What is needed for Social Security number? - Russian Ukrainian Belarus Travel Music Woman Dating News

	The Russian Meeting Place: A place to meet people and talk about all things Russian... International Discussions about Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Travel, Music, Russian News, Ukrainian culture, Belarusian Dating, Moscow, Saint Petersburg, Kiev and other intelligent topics about life in the former Soviet Union.

Pages: 1

What is needed for Social Security number?
(Click here to view the original thread with full colors/images)

Posted by: cdt

Hoping someone can help me on the following two questions...

My girlfriend arrived on a K1 visa. She was processed at the port of entry and received a A#.

1. Now, can she apply for and obtain a SSN prior to marriage? What documents would one need to take to the Social security office? they talk on their website about needing proof of residency in your state like a utility bill, but this would not apply.

2. Also, can she obtain Employment authorization prior to marriage...that is, does a K1 visa permit this?

Thanks for any help,

Chris

Posted by: Caritas

1. As soon as she arrived, she can apply for a SSN at your local SSA office. She needs to present: 1. a valid passport with a valid visa, 2. An I-94 form (aka "White card") attached to her passport. Her maiden name will be used on her SSN card, and after you are married she will need to apply for a last name change. (If she decides to keep her maiden name, it won't be necessary).
2. She is authorized to work in the US as long as her visa K-1 is valid - 90 days. Little red stamp across her visa is her Employment authorization for this period of time. Although an immigration officer at the POE could skip this procedure. Don't ask me why, but only one POE follows the procedure precisely and issues Employment Authorization stamp even without asking or reminding - JFK. If your fiancйe hasn't gotten such a stamp at the arrival - she cannot get it now. You need to get married first and after that to apply for AOS and EAD (and for Travel document if needed).

Posted by: rams

My former fiancee' and I are now married, we applied for an SS card before her visa ran out, but were told we needed a work permit first (not what I had previously read). Now her visa has expired, what is the best way to get her SS# now??

Posted by: Caritas

If her K-1 visa is expired, you guys have two choices:
1. To obtain an EAD card (Employment Authorization Document, aka "a work permit") and present it at a SSA office as a proof of her legal status. A SSN card will be issued on her new, married name (if she has changed it) and will have a note on it: "valid to work with the INS authorization only". Or something like that. I'm sorry, I've forgotten how exactly they put it. After your wife will get her GC, she will need to exchange the SSN card in order to remove this phrase.
2. Do nothing until she gets her GC. Get the GC, go to the SSA office, and apply for a normal SSN card - without any silly notes on it.

Anyway, good luck.

Posted by: golek

Yes, we did just what Caritas is advising. It is not necessary to have the EAD prior to getting the SS# and you should do this before you're I-94 expires or you will have problems.

If you can, try to go ahead and get a driver's license prior to the expiration of the I-94. We had difficulties, because although my wife had her SS card passport, marriage license, and NOA proving that her AOS was in process, the workers at the Drivers License office wouldn't issue her a license or ID card because she "didn't have a valid green card". It didn't matter that how long USCIS took processing her AOS, since her original I-94 was expired, they had to see a Green Card and only a Green Card. I had to go to the State director of Drivers Licenses in our state captial to explain our situation and to get her personal authorization. Apparently, she made some calls to our local office, because the next time we went there, they knew who my wife was and gave us the license no problem. One of the benefits of living in a sparsely populated state

States are scrambling to tighten their drivers licensing laws since 9-11 and often those waiting in limbo between expiration of the I-94 and Green Card find themselves in a difficult situation.