Social Security Office are closed to the public

[Lil bear 3,831]

On 4/15/2020 at 5:45 PM, BLM said:

Thank you for the quick and helpful reply! 

One more question, did you apply for a new or corrected card? 

 

I have a SSN from years ago when I was a seasonal worker in the US as a student on a J1 visa. 

I recently got approved for a CR-1 spousal visa and moved to the US, so my last name and immigration status have changed, and I think I qualify for a corrected instead of a new SSN?

 

Thank you for reading all my questions, I'm a little weary of sending my passport by mail, so I wanna gather other people's experiences before I do that. 

Yes..corrected .. but the number won’t change so your need to get through the process isn’t urgent. You have your valid SSN 

[Khayely 1]

Hello everyone! I am under the same dilemma. I was granted a CR-1 visa & arrived in the US on February 21. I don't have my ssn card yet. We tried calling, I think 4 or 5 weeks after my arrival. The lady told us to just wait. I called again today & was referred to Homeland Security, which is pretty confusing for me. I'm frustrated since my husband & I have been married since 2018 in the Philippines & my husband filed joint taxes using my ITIN. So, we have a joint tax refund check from 2018 that we couldn't deposit to the bank because I don't have SSN. I need the SSN to open a bank account. 
 

Another interesting information I found today is that we are not qualified to receive any stimulus check because one of us (that's me) used ITIN & not SSN in filing taxes. 

[Akrapovic 31]

1 hour ago, ProbeGT said:

Did you have to send them a return envelope, or did they just send it back?

Please keep us posted, thanks!

No return envelope. They ended up “interviewing” me at the door and I got the documents back that way. Pretty strange times.

Still waiting for further progress.

[From the Brook 19]

On 4/14/2020 at 3:11 PM, Forrest Fire said:

I moved to Wisconsin on March 24th and have already received my marriage license to get married on May 2nd using just my passport so I'm all set with that. I have also tried to apply for a SSN by filling out my forms and mailing them along with my passport and I-94 and received a phone call today from the SS office telling me that new applicants must be processed in person. He said that if I can provide him with proof that a SSN is mandatory for my AOS filing, then he could book an interview but I'm not sure that it is.

 

Can someone please advise if I can hold off on getting a SSN? My I-94 expires June 21st if that info helps.

I'm not sure if someone else responded to you, but you DO NOT need your SSN for your AOS. When you file the I-765, there is now option to have them assign you an SSN card (Part 2, #14 and #15 mark 'Yes'), so you can do it all at once. Given the circumstances of nothing being open, I think this is the best option. As a Canadian, if you need a US Bank account, try RBC Georgia. You just call in to have them to open an account. I'm not sure what else you'll need an SSN for before you get that employment authorization.

 

Meanwhile, let's hope Trump's tweet was just a bunch of BS and immigration isn't shutting down before we get our stuff approved!

[CJH 1]

Posting here as well, to see if anyone has advice. 
 

My husband came on a K1 and we got married September 2019 and almost immediately applied for his AOS, work permit and travel authorization. His EAD card game end of March but we are waiting for his social security number. We applied for it at the same time with the other paperwork. 
 

Our lawyer said it should have arrived within a couple of weeks after the EAD card, but it didn’t arrive. I called the Social Security line and they said six weeks after the EAD arrives. 
 

anyone have any ideas please?

[klp300 1]

Hello all,

In a similar situation. Wife arrived from in US in early January and has her green card already, but didn't apply for SSN during visa app :( 

 

Things I've learned: 

If you're trying to get a NEW Social security card, or new SSN number, I recommend NOT calling the main IRS national number. I called every day this week, waiting times ranged from 1-2.5 hours, but someone always picked up. Every time the different agents told me that the only thing they could do was provide me the local Social Security office number. One agent did mention the mailing option (listed in a post above), but they didn't recommend it, given how it's basically all your original ID info. 

I then called the various local Social Security office with almost no waiting time, but the three offices told me there was nothing to do but wait until they open up. 

 

So I'd start with calling your local SS offices, keep calling and reaching different people, because they all say different things.  They usually will "have to check with a manager" and ask for a callback number, and they respond within the hour. I'm still calling local offices every day with hope, and will update if anything comes out of it :) 

 

 

[klp300 1]

*EDIT: 

Quote

I recommend NOT calling the main IRS national number

I meant: I recommend NOT calling the main Social Security national number

[BLM 0]

On 4/25/2020 at 8:43 PM, klp300 said:

*EDIT: 

I meant: I recommend NOT calling the main Social Security national number

Where did you find the local offices phone numbers as opposed to the national number?

I'm asking since I've tried looking up 3 different offices near me and they all have the same number, which is the national one. TIA

[Akrapovic 31]

7 minutes ago, BLM said:

Where did you find the local offices phone numbers as opposed to the national number?

I'm asking since I've tried looking up 3 different offices near me and they all have the same number, which is the national one. TIA

https://secure.ssa.gov/ICON/

 

Certain offices don’t seem to have a local number!

[Pat&Jan 25]

On 4/20/2020 at 11:25 AM, Pat&Jan said:

My fiancee is on the same boat as many here. We went to the local SSA office on March 13 and was given a letter stating that additional verification would be needed, which could take up to 4 weeks.

The SAVE database has already said "Case Returned to Agency" for several weeks now but we haven't received the SSN card in the mail. Today, I was able to call the local office (use https://secure.ssa.gov/ICON/ to find the number) and the man on the phone said they had to "push" the application through and I should receive it in two weeks. 

UPDATE: Finally received my fiancee's SSN card in the mail today.

[klp300 1]

I was able to locate my local office numbers before  I called the national office by just searching "social security office" and my zip code... so I guess I was lucky in that respect... they were 1800-looking numbers, not the local area code numbers, but when I called each one it connected me to the local office. 

 

I do understand that some offices aren't listed... so in that case, the national number would definitely be able to provide the numbers to you if they aren't listed online... you might have to suffer the wait times. I found that calling in late afternoon resulted in shorter (1hour) wait times than the morning. 

 

*Update: I received a call back and voice message from one of my local offices today, but didn't realise until the office was closed. They sounded hopeful that we could schedule an emergency visit but needed to ask a few more questions, they also left their extension so communication will remain congruent.. Will update when I connect with them tomorrow. FINGERS CROSSED. 

[klp300 1]

13 hours ago, BLM said:

Where did you find the local offices phone numbers as opposed to the national number?

I'm asking since I've tried looking up 3 different offices near me and they all have the same number, which is the national one. TIA

I thought the numbers were the same as the national one too, because they were 1800 numbers, not local area code numbers... Have you tried calling them? If you haven't tried calling them, I'd try and there shouldn't be any wait... it should say "thank you for calling "your city name's" social security office", then there's a menu and little to no wait time. 

Hope you can connect. 

[Anthony446 51]

4 hours ago, Pat&Jan said:

UPDATE: Finally received my fiancee's SSN card in the mail today.

any tips on how to get them to push it through? I called but they said just wait a little longer or come into the office when it reopens

[klp300 1]

25 minutes ago, Anthony446 said:

any tips on how to get them to push it through? I called but they said just wait a little longer or come into the office when it reopens

I guess it depends on why you're requesting the SSN now... for me it's for her to apply for the Stimulus Package which has been updated as of 4/26 to include alien permanent residents who didn't need to file taxes 2019, but must have a SSN. (My spouse hasn't earned any US income and was out of the country, only receiving her green card in January and hasn't worked in the US since.The spouse would have to apply for the package through the "Non-filers" portal, different from the general "get my payment" one. From the IRS site:

Quote

U.S. citizens, permanent residents or qualifying resident alienswho:

• Have a valid Social Security number,
• Could not be claimed as a dependent of another taxpayer, and
• Had adjusted gross income under certain limits.

So I would stress the need for an SSN for the stimulus package. Of course, I don't know your tax situation/ filling separately or jointly. 

I'll update again tomorrow following the phone call. 

 

*** I see that Anthony446 is (from/living in) Canada? Didn't realise that until after posting. 

Edited April 27, 2020 by klp300
didn't realise info

[Akrapovic 31]

5 hours ago, Pat&Jan said:

UPDATE: Finally received my fiancee's SSN card in the mail today.

Thanks for the update. Good to know that they haven't completely shut down. I received an update from the SSA that it would take 2 more weeks.