Social Security Number, Pennsylvania

[Marieke H 2,307]

8 minutes ago, NicolaBolton87 said:

I went to the SSN office 3 weeks after arriving. They told me no. I went again today, they told me no.

 

all I need to know is if I NEED my SSN for any of the AOS process? I know for a fact someone in oregon who just moved on a K1 was asked for it when attending her biometrics.

I was not asked for my SSN during my biometrics appointment. Just the appointment letter, my passport, and our marriage certificate as proof of my name change.

 

So you will be okay without a SSN, but it will be very inconvenient with things like bank accounts, insurance, etc. Plus you are eligible, so it makes no sense that they refuse to do it just because they believe you don't need it. It's up to you to decide if you want to keep fighting with them, I know they can be very frustrating. 

 

You can also just wait, and apply for a SSN with your AOS/EAD after your marriage. There is a checkbox on the form for that. That means you'll be without a SSN until you receive your EAD, but at least you won't need to go to their office anymore.

Edited October 15, 2018 by MariekeH
Added information

[Jeanne Adil 1,651]

27 minutes ago, MariekeH said:

So? They will be soon. Most K1s apply for a SSN before getting married, because it is almost impossible to get one after marriage. I got mine a week after I arrived in the US. They would not allow me to change my name on it after my marriage, so for 7 months my SS card was still in my maiden name, which fortunately was no problem when I opened my bank account. I went back to change the name on my card when I had my EAD.

Getting a SSN can be very challenging for K1.

my husband came on IR1 married over 5 years and we had to show marriage cetificate

and we actually got it thru USCIS as i  had marked the box (but forgot) and SS officer wanted to see our marriage certicate 

how can a foreigner get a SS # until marriage?   that is what the ITIN is for if a foreigner is working here 

[Marieke H 2,307]

5 minutes ago, adil-rafa said:

how can a foreigner get a SS # until marriage?   that is what the ITIN is for if a foreigner is working here 

I (and many other K1s) had a SSN weeks before I got married. It is a restricted card that says "valid for work only with DHS authorization". So you can't work with it, but you can use it to open a bank account, get insurance, etc. A SS card is about more than just work.

[Lemonslice 4,554]

1 hour ago, adil-rafa said:

my husband came on IR1 married over 5 years and we had to show marriage cetificate

and we actually got it thru USCIS as i  had marked the box (but forgot) and SS officer wanted to see our marriage certicate 

how can a foreigner get a SS # until marriage?   that is what the ITIN is for if a foreigner is working here 

Different visas, different processes. K1 are eligible to get their SSN on arrival. 

Edited October 15, 2018 by Lemonslice

[Wuozopo 4,285]

1 hour ago, NicolaBolton87 said:

I went to the SSN office 3 weeks after arriving. They told me no. I went again today, they told me no.

 

all I need to know is if I NEED my SSN for any of the AOS process? I know for a fact someone in oregon who just moved on a K1 was asked for it when attending her biometrics.

You do not need a SSN for AOS. 

 

FACTS:

A K1 is allowed a SSN right up until 14 days before their 90 day I-94 expires.

A K1 can get a SSN before marriage.

A K1 can get a SSN after marriage.

SSA is going to look you up in the S.A.V.E. database to find the name immigration has on record for you. A K1 did not enter with a new married name and that name is not going to be found. Apply in the name you used at POE whether you got married since or not.

 

There are many stories of conflicting experiences at the SSA local offices. Those workers are not always well trained in K1. Ask for a supervisor if told something you think is false. 

 

My experience:

I married and applied for AOS rather quickly, less than 10 days after POE. No SSN on the application.

Then I went to get my SSN the next week.

I have had three biometric appointments and only showed photo ID and my appointment letter with the bar code. 

 

Here is a good USCIS video on the SAVE database https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=es7SH_7Aw9Y

Edited October 15, 2018 by Wuozopo

[Ontarkie 13,916]

~~Duplicate thread merged with existing thread. Another thread with no replies removed. Do Not Start more than one thread for the same or related questions. It is considered spamming and will result in admin action if it continues.~~

[Pennycat 880]

On 10/15/2018 at 2:51 PM, NicolaBolton87 said:

I’m having so much trouble getting a social security number in PA. I’ve been twice now to the office and even took all the information from the SSN website stating that I am eligible for one but it’s just not happening.

 

i went today for the second time and was told I don’t need one right now. I have a friend in Oregon who required a SSN for her biometrics so am I going to have problems when it comes to that if I can’t get one?

 

i also can’t get added to my fiancé’s bank account without a state ID and obviously can’t get a state ID as I’m not a permanent resident. And isn’t that one of the best ways of showing evidence of a bonafide marriage?

 

i’m getting so stressed out. Please help

I do not think that you NEED an SSN for AOS (I personally don't remember from my husband's process) but it will make your life much, much, much easier (the bank account and state ID/ driver's licence is the perfect example) and it is highly recommended. If you don't get it more than two weeks before your I-94 expires (your 90 days), you have to wait until you get EAD and that's going to be about 6 months after you apply for AOS.

 

Who cares what they think you "need". That is not their call. You want it and you are eligible for it and it is their job to give it to you. You need to ask to speak to a supervisor (not sure if this is common in your country, it i snot in my husband's and consequently it took FOUR trips to the DMV to get his state ID... this is simply how things are handled here) and failing that, go to a different office and then turn these incompetent twits in to someone who can discipline or "re-train" them in their duties. 

 

Here's the list of people/ statuses eligible for PA state IDs/ drivers licences. Please note that all three statuses you will pass through in the next year (K1, conditional entrant, permanent resident) require an SSN. http://www.dot.state.pa.us/Public/DVSPubsForms/BDL/BDL Publications/pub 195nc.pdf

 

 

 

 

How to turn the twits in:

Contacting the member of congress who represents your area (this sounds dramatic, it is not, trust me, this was my first job out of college)-- their local office/ district office. Go to their website, there will be some sort of "constituent service" or "trouble with a federal agency" portion (or a number to call). Tell them that you are eligible for an SSN (show them the links provided here) but that X person at Y office is either discriminating against immigrants (be sure to hit home that you are a legal immigrant) or poorly trained/ incompetent to the point that they are about to cause me to miss my narrow window to get an SSN (if I don't get it by X date, I will have to wait for my employment authorization to arrive and right now that is taking 6 months). The consequences of missing this window are inability to get a driver's licence or state ID, bank account etc. This person, through their bias or incompetence is about to cost me 6 or more months without a bank account or drivers licence. You are asking for their help in contacting SSA to confirm that you are eligible for an SSN, that the local offices do not get to choose if you get one based on "need"... eligibility and desire are sufficient, and can they please have SSA communicate that to the local office. This is a very time sensitive issue, you need this resolved by (DATE: I'd put a full month before the I-94 expiry). This may be better coming from your fiance. And personally, I'd call to get the ball rolling faster. Also you may want to try one or both Senators instead, depending on who your member of congress actually IS and how on the ball their district staff is (and, frankly, how willing they are to help immigrants).

 

And even if you sort this out on your own and get an SSN, do this. These people do NOT deserve to have that job if they can't or won't do it. If you feel like being a real pain in the neck about it (I always err on maximum bureaucratic hellfire when dealing with government employees who cross me), write a letter including all of the above information. Send it to that office and make sure you indicate at the bottom that you have CCd your member of congress and SSA's Civil Rights Complaint Adjudication Office. Just to make this person sweat for a few months. They'll not make this mistake again. 

 

Social Security Administration

Civil Rights Complaint Adjudication Office

P.O. Box 17788

Baltimore, MD 21235‐7788

[Pennycat 880]

On 10/15/2018 at 3:58 PM, adil-rafa said:

my husband came on IR1 married over 5 years and we had to show marriage cetificate

and we actually got it thru USCIS as i  had marked the box (but forgot) and SS officer wanted to see our marriage certicate 

how can a foreigner get a SS # until marriage?   that is what the ITIN is for if a foreigner is working here 

K1s can and should get an SSN before marriage https://secure.ssa.gov/apps10/poms.nsf/lnx/0110211530

 

It's  a completely different process to a spouse visa. Spouse visa will have 551 on arrival and so can get SSN whenever they want. K1s need to get it before the I-94 expires (actually two weeks before it expires) or wait until EAD and EAD is taking 6 months these days. It's not valid for employment (it looks like this: https://www.verifyi9.com/restricted-ss-cards-no-longer-accepted/) until EAD arrives (that is the "DHS authorization" in question). But it is good for all the other things you need an SSN for. If these people cause this person to miss the I-94 window, they are signing them up to need to wait 6 months for a bank account, drivers licence etc. This is exactly why K1s are allowed to get SSNs when they arrive.