Social security numbers for 2 year olds

[Natalie_S 0]

Hi,

We moved to Dallas, Texas a few months ago from London, UK. My husband and I applied for our social security numbers and have received them. We have been trying to sort out health insurance and were told that our 2 year old twins also need social security numbers before we can get health insurance sorted (they didn't mention this before for some reason.) So off I went back to the social security office last week, waited an hour, to be told that the kids aren't eligible for social security numbers as they are not dependants, huh?? My husband has an E-2 visa. The guy explained to me I need to apply for something else first from the USCIS service and office which will take 2/3 months to come through, I was so angry to be honest because what he was saying made no sense at all so haven't yet called the office as I just don't understand it.

Can anyone tell me in lamens terms what I need to actually do if you've been in this position, I'm so concerned about not having health insurance.

Thanks for any help,

Nat

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

I don't know about the E2 visa thing, but a SSN is not required to be on health insurance, so I would talk to a supervisor there.

How did the kids come to the US? It sounds like they don't have visas?

[Natalie_S 0]

They have dependency visas, under my husbands E2. I'm constantly getting differing information on this, so frustrating.

They have dependency visas, under my husbands E2. I'm constantly getting differing information on this, so frustrating.

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

I searched a bit and most of what I found seems to say that an E2 dependent is not eligible for a SSN.

If I were you, I would be talking to the insurance people, because you don't need a SSN to be on insurance. Newborns don't have SSNs and they have insurance.

I think the SSA may have been telling you to get the kids an ITIN number, which is a unique tax-ID number for people who are not eligible for SSNs. But health insurance should be able to deal with a person with no "number." Neither of these numbers are national IDs and strictly speaking, no US person is required to have any of these numbers.

I am sure it is frustrating, Good luck.

[KayDeeCee 4,892]

~ Moved fro Off Topic to Social Security Numbers- topic about getting SSN numbers ~