Delay of social security card - advice needed

[cymbalseatguitars 24]

Hello all,

 

I arrived in the U.S in early March on a K-1. My arrival coincided with the point at which lockdown measures were imminent. I applied for a social security number 4 days after I arrived (I know it's advisable to wait a couple of weeks, but I rightly assumed that Social Security offices would soon be closed to the public). 

 

As I expected, I was told that the application would be subject to a manual review by DHS, who would confirm my entry to the country. 

 

It's been nearly 3 months, and I still haven't received my social security card. I've called the social security office, who told me that DHS are massively delayed due to Covid, and that the social secutiyy office are still awaiting manual confirmation from DHS. I was told to call back in a couple of weeks.

 

I'm happy to accept that the circumstances at hand have caused some delay in applications, but I'm also cognisant of how paperwork can fall down a hole in the government-bureaucracy-industrial-complex, and how 'delays on the other end' can be used as a catch-all excuse. 

 

With this in mind, is anyone here in a similar boat (Applied for a SSN just before the lockdown)? If so, how long did it take?

 

If it turns out that my wait has been excessively long, can anyone advise as to what I can say to the social security office when I call them back?

 

Many thanks

 

 

Edited May 29, 2020 by cymbalseatguitars

[payxibka 10,044]

8 minutes ago, cymbalseatguitars said:

Hello all,

 

I arrived in the U.S in early March on a K-1. My arrival coincided with the point at which lockdown measures were imminent. I applied for a social security number 4 days after I arrived (I know it's advisable to wait a couple of weeks, but I rightly assumed that Social Security offices would soon be closed to the public). 

 

As I expected, I was told that the application would be subject to a manual review by DHS, who would confirm my entry to the country. 

 

It's been nearly 3 months, and I still haven't received my social security card. I've called the social security office, who told me that DHS are massively delayed due to Covid, and that the social secutiyy office are still awaiting manual confirmation from DHS. I was told to call back in a couple of weeks.

 

I'm happy to accept that the circumstances at hand have caused some delay in applications, but I'm also cognisant of how paperwork can fall down a hole in the government-bureaucracy-industrial-complex, and how 'delays on the other end' can be used as a catch-all excuse. 

 

With this in mind, is anyone here in a similar boat (Applied for a SSN just before the lockdown)? If so, how long did it take?

 

If it turns out that my wait has been excessively long, can anyone advise as to what I can say to the social security office when I call them back?

 

Many thanks

 

 

Until they reopen,  not much you can do 

[Ayrton 965]

11 minutes ago, cymbalseatguitars said:

Hello all,

 

I arrived in the U.S in early March on a K-1. My arrival coincided with the point at which lockdown measures were imminent. I applied for a social security number 4 days after I arrived (I know it's advisable to wait a couple of weeks, but I rightly assumed that Social Security offices would soon be closed to the public). 

 

As I expected, I was told that the application would be subject to a manual review by DHS, who would confirm my entry to the country. 

 

It's been nearly 3 months, and I still haven't received my social security card. I've called the social security office, who told me that DHS are massively delayed due to Covid, and that the social secutiyy office are still awaiting manual confirmation from DHS. I was told to call back in a couple of weeks.

 

I'm happy to accept that the circumstances at hand have caused some delay in applications, but I'm also cognisant of how paperwork can fall down a hole in the government-bureaucracy-industrial-complex, and how 'delays on the other end' can be used as a catch-all excuse. 

 

With this in mind, is anyone here in a similar boat (Applied for a SSN just before the lockdown)? If so, how long did it take?

 

If it turns out that my wait has been excessively long, can anyone advise as to what I can say to the social security office when I call them back?

 

Many thanks

 

 

You were right not waiting to apply. I applied only 2 after I arrived and got it within 3 weeks.

 

Unfortunately for your case, I doubt they will be able to issue you a card. By the time they do the manual verification, your I-94 will be over and you won't be able to get the SSN based on the K1. 

 

Apply for AOS and mark yes for the question asking if you want a SSN. You will get one after receiving EAD.

[NancyNguyen 1,657]

48 minutes ago, Ayrton said:

You were right not waiting to apply. I applied only 2 after I arrived and got it within 3 weeks.

 

Unfortunately for your case, I doubt they will be able to issue you a card. By the time they do the manual verification, your I-94 will be over and you won't be able to get the SSN based on the K1. 

 

Apply for AOS and mark yes for the question asking if you want a SSN. You will get one after receiving EAD.

I-94 is record of your arrival, it has nothing to do with your status. K1 is entitled to a SSN (with annotation) so the delay is because of the lockdown, not OP's status.

[Ayrton 965]

29 minutes ago, NancyNguyen said:

I-94 is record of your arrival, it has nothing to do with your status. K1 is entitled to a SSN (with annotation) so the delay is because of the lockdown, not OP's status.

 

The I-94 is the record of last admission, that shows how you got in the country and how long your status is good for. K1 gets 90 days of status after arriving, but the SS office will only accept an application made within the first 75 days of the i-94, because of the manual verification. The problem is that the verification with DHS must happen while her status is still on.

 

If the SSN is not processed within the 90 days, they can only get a SSN after EAD or GC. 

 

Since their case is stuck pending the manual verification, by the time they do it her status will already be over, so they will deny the SSN Application.

Edited May 29, 2020 by Ayrton

[NancyNguyen 1,657]

5 minutes ago, Ayrton said:

 

The I-94 is the record of last admission, that shows how you got in the country and how long your status is good for. K1 gets 90 days of status after arriving, but the SS office will only accept an application made within the first 75 days of the i-94, because of the manual verification. The problem is that the verification with DHS must happen while her status is still on.

 

If the SSN is not processed within the 90 days, they can only get a SSN after EAD or GC. 

 

Since their case is stuck pending the manual verification, by the time they do it her status will already be over, so they will deny the SSN Application.

This is incorrect, K1 visa is one time entry, it is expired as soon as you POE. There is no such thing 90 days of status, you have 90 days to get married.

[Ayrton 965]

Just now, NancyNguyen said:

This is incorrect, K1 visa is one time entry, it is expired as soon as you POE. There is no such thing 90 days of status, you have 90 days to get married.

 

You definitely don't understand how it works.

 

Everybody that arrives in the US with a non immigrant visa is granted a period of authorized stay = which means they will hold that status for that period of authorized stay.

 

Visa expiration has nothing to do with status. Yes, the visa itself is an one time entry visa, and it's voided after entering the country. 

 

For B2 visas, for example, the period of authorized stay is usually 6 months. For K1 is 90 days, which happens to be the same time the couple has to get married. After the 90 days, even if they get married, they are out of status until a AOS is filed.

 

Have you ever read an I-94? The Admit Until Date is what I'm talking about. Every visa has that, and as you can see on my I-94, I'm "on status" for 90 days after entering the country.

 

And to have a SSN issued based on the K1, the SSN must be processed whitin the admitted period.

[cymbalseatguitars 24]

Thanks for the contributions everyone. I’ve already applied for AOS, and (regrettably) chose not to opt for a SSN in that application. I figured that my prior application for a SSN would be sufficient.

 

Do you know if there’s a way I can contact USCIS to request that they generate a SSN? 

[NikLR 13,220]

no. Just wait for your EAD. 

[Eri_D 3]

On 5/28/2020 at 10:27 PM, Ayrton said:

 

The I-94 is the record of last admission, that shows how you got in the country and how long your status is good for. K1 gets 90 days of status after arriving, but the SS office will only accept an application made within the first 75 days of the i-94, because of the manual verification. The problem is that the verification with DHS must happen while her status is still on.

 

If the SSN is not processed within the 90 days, they can only get a SSN after EAD or GC. 

 

Since their case is stuck pending the manual verification, by the time they do it her status will already be over, so they will deny the SSN Application.

I agree. SSA office wouldn’t even take your documents if it’s less than 2 weeks until I-94 expires (at least the one I heard of in Seattle). Getting ssn might be a quest because they seem to lose documents from time to time.

 

On 5/28/2020 at 10:36 PM, NancyNguyen said:

There is no such thing 90 days of status

I read here on VJ how a woman was put in jail because she didn’t file her aos within 90 and technically was “out of status” (she got into a car accident and police checked her documents).
 

Noa from uscis grant “authorized stay” (if I’m not mistaken about the term) so it’s better to carry it around with your passport just in case something happens. So there is definitely a 90 days thing. 

[payxibka 10,044]

On 5/28/2020 at 9:36 PM, NancyNguyen said:

This is incorrect, K1 visa is one time entry, it is expired as soon as you POE. There is no such thing 90 days of status, you have 90 days to get married.

Why pray tell then does an i94 have an expiration date?  

[Just Paul 4,591]

3 hours ago, payxibka said:

Why pray tell then does an i94 have an expiration date?  

 gob-urn-net logic.  Like when you can get a pizza oven by crossing out "machine gun".

 

 

[Buster & Hitch 58]

Are the social security offices open where you live yet? My SSN was delayed pre-covid because DHS took forever to update my arrival. The office here told me I'd have more success going back in person than calling to get my file moving. I was under the impression in talking to them that DHS sometimes won't update until they get a poke from social security, so me showing up weekly meant social security was poking them more. As mentioned here, if your AOS is pending without the SSN request, your next step is to just reapply when you get your EAD. Hopefully that won't be too much delayed either

[Buster & Hitch 58]

10 minutes ago, Buster & Hitch said:

Are the social security offices open where you live yet? My SSN was delayed pre-covid because DHS took forever to update my arrival. The office here told me I'd have more success going back in person than calling to get my file moving. I was under the impression in talking to them that DHS sometimes won't update until they get a poke from social security, so me showing up weekly meant social security was poking them more. As mentioned here, if your AOS is pending without the SSN request, your next step is to just reapply when you get your EAD. Hopefully that won't be too much delayed either

I wanted to add, I don't think there's much harm in calling USCIS once you get your NOA1 receipt number to see if they can add a SSN request to the file if your I-94 is expired. Although I have no knowledge of whether it works, just doesn't seem like it would be an unusual request right now given all the delays.

[P&K 38]

I'm in a weird situation myself. I applied for a ssn in August 2019, got married the same month, my 90 days  to get married was to expire in late September. 

SS waited 3 weeks to inform me that they could not verify my status and since my 90 days timeline was about to expire, they could not provide a ssn for me, over the phone they even said I could be deported? 

I applied for AOS in September 2019 and asked for a ssn in the application. I got my EAD in April this year, still no SS card. 

USCIS says they sent the request to SS , SS says they didn't get it and I should ask for a ssn in person. Since they apparently are not planning on opening any time soon, I'm pretty much stuck. Funny thing is that my daughter applied at the same time as I did and she got her EAD and SS card almost at the same time but she's too young to start working or drive 😆 anyway I'm grateful for that but it can get frustrating.