Got a job offer... but no GC / SSN yet! (CR1 visa holder)

[HtBlack 4]

Hi all! I finally arrived in the States on my CR-1 visa a few weeks ago, May 22nd and recently started looking for a job because I'm going crazy, staying at home all the time. I found one that felt like a perfect fit, and they interviewed me today and I got the job! They were asking for bilingual English/Italian people, so fantastic for me...

When they called to offer me the job, I got an email from them detailing that when I'll start training (June 29th) I will need to bring in two valid forms of ID. Quoting from the email... "Please bring 2 forms of ID or a US Passport with you on your first day, you cannot start without these. (2 forms of ID: photo ID with social security card/birth certificate)"

When I was interviewed, they made me fill out a form in which I detailed my recent addresses and work experience and they could clearly tell I have lived in Italy all my life until a month ago. They still offered me the job, so I guessed all information was okay for them. But I haven't received my physical Green Card or SSN yet, and I want to let them know about this before the 29th of course. I do know that with my visa I have immediate authorization to work, but how does it work and how can I talk to them about this? Do they look into it themselves, does their HR department...?

I really hope I don't miss the opportunity. :/ it's good money, too and the people seem great!

Thank you in advance for the help. <3

[Shauneg 762]

You should have told them upfront you weren't able to work you. You just went along and assumed they knew you couldn't because of they information you gave them. Sure, at that point it would have been smart of them to ask, but it would have been best if you mentioned it to them. Now you can only just hope you're worth waiting for to them. They are supposed to check that you are legally able to work and why they are asking for those documents now. It's a shame that if they can't wait and have to hire into that position, because you may have burned that bridge for later.

As for who exactly in the company does the research depends which each company. HR is a safe bet to start at....

[Hypnos 6,576]

The OP has a CR-1 visa, so is work-authorised in the US from the day of PoE. Without a social security number though you cannot get paid, which is a bit of a drawback given the 13th Amendment.

You should go to your nearest Social Security Administration office and ask about your social security number. If you asked for it to be automatically processed on your immigration application then has around a 50-50 chance of showing up by itself; since you have a job offer then I wouldn't wait.

An endorsed CR-1 visa is acceptable proof of employment authorisation for I-9 purposes, but it's unlikely they company will actually let you start until you've been issued with a social security number, since technically you cannot be paid without one.

Edited June 18, 2015 by Hypnos

[Shauneg 762]

Sorry, yep even said it in the title.

[HtBlack 4]

Sorry, yep even said it in the title.

That's really okay. Your point still stands, I probably should have mentioned it -- but I had no idea I couldn't work without a SSN. I guess the whole "your passport stamp is work authorization" misled me into thinking it was all I needed...

The OP has a CR-1 visa, so is work-authorised in the US from the day of PoE. Without a social security number though you cannot get paid, which is a bit of a drawback given the 13th Amendment.

You should go to your nearest Social Security Administration office and ask about your social security number. If you asked for it to be automatically processed on your immigration application then has around a 50-50 chance of showing up by itself; since you have a job offer then I wouldn't wait.

An endorsed CR-1 visa is acceptable proof of employment authorisation for I-9 purposes, but it's unlikely they company will actually let you start until you've been issued with a social security number, since technically you cannot be paid without one.

I did ask for it to be automatically processed. I'll go there first thing tomorrow - wow there's even one like five blocks from me - and find out; thank you for the advice on that. I hope it works out, it would be a shame...

[HtBlack 4]

Update: I went to the Social Security Administration office this morning so leaving here what happened, it might help others.

Reminder -- I am on a CR-1 visa, so I already have work authorization. I was only missing the SSN.

I went there and explained the situation, and it was confirmed to me that there was no pending "request" for an SSN on file (whatever, man, I clicked that damn button to ask for it, RAWR), so we did a new one. Clerk told me that for I-9 purposes, having the receipt of a request for SSN works as replacement for the SSN card itself; and that is in fact confirmed in the i-9 instructions. Here:

"If an employee is unable to present a required document (or documents), the employee can present an acceptable receipt in lieu of a document from the Lists of Acceptable Documents on the last page of the form."

(page 4 of the i-9 here http://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/files/form/i-9.pdf )

List C includes the Social Security Number Card, on page 9 of the same document.

My husband came with me at the Social Security Administration but he literally did nothing, so he could have stayed home. I provided my passport and my original birth certificate, nothing else.

Now the last doubt is whether the "two forms of ID" they want me to take on my first day of work are ones I can provide. Here's hoping it all goes well, I emailed the HR lady! (:

[Darnell 8,478]

2 forms of id:

1. passport

2. visa stamp in passport, as it's the I-551 document for you, it's actually an id issued by the U.S.A. Federal Government.

tomorrow, go in to SSA office, you can get the SS number or learn of other problems.

[HtBlack 4]

2 forms of id:

1. passport

2. visa stamp in passport, as it's the I-551 document for you, it's actually an id issued by the U.S.A. Federal Government.

tomorrow, go in to SSA office, you can get the SS number or learn of other problems.

Your reply came in together from the one of the HR lady from the company that offered me the job and you both gave me a quite welcome confirmation. (: thank you! I can't wait to start working, yay.

And I'll definitely go tomorrow, make sure everything's okay and get the SS number.

[Darnell 8,478]

Yay !

do me a favor, would ya?

pass this url around to future SSN chasers, please?

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/405546-ssn-howto/

[HtBlack 4]

Yay !

do me a favor, would ya?

pass this url around to future SSN chasers, please?

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/405546-ssn-howto/

I read through ALL the pages of that topic yesterday and this morning read your introduction again before going in at the Social Security Administration office to make sure I knew what I was doing, it was really useful. You bet I will.