Wife Recommended For Approval & Social Security Question

[worrywart2013 2]

Wife got recommended for approval at her interview yesterday. Of all the stuff we worried about, what the issue was that she had a State ID and not a driver's license. The AO was concerned she hadn't disclosed a DUI / DWI or a suspension of her license. She explained she doesn't drive and has never had a US or Canadian driver's license. He went back over her paperwork and double checked everything. Her background check was clean so he accepted her word and decided not to follow up on it. Said she should be sworn in at some point in the next 90 days.

Word of advice to anyone using a State ID and never had a US license (like my wife): Get a thing from the DMV showing that you have no record.

Next question: After she's sworn in, I know we have to update her Social Security record, but how long do we have to do that? I know you're not supposed to do it sooner than 10 business days.

* However, I was reading a guide online that said it's better for her to get her passport first then update her social security record. Is there's a time limit that you have to update your record within?

* And what do if we do if there's a mistake in her file regarding her citizenship status: SSA having listing her as a US citizenship from 2004 and on while she was an LPR when she was issued the number in 2004? We know she showed her GC and Canadian birth-certificate when she applied for her SS#. She would have had too, she couldn't have gotten it otherwise.
-- Is that something that should have popped on her background check if they had done that?

-- what do we do if they have made a mistake and have had her listed as a US citizen this whole time without us knowing?

Probably worrying over nothing. Yet, after the issue with the State ID, I'm going back over everything in my head.

[VanessaTony 3,567]

1. After she's sworn in, I know we have to update her Social Security record, but how long do we have to do that? I know you're not supposed to do it sooner than 10 business days.

2. However, I was reading a guide online that said it's better for her to get her passport first then update her social security record. Is there's a time limit that you have to update your record within?

3. And what do if we do if there's a mistake in her file regarding her citizenship status: SSA having listing her as a US citizenship from 2004 and on while she was an LPR when she was issued the number in 2004? We know she showed her GC and Canadian birth-certificate when she applied for her SS#. She would have had too, she couldn't have gotten it otherwise.

a. Is that something that should have popped on her background check if they had done that?

b. what do we do if they have made a mistake and have had her listed as a US citizen this whole time without us knowing?

Probably worrying over nothing. Yet, after the issue with the State ID, I'm going back over everything in my head.

1. I naturalised last month. I still haven't updated (haven't had the time quite honestly). There is no "deadline" to do it, but I would personally recommend doing it asap.

2. I don't know why you'd need the passport first.. maybe as another form of ID? I'll do the SSA and then passport. Reason being they keep the certificate until the passport app is complete. I also haven't done this yet.

3. I really have no idea why you're remotely worried about this. As my answer below states, it would have "popped" at some point and she'd have been asked about it.

a. yes.

b. it's extremely unlikely and nothing you can do... or should worry about doing.

[worrywart2013 2]

That's what I keep thinking: if there was an error in her social security file (her being listed as a USC when she was LPR) that should have tossed up a red-flag when they ran the number. The USCIS would have pulled her SS#'s record as part of the look back.

If it is screwed up (and I'm 99.9999999999% positive it isn't, but speaking in hypothetical) is that something she could get in trouble for with the USCIS post naturalization or do they just fix the error and move on with the day?

It's in my nature to find the worm in the apple. And I'm kicking myself for not thinking about the State ID thing (yeah, he took it in stride, but I'm just pissed that I didn't think to get a thing from the DMV showing that she had not license). So I'm in major second-guess everything mode right now.

[otta 7]

It's in my nature to find the worm in the apple. And I'm kicking myself for not thinking about the State ID thing (yeah, he took it in stride, but I'm just pissed that I didn't think to get a thing from the DMV showing that she had not license). So I'm in major second-guess everything mode right now.

Just let it go. Nothing happened! I really think the IO picking on your wife for not having a DL is HIGHLY unusual; maybe he himself had had his license revoked for a DUI, hence the suspicion? I've never had a DL and know other people who also became naturalized citizens using only a State ID in the process. And this issue never came up, because it's a non-issue. You couldn't have anticipated this curveball. Granted, here in NYC it's common to not have a license, as people mostly take public transit / bike / walk, but my close friend recently went through the N400 process in Kansas, where she is definitely unusual for not having a DL, and this also was never brought up by her IO. I'm telling you, your IO must have had a bad day or... personal DUI experience!

On another note, as an avid cyclist and public transit user, I'm saddened by the fact that some people may see not driving as suspicious. I know many places in the US don't even have sidewalks, not to mention good public transit or bike paths, but I know people who choose to live in such places without a car and are doing fine. Your driver's license story from the interview was a major #######? for me. It's upsetting, because not driving is a lifestyle choice for some, and a life circumstance for others who simply can't afford a car. The way your wife's IO sees the world seems discriminatory for any poor applicants who go before him. He just *imagines* things to be a certain way with his rather limited worldview and understanding of people's lives. Sad.

So, in all... Congrats on passing the interview!

Edited October 31, 2013 by otta

[worrywart2013 2]

I know, I know. It's just one of those things that kind of sticks in your craw; forgot all about the fact that even people that don't drive around here, usually have a DL unless they've had it pulled by the court. That's why I keep mentally going over the SS# stuff; looking for something else we've missed.

I know there's no way she could have gotten the number without her GC. I know there's like 0% chance that they've got the wrong status on her file cause she would have shown them her GC when she applied. But I keep wondering what happens if they do? How much trouble can she get into if it's screwed up? If she's listed as a citizen instead of LPR on her SSA account can they try to pull her naturalization? If it is screwed up, shouldn't the USCIS have seen it and questioned it during the N-400 process?

Called the local SSA office, and the CSR that handles updates wants birth-cert, marriage cert, photo id, naturalization cert, and passport before she'll update the file.

[worrywart2013 2]

Going over and putting away some paperwork. Going by the SSA's own guidelines, even if she had a check "US Citizen" by accident on her SS# application (we're pretty positive she didn't but in case that had happened) in '04, it should have been caught when she presented her proof of citizenship and identity it documents to the SSA clerk, not to mention the I-551 (Greencard). If it is (hypothetically) wrong, the mistake had to happen on their end. Not to mention, in the last 10 years it should have flagged somewhere on any of the number of background checks she's had. And if it wasn't caught there, it should have been caught by the USCIS when they did their background checks. Not entirely sure if it is (hypothetically) screwed up, it would be anything we'd need to worry about in regards to the USCIS, just fix it at the SSA office.

For it to be (hypothetically) screwed up on our end, she's have had to lie and present fake documents showing her to a be a USC to the SSA clerk. Otherwise, it would have been caught at the office level when we turned the papers in.