Social security number for CR1 visa holder

[cordoba2015 224]

1 minute ago, bcking said:

We went to the SS office 2 days ago (about 5 weeks after her arrival) to apply.

 

Social Security officer at the desk said her information wasn't in the "Immigration system" yet, so we couldn't actually apply. He took all of our paperwork for the application and said that as soon as it enters the system they can apply, but they don't control it entering the system (it's a Immigration services thing). He said it could take up to another 4 weeks (but I sense it is similar to all government departments...we contact them in 4 weeks if it hasn't happened, and then it is another 4 weeks or something random).

 

She may end up with her Green Card before the social security number. 

Wow, amazing how they can just let something like this slip through the cracks. I sincerely hope you guys get it soon, and I am hoping we do not have to go down to the office here. 

 

They say on an immigrant visa you can get started right away in the US, since there is no AOS, but without a SS card or green card, it kind of makes it hard for her to get started with normal life here. 

[bcking 3,157]

1 minute ago, cordoba2015 said:

Wow, amazing how they can just let something like this slip through the cracks. I sincerely hope you guys get it soon, and I am hoping we do not have to go down to the office here. 

 

They say on an immigrant visa you can get started right away in the US, since there is no AOS, but without a SS card or green card, it kind of makes it hard for her to get started with normal life here. 

My wife is looking for jobs (there aren't many in her sector right now), though she isn't quite sure what would happen if she gets one. The visa in the passport is technically a "Green card" (A temporary one that is good for a year), but without an SS number not sure how the company would pay her. 

[cordoba2015 224]

2 minutes ago, bcking said:

My wife is looking for jobs (there aren't many in her sector right now), though she isn't quite sure what would happen if she gets one. The visa in the passport is technically a "Green card" (A temporary one that is good for a year), but without an SS number not sure how the company would pay her. 

Yeah, I was thinking the same thing. She may have to wait to get her SS number before she even starts applying. And I dont know how I would get her health insurance if she doesnt even have her SS number yet. 

 

I also wonder if maybe some employers would avoid hiring her just to avoid dealing with someone who isnt fully in the "system" yet. Even if she has the visa, if the employer has no clue about that sort of thing, maybe they would rather not deal with it and hire someone who at least has SS.

[cordoba2015 224]

We received the green card in the mail on Saturday. Still no sign of the social security card.

[cordoba2015 224]

So an update on our SSN: It has been almost 6 weeks since POE and no card has arrived in the mail. We went to the Social Security office today and they told us my wife was nowhere to be found in the system. I could only laugh and remember what it says on the Social Security website:

 

"If you apply for a Social Security number (SSN) card when you apply for an immigrant visa, you can save yourself time and worry. If you use this process, you won't have to:

• Find a Social Security office near your new home;
  
  
   
• Go in person to the Social Security office;
  
  
   
• Wait in line;
  
  
   
• Apply for a Social Security number at a local Social Security office.

Instead, the U.S. government will use the same information that you give to apply for an immigrant visa to apply for an SSN. Then, once you arrive in the U.S., you can expect your SSN card at your mailing address in about 3 weeks.

One less thing to worry about as you settle in your new country!"

 

Wow, so we basically ended up doing everything they say we wouldn't have to do by applying with the visa. What a completely idiotic message to put on the website when there are clearly many issues with applying for a SSN on the visa application. They make a point to showcase on their website everything those of us not fortunate enough to have the system work as it should have to worry about. They suck!

 

Haha, had to get that off my chest. Anyway, we were waiting about an hour up to that point and all I can say is that the people waiting along with you are quite the colorful cast of weirdos. Those government benefits offices sure do attract some real clowns. Pretty shady crowd and shady part of town.

 

We made it through the line, presented green card and birth certificate, and 10 minutes later we were told we would be receiving the SSN card in the mail within 2 weeks. Problem solved, no thanks to the very sucky system they have in place for you to check a box that may or may not (most likely not) result in you getting your SSN automatically sent shortly after POE. Why would anyone check no on the visa application? Why not just automatically apply for SSN for everyone? Is there anyone who would really not want to automatically apply for SSN, or do they think we really want to waste our time with a bunch of weirdos? Obviously not the case, because they posted on their website that it is a benefit to not have to wait in their awful office with those people! Rant over.

[kookee 9]

It's 2018 now and everything is still the same. I called both NVC and SSA but no one knows about this type of SSN application. What a joke!

[zeljuu 21]

On 10/15/2018 at 4:25 PM, kookee said:

It's 2018 now and everything is still the same. I called both NVC and SSA but no one knows about this type of SSN application. What a joke!

 

Here to report the same, we received the permanent resident card on Nov  20th 2018. A little over 6 weeks after POE and still no sign of the Social Security Card, I checked the site that was posted in this thread for the status and there is no sign of the case for an SSN having been opened for my wife.

 

In any case I am prepared for a trip to the local SS Office.. Fortunately not in a shady area of town but once again as someone said, it's sort of a pain that you need to stay on top of this especially when there's a checkbox and statement in the Visa application to generate this automatically.

 

I'm very thankful for this site, it's an understatement to say if not for the community on here we would be left even more so in the dark than we already are with this process.

Edited November 28, 2018 by ZakMrak

[Elrona 101]

Just for the records, received SSN card in mail 11 days after POE.

[Agie3105 41]

Hi Peeps

I've been admitted as a LPR on September 29 and still waiting for my SSN to arrive (I checked the box on the DS260 form). I called the SSA number I was given by the DoS and the chap on the phone was absolutely clueless. I guess a trip to the local SSA it is.. The US government is so bloody inefficient it hurts...

[Just Paul 4,591]

1 hour ago, Agie3105 said:

Hi Peeps

I've been admitted as a LPR on September 29 and still waiting for my SSN to arrive (I checked the box on the DS260 form). I called the SSA number I was given by the DoS and the chap on the phone was absolutely clueless. I guess a trip to the local SSA it is.. The US government is so bloody inefficient it hurts...

Head to the SSA office.

[msrainyj 68]

Here to report the same issues with the SSN process. Still waiting. Checked the box to apply with the visa application and saw on paperwork that SS card would arrive in 3 weeks. Went to the office no record of any application. They sent one on our behalf which is still pending with Department of Homeland Security. Seems to be the luck of the draw for those who got their card no issues. For us it has been a nightmare since my husband got here. They wouldn't accept his passport because the wonderful CBP who stamped my husband in at POE didn't make the stamp visible. Had to drive to another airport closer to me to get it corrected.

[Agie3105 41]

8 minutes ago, msrainyj said:

Here to report the same issues with the SSN process. Still waiting. Checked the box to apply with the visa application and saw on paperwork that SS card would arrive in 3 weeks. Went to the office no record of any application. They sent one on our behalf which is still pending with Department of Homeland Security. Seems to be the luck of the draw for those who got their card no issues. For us it has been a nightmare since my husband got here. They wouldn't accept his passport because the wonderful CBP who stamped my husband in at POE didn't make the stamp visible. Had to drive to another airport closer to me to get it corrected.

I'm sorry to hear that 😔 for me, the cbp obviously didn't do the job properly either because after the long three weeks of waiting, I decided to go into a SSA office and the lady there mentioned I wasn't even in the system! So she had to sort everything out for me there. I'd say don't even bother waiting for them, go in to the office and sort it out with them! 

[gonzolux 82]

Sorry for difficulties! My husband arrived on a CR1 visa on October 26th. We checked the box to apply for his SSN on his visa application. His Social Security Card came in the mail yesterday (11/4/2019). (We ignored the customs officer who told him to go to the SSA office ASAP because we knew we had already applied.)

[Agie3105 41]

26 minutes ago, gonzolux said:

Sorry for difficulties! My husband arrived on a CR1 visa on October 26th. We checked the box to apply for his SSN on his visa application. His Social Security Card came in the mail yesterday (11/4/2019). (We ignored the customs officer who told him to go to the SSA office ASAP because we knew we had already applied.)

That's awesome, glad it worked for you. It definitely didn't for me. Hope they manage to send out my green card..... 

[Enemyz 4]

Monday will be 3 weeks for my wife and she still hasn't got anything from the ss and we also had checked the box on the ds-260. Does it sometimes take longer or are we part of the unlucky ones that ran into the issue as others.