So I'm wondering if there's anyone else here who didnt come in on a K1 visa and can help me out with this.....

We just got the EAD in the mail on Saturday. I went to the SS Office on Monday and was told that they couldnt issue us a number yet because my wife wasnt in their system yet. Then they had the nerve to give me a piece of paper that said they couldnt issue me a number because WE hadnt provided enough information. WTF is that? I gave them all the information they needed, its not my fault that Homeland Security cant update their freakin' database in a timely fashion......

Anyways, does anyone know about how long it will take for my wife to show up in the database? They told us 14 days, but is that from the time the card was approved (the card production ordered email) or what? If so, is it always exactly 14 days? Because I've noticed that a lot of times things go faster. For example the card production email said to allow 30 days for the card to arrive and it arrived in 4....

I really hope its not another week.... I got her a job lined up now, and it might not be available in another week. They should just accept the freaking EAD card as proof and give me a receipt that a SS number is pending so that she can get a job.

My Hubby came in on a K-3....When we received his EAD we took that along with our marriage certificate [w/English translation], his passport, and his birth certificate in the original language and the English traslation... He got his SS card 4 days later.
What all did you take as proof?

Mary K.

I have heard that it takes 14 days... However if you're close enough to the office I would go every couple of days if you're anxious to get her SSN

We took her passport, marriage certificate, EAD card, and translated birth certificate.....

We live about 10 minutes from the office. I think I'm gonna go like every day....

We went yesterday and still no dice. The card was issued on 5/10 and yesterday was 5/24, which would be 14 days according to my math......

They told me to come back again next week....

Anyways, the employer that I found called the Dept of Labor and they told them that all my wife needs to work is the EAD, that a SS# isnt necessary.... So she's gonna start next week! We are so excited! Hopefully next week they'll get her name in the computer so we can get the freakin' SS# too.... They are so slow sometimes....

Next time you visit SSA, ask them if they sent an electronic request for verification of your wife's work authorization. If they have and it's already been 2 weeks since they sent it, ask them to do a manual verification.

Your wife may find that the letter she has stating that she is not yet eligible for a SSN will suffice in the first instance - it is at least something an employer can put on file in the very short term, whilst you're waiting for the number.

I came in on the VWP, and had the same problems. My local SSO were kind enough to supply me with the number before the card arrived, since I was able to show photo ID. You may be able to get that from them too.

Good luck!

When requesting an SSN card, the documents presented, as evidence must be either originals or copies certified by the issuing agency. SSA will not accept uncertified or notarized photocopies as evidence.

"If the applicant has no immediate need for the SSN and the translation can be done promptly or the foreign language document is the only evidence available; have the document translated by an authorized translator and use the document as evidence. If the applicant has a pressing need for an SSN, and evidence other than the foreign language document is available; request other evidence and process the application without the foreign language document."

RM 00203.040 Reviewing SSN Evidence:

http://policy.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0100203040#B3

GN 00301.340 Authorized Translators Defined:

http://policy.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0200301340

If a foreign-born person has the foreign birth certificate (BC) in his/her possession or can easily obtain a copy, he or she must submit it as proof of age. When a person is foreign-born, a BC may not exist, may not have been recorded shortly after birth, or the probative value of the document may not be high. In these situations, SSA can accept alternative evidence of age in order of probative value. The alternative evidence of age may be less than a year old, e.g., a DHS document or passport.

You can find detailed information regarding evidence that establishes age on the SSA Website at:

http://policy.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0100203110

SSA isn't going to accept a translation of a document you provide.

Well it turns out that a birth cert isnt needed anyways. All they needed was our marriage cert (original), her EAD card, and her Mexican passport.

But as I stated above, it doesnt really matter seeing as how she STILL isnt in the freaking system even though its been over 14 days since the card was issued..... I'm hoping that by next Tuesday (like almost 20 days later) she'll be in there...

It has been my observation that when you have a pending AOS and an EAD card is issued, for some reason that info doesn't get updated to SAVE.

As I have explained the SSA office not being able to verify your status on the intial SAVE query could be due to a name misspelling or incorrect date of birth being listed, so it's not 100% that the EAD status hasn't updated to SAVE. Hopefully, in your case the secondary electronic verification will verify her status.

She just needs to go back to the office to see if the secondary request was made and if so, has it come back. Immigration could respond that they want to see copies of her documents, in that case they will be sent along with a Form G-845 for manual verification.

Secondary electronic verification is supposed to be done within 15 business days and the manual verification is supposed to be done in 20 business days.

We went today and they sent it off to be verified and said that it might take up to 4 weeks to get it verified, with it taking another 2 weeks to receive the card after that.

However, they DID give me what I was really wanting, which is a letter saying that we applied and that it is legal for her to work with the EAD while the number is pending! I was sooo happy to get that letter. Thats what I was really needing.... I dont really care about the SS# hahaa.... Ok well yea, I do, but right now the important thing is that she can work!