K1- The Dreaded Social Security Number

[SalishSea 16,912]

2 minutes ago, Sarah n Ryan said:

Yeah, I applied for mine Friday and it was issued already. 
I think it depends on who or where your dealing with in terms of the agent. 
Thank You. 

I did mine online, and the two weeks included transit time.

 

I still recommend being patient, as I haven't heard of any K-1 SSN being received only two weeks after applying.

[Mrs Ryan Carreras 247]

2 minutes ago, Jorgedig said:

I still recommend being patient, as I haven't heard of any K-1 SSN being received only two weeks after applying.

I agree 100 percent. 

I’m leaving well enough alone. 
My main concern is if the wrong box was checked and what DHS reply was but I’m taking it that it means it’s still being verified and not ready to be issued. 
Therefore, I just need to wait. 
I do value your opinion and advice as I’ve read your advice to many on here. 
Thank You for the feedback and taking the time to respond. 
Much appreciated 😊
 

[Loren Y 2,745]

Hit the as office 18 hours after POE at LAX, card in the mailbox 14 days later. It must be the employees that screw up, because how can some people get it no issues, and others it takes months. Have to believe it's human error.

[jaysaldi 209]

On 11/14/2019 at 7:27 AM, DonnieOlena said:

I feel your pain. We applied 9-16-2019 and was told manual verification needed. It has been 8 weeks and I just called and they said need to verify again. Which in a bit shell tells me they didn't do it the first time. Oh well the wait is on again. My wife doesn't understand how the different agencies have such poor communication with each other in the US

 Aren't you running up against the 14 day deadline then?  They won't process the issuance of a card within 14 days of expiration of the I-94. Once you hit day 76 after entry, the window closes if they haven't verified you and started processing it by then. 

[jaysaldi 209]

On 11/14/2019 at 4:00 AM, Sarah n Ryan said:

 

We were married Friday but since he isn’t changing his last name this shouldn’t matter. 
 

It shouldn't matter, but don't volunteer to SSA staff that you have already married and/or adjusted status, as there are multiple reports here of people being told by SSA "Oh, now that you are married we can't issue the card"

[DonnieOlena 74]

4 minutes ago, jaysaldi said:

 Aren't you running up against the 14 day deadline then?  They won't process the issuance of a card within 14 days of expiration of the I-94. Once you hit day 76 after entry, the window closes if they haven't verified you and started processing it by then. 

Yes but nothing I can do about it. Social security does as they please and they all know and won't listen. So we will just have to wait until AOS if not issued with in a week and half. Not the end of the world though

[jaysaldi 209]

Just now, DonnieOlena said:

Yes but nothing I can do about it. Social security does as they please and they all know and won't listen. So we will just have to wait until AOS if not issued with in a week and half. Not the end of the world though

Perhaps you could go back to the SSA office and press the issue while you still have time? I don't know.

[DonnieOlena 74]

2 minutes ago, jaysaldi said:

Perhaps you could go back to the SSA office and press the issue while you still have time? I don't know.

Already did that and called also. 

[Disandyisme 0]

My husband went to ask for the social on the 25th of October and we got his social card on the mail on the 6th of November 

[Mark & Angelina 14]

The issue is you went to social

security office to quick.  It takes the uscis 14 days to process the paperwork from time of US entry. Therefore you need to wait at least 14 days before you apply for a ssn.  We actually had the same issue and got sent a letter saying my fiancé was not in the system and we should call this number.  Instead of calling the number we went to the office and re applied and a week later the card arrived

[scottybrittas 1]

On 11/14/2019 at 3:40 PM, NinaLu said:

because in order to have a state id/driver's license, you are required to have an EAD. Or at least, such is the case in Georgia. 

Yeah it varies by state. I'm in Kentucky and by luck they will issue Driving licenses for K1 Visa holders, which has made things more straightforward for car insurance, ID at airports and bars etc... Unfortunately I don't think Ohio allows K1 visa holders to get a drivers license.

[Mrs Ryan Carreras 247]

Finally had Ryan’s SS number issued. Yay !

Took 3 visits in total as there was a mismatch but finally have it ! 😊

@yoda one for me

[yoda one for me 321]

Oh! That's great! Mine actually arrived around Thanksgiving so it was waiting for me when we got home from visiting family.

[BBGG 57]

Hi everyone, here's my very recent experience with SSN card application (also not without troubles, but all ended well). When preparing for SSN application, I read many posts here on VJ, and I hope information about my experience can also help someone make sense of this process.

 

Short resume:

• I entered the US on Nov 16, 2019 and tried applying for SSN 2 days later, I got “status mismatch”, I was not in DHS database (even though there should have been a good possibility I would get there immediately after entry as some posts on VisaJourney suggest, I guess I was not lucky)
• I tried again on Nov 25, 2019, 9 days after the entry, still not in DHS database, still “status mismatch”. I agreed to manual check (the one that takes up to 4-8 weeks).
• The manual check did not go bad at all, I got my SSN in mail on Dec 9, 2010, 14 days after my application.

 

Details:

 

All application attempts were made before marriage, but I was not going to change my name after marriage anyway.

 

I could not find a good example of a filled out SSN form for a K1 visa holder, so I've shared an example of how I filled out my application here:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/zrwptg383gtv8c5/SSN application K1 visa.pdf?dl=0

 

 

Nov 16, 2019 (Sat) - arrived in the US, port of entry - San Francisco airport (SFO)

 

 

Nov 18, 2019 (Mon) - 2 days from entry, first application attempt, automatic DHS status check failed due to "status mismatch"

 

SSA office: 1538 SW Yamhill St, Portland, OR 97205

 

Officer knew that K1 via was eligible for SSN, no problem here. 

 

First thing I politely asked if I would be able to withdraw my application and come back on another day if the application shows "status mismatch" after DHS check. But the officer explained to me that she would need to enter all my application data first to check my DHS status, and then cancel the application if I decide I want to withdraw it. I agreed to this process.

 

The officer entered all my data from SS-5 application, my I-94, passport, and visa information and asked me a couple additional questions:
- whether I ever applied for SSN before (no, I did not)
- whether I applied for any benefits in the US (no, I did not)

 

After all the data was entered, her system showed "system mismatch". She did not seem to have a clue why exactly that was. She only said: "DHS does not seem to recognize you, we need to request manual check, this will take up to 4 weeks". I asked if I could withdraw my application at this point, she allowed me to do that and said I should come back in two weeks’ time from the date on my entry and not earlier. Only then might I expect my port of entry information to get to DHS. That was already odd as there is information all over VJ that port of entry information is transferred instantly and there is no need to wait for 2 weeks after entry anymore.

 

Nov 22, 2019 (Fri) - 6 days from entry, second application attempt, automatic DHS status check failed due to "status mismatch"

 

SSA office: 1538 SW Yamhill St, Portland, OR 97205 (same as first time)

 

I printed out a new SS-5 form with the new date, other documents were the same. 

 

Another officer entered the same data as before in their computer and asked the same questions. System showed "status mismatch" again. This officer also did not seem to have any useful advice for me and did not give me any clues why there was a status mismatch again. He agreed this "probably" can be because my port of entry information has not reached DHS yet but be was not sure and offered to request manual check. I was not convinced it’s time to give up and go for the 4-8 weeks manual check and asked if I could withdraw my application again so that I could come back and try again on another day. He allowed me to do that with no problem even though he was not sure if it was worth doing.

 

Nov 25, 2019 (Mon) - 9 days from entry, third application attempt, "status mismatch"

 

I tried a new SSA office this time, 11975 SW 2nd St #100, Beaverton, OR 97005

 

This was the day of my wedding, and I decided to make one more attempt before the wedding ceremony. I read on VJ that applications for SSN after the wedding generally fail. But now when I think about that, that maybe because most female applicants change their names and apply for SSN with the new name after the wedding, hence the "mismatch" with DHS database. That should not be my case, I was not going to change name, therefore I could probably wait until the 14th day from entry and apply even after marriage. On the other hand, there is also information on VJ that SSA officers can do as they please, and reject an applicant after marriage on "irrational" and "based on nothing" basis of the applicant's not being a fiancé(e) anymore which mismatches their K1 "fiancé(e) visa". Sounds like total nonsense but I would not be surprised this actually happens sometimes, so I did not want to risk it.

 

During my third application attempt, I used the same documents and got the same questions from the officer. "Status mismatch" again. The officer said something new this time, she said my admission number from I-94 was not recognized by the system. She said "let me try to enter it differently". She tried it, I understood the admission number worked from the second attempt but it did not help anyway as the application still returned "status mismatch" from DHS. The officer did not have any other advice for me and also did not have any answer to why I may be getting "status mismatch". She said that there is no point for me to withdraw my application and try on a later date again (although I felt like she would let me do that if I wanted to). She did not seem to know anything about the “2-weeks waiting time after entry” and did not comment on that. She convinced me I should agree to manual check as it actually “may not take the official 4 weeks”, she said that “these days answer from DHS often comes back on the same or next day”, and if it is positive then SSA will mail me the SSN card right away.

 

It was my wedding day, headache was killing me, and I was so tired and frustrated about all the failed applications that I said yes to manual check. Although I regretted it later as I though the officer was just incompetent, and I should have come back after 14 days from my entry instead of this "manual check". But it was already done.

 

She proceeded with submitting my SSN request in the system. She printed out a letter from SSA stating that my case is under manual check and I may expect my SSN card or negative reply by mail within 4 weeks. The letter also contained my case “reference number”, the officer said I should come to SSA office again and tell them this reference number in case I don't hear from them in 4 weeks. 

 

She asked me if I was planning to change my name after marriage, I said "no", she said that I then DO NOT need to come back and notify them of marriage after I receive my SSN card. She said I only need to come back and notify SSA when I get my work permit (EAD).

 

 

Nov 29, 2019 (Fri) - I filed for AOS+EAD+AP, I was not waiting for SSN to do that, just mentioning this as EAD application's field 13b asks for my SSN (I left it blank) and field 14 asks whether I want an SSN to be issued for me (I checked "Yes" even though my SSN application was already submitted, as described above).

 

 

Dec 3, 2019 (Tue) - I gave a call to SSA on (800) 772-1213 to check the status of my case, they said they cannot tell me the status on the phone if I don't have an SSN (which I don't have because I'm applying for it and that's what my case is about...)

 

Anyway, they told me I need to call Beaverton office where I applied or go there in person with my passport. 

 

I decided to go there in person. When I got to the window with officer, I handed them over the letter that was printed out for me during application on Nov 25. The officer left me waiting for a few minutes, then came back and said that my application is still “pending”. She also took a pen and corrected “up to 4 weeks” to “up to 8 weeks” in my letter and returned it to me. I cannot describe how frustrated and helpless I felt. However things turned out to be not so bad in the end.

 

 

Dec 9, 2019 (Mon) – I got my SSN card in mail! I expected it to be a plastic card, but it’s a card printed on paper. Anyway, it was such a relief that I could now proceed with opening bank accounts, getting driving license and other things.

 

From all I'm reading here on VJ, and from my own limited experience, it does look like very incompetent (at least in visa-holders matters) people work as SSA officers, not only they are clueless when something does not go smoothly, they also may cause problems themselves by entering incorrect data from the application, making typos and mistakes, giving incorrect information to the applicant. This all is also seemingly rooted in poorly organized SSN applicant's data check process and communication between a few entities (port of entry, DHS, SSA).

[Comanutd33 61]

Hey all! So we are going through the dreaded ssn process and of course today after 7 weeks of waiting I found out that he was declined a social security number. And of course when I asked why the agent on the phone said I needed to come in to the office. That’s a 4 hour wait. Anyway

 

I also marked on his AOS package that we wanted to apply for a social security card. What do you all advise we do? Go back to the office or just wait for the social security via AOS package and work authorization card?