Thanks for all the responses - I do appreciate everyone's input. I guess we never can know ahead of time, can we? It seems there is no consistent experience for a lot of the issues we deal with during this process.

I guess bottom line for me is that I'm stressing too much. I've been a very independent person ever since I left my parent's home at age 17 and the thought of being dependent on someone else is really doing a number on me. My fiance is not concerned and tries to reassure me that all will be okay, but I just have a real hard time accepting the possibility/probability that I will be dependent on him for some time before I can get work there. I've been having SSN/EAD nightmares!! Maybe I should write a separate post asking how other people have handled that!!

Thanks all!

Mikki

P.S. That's over 25 years of being independent for me, by the way - I thought from the beginning that this might bother me, but now that I'm close to moving, it's way beyond "bother" - it's almost full-blown anxiety!

Kiwaberry

I didnt apply for my SSN until after we got married (which took place less then 30 days after entering the US). I never applied for an EAD, they only cared that I had entered the country on a K1 and that I had my marriage cert. showing my change of name. It took less then 2 weeks to get my SS card in the mail. That was 10 months ago, but I think the rules still say having a valid K1 makes you eligable for getting your SSN regardless of getting a seperate EAD.

jeffreyhy

Leslie,

What's a "temporary EAD"? I'm not aware of any EAD, as relates to a marriage-based immigrant, that's valid indefinitely.

Regards, JEff

abba48uk

Kiwiberry is quite right. Provided your K1 is still valid you dont need an EAD to get a SS card. It will probably be marked "not valid for work without BCIS authorisation" (although mine wasnt!!!!). Take the advice here and get the card as soon as possible.

mikkitango

I think Leslie was probably referring to the EAD stamp which is sometimes issued at the POE and is only valid for 90 days.

Thanks for the advice all !

Mikki

ScarlettHill

You were lucky that the person you dealt with didn't know the law. On marrying you are no longer K1, despite the fact that it still has a validity date on your passport. You are no longer a fiance once you have married and the K1 visa validity only applies to the fact that you can enter the country within that time period. Once you enter, the 90 day-period kicks in but it's not clear on the visa, which expires 6 months from visa approval. Technically your K1 visa could still appear valid when you are out of status entirely if you move to the US straight after getting the visa and don't marry within 90 days - the visa would look unexpired but you would be here illegally. Things aren't always as cut and dried as they seem.

You were lucky but others might not be - I wasn't. I got my EAD in March and my K1 didn't expire till April. My K1 in my passport still said valid when I went down the SS office. It didn't help. My advice to apply before marriage stands. Why take a risk when you don't need to?

Regards
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Scarlett

Scout

Pete was issued a 90 day temporary EAD Card (not a stamp) at the Atlanta POE. I think if you get this and what you get tends to vary with POE.

Cheers,

Leslie