If my husband checked off the box for wanting to apply for his social security number (on the DS-230), how long after his visa approval will he have to wait before he's assigned one? We're trying to figure out a timeline as to when we'll be purchasing a house down there, but cannot even get a pre-approval until he has work status in the States. I just realized that there will most likely be a lag b/w the time of his approval and the time he actually has a social security number, so I'm just curious to know how soon we'll be able to get pre-approved and put a bid in on a house.

As always, thanks in advance for any help!

RM 00202.315 Enumeration At Entry
http://policy.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0100202315

Answer "Yes" to Questions 33a. and 33b.on Form DS-230

He will then need to allow at least 3 weeks to see if the Enumeration
At Entry process works. If he doesn't receive his SSN card within 3
weeks it's time to head on down to your friendly neighborhood
SSA office.

Find office:

http://www.ssa.gov/locator

If he has been assigned an SSN the office can provide him with the
number. However, it is has been over 14 days from the day the SSN was
assigned and he hasn't received the card he will probably need to
apply for a replacement card.

Take proof of age, identity and work authorized alien status.
Proof of age is not needed for a replacement card.

Birth certificate and I-551 card or MRIV with temporary I-551
language and passport should be enough to take into the SSA office.

http://policy.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0100203410
RM 00203.410 Evidence of Alien Status for an SSN Card for an Alien
Lawfully Admitted for Permanent Residence

B. KINDS OF EVIDENCE ESTABLISHING LAPR STATUS

-- I-551, Permanent Resident Card
-- Machine Readable Immigrant Visa with Temporary I-551 Language

Note: The MRIV shows the alien's identification number ("A" number) as
the "Registration Number" in the upper right-hand corner of the MRIV.

If he applies in the SSA office for an original SSN or replacement card
the SSA office will try to verify his status through the SAVE system
while he is in the office. If they can't, they will send a form G-845
to immigration for manual verification. This could delay the assigning
of an SSN and/or issuing a card for weeks and some times months.

If the SSA office does send the G-845, I suggest that he go back to the
SSA office no more than once a week with his documents to (1) ask them to
check SAVE again (2) ask if they sent a G-845 (3) if yes, did it come
back (4) after 30 days ask if they have followed up on the G-845 by
calling or sending another mark "second request."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://policy.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0100203720
RM 00203.720 Verifying Immigration Documents
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://policy.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0100203735
RM 00203.735 Requesting Online (Primary) Verification By SAVE
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
After having waited at least 30 days and your local SSA office doesn't seem too concerned about following up on the G-845 he can try contacting the SSA Regional Office (RO) responsible for your state:

http://www.ssa.gov/pressoffice/natlpocontacts.html

Refer them to this:

http://policy.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0100203740
RM 00203.740 Requesting Additional (Manual) Verification By DHS

B. PROCEDURE – HOW TO REQUEST MANUAL VERIFICATION

STEP 6

DHS should respond to SSA within 15 federal work days after receiving
the Form G-845. If DHS does not respond within 15 federal work days from
the receipt of the G-845 from SSA, follow-up with the DHS, USCIS
Immigration Status office. (Allow 15 days plus five additional federal work days of
mail time for the G-845 to be received at and returned from DHS.

Follow local practice to follow-up with DHS. Some SSA offices have an
arrangement with the DHS, USCIS office to telephone for the follow-up
contact; other SSA offices send a copy of the original G-845 annotated
“second request.”) If the DHS response is still not received within 15
federal work days after the follow-up contact (if the follow-up is by
mail allow five additional federal work days of mail time for the G-845
to be received at and returned from DHS), make a second follow-up
contact. If the DHS response is not received within 15 federal workdays
(again, if the follow-up is by mail, allow five additional federal work
days of mail time for the G-845 to be received at and returned from
DHS), after two follow-ups, contact the RO. Also report to the RO any
trend that shows a serious deviation by DHS from the above time frames.
The RO will consult with central office.

The Enumeration At Entry program is designed to get him the Social Security card within 3 weeks. As long as he has applied for it, he can work (after entry). And, he is work eligible as soon as he crosses the border.
If you are working with a mortgage broker, make him/her earn their keep. Your husband isn't required to have a SS# to apply, and isn't even required to be a PR to qualify for a mortgage. You should be able to start shopping now (for loans). He's not going to have any US credit score anyway, so nothing new will really happen WRT that once he gets here.

Thanks to both of you...

That's what I was wondering, if the process of getting the SSN wouldn't begin until we crossed the border. We'd planned on making another house-hunting trip as soon as everything is approved, so I'm assuming that this border-crossing will be the one when he is work-eligible...?

But if what you're saying, Meauxna, is true, then we shouldn't have to wait that long for pre-approval. We are in fact working with a broker, but he's told us that he would not be able to start anything until my husband has his work status. He will actually be incorporating both of our Canadian credit scores to make up for the fact that my husband will have no US score. He's already told us that, based on our Canadian scores, that we'll have no problem qualifying for an excellent rate, but the hang-up has been the need to wait until his visa is approved.

If we don't have to wait, that would be ideal. It would be nice to have everything in order so that once we're down there, if we see something we like, we can just go for it. Of course, it shouldn't take that long for the pre-approval to go through once everything is approved, but it would be one less thing on our plate, and just plain peace of mind.