Jump to content
wbeem

Updating with Social Security office after naturalization - questions

 Share

58 posts in this topic

Recommended Posts

Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Scotland
Timeline

To those of you who have already been naturalized, did you skip out the SSA visit while most of them are not doing in person right now? I wanted to update my DL with DMV as my understanding is that they want us to do so once we are citizens. My local office is doing online only and want you to print and sign the form and mail in all your original documents. The reviews on their site for people actually getting them back or managing to contact anyone by phone to find out where their certificate and license is ... well let's just say I'm not willing to go that route.  I see there are some offices a few hours away that will do in person by appointment only, which would be fine with me. Do you have to go to the office nearest you, or can you go to any office? I know people do name changes and things too so I assume someone here has some info.  Thanks :)

Lee & William

8/2/2014 - Sent I-129F Petition with USPS by Express Mail    
8/4/2014 - I-129F delivered to dropbox    8/6/2014 - NOA1 Text/E-Mail received    8/11/2014 - Alien Registration Number Changed (Text/E-Mail) / NOA1 Letter received by Mail    3/16/2015 - NOA2 Text/E-Mail received (224 days)    3/20/2015 - Sent to NVC    3/31/2015 - NVC Received    4/1/2015 - Case Number Assigned       4/7/2015 - NVC Sent to Embassy    4/10/2015 - London Embassy Received    4/11/2015 - Medical     4/15/2015 - Packet 3 Received    4/12/2015 - Packet 3 Sent    4/23/2015 - Packet 4 Received    5/18/2015 - Interview - APPROVED     5/30/2015 - Visa collected from courier    6/1/2015 - POE    6/14/2015 - Wedding 💍💍
 
 
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: England
Timeline

@wbeem

 

i updated SSA and DMV after greencard and after naturalisation. With offices closed, I wouldn’t worry about it right now. I certainly wouldn’t drive hours to find an open office just for that. Not a critical or time sensitive issue. 
 

And FYI, you can go to any SSA office to do business. We go to SSA and DMV at small offices  near our former residence two counties away because they are so much more efficient than than those in the big city. Then we visit friends in my wife’s home town. (Well make that pre-Covid. We don’t go anywhere now)

 

Just wait and do it later.

 

Edit to add: Congratulations on getting to citizenship. I remember you from K1 in the UK FORUM.

Edited by Wuozopo
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just for my own knowledge… what happens if you don't update your citizenship status at the SSA? For proof of employment, you can show your Social Security card with the restrictive text and proof of work authorization, such as your naturalization certificate or U.S. passport. Of course one should go to the SSA and update the information, but what problems arise if you don't? Thanks!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, jxn said:

Just for my own knowledge… what happens if you don't update your citizenship status at the SSA? For proof of employment, you can show your Social Security card with the restrictive text and proof of work authorization, such as your naturalization certificate or U.S. passport. Of course one should go to the SSA and update the information, but what problems arise if you don't? Thanks!

Per the USCIS:

Quote

If your record has not been updated, this may impact the information your employer receives about your work eligibility.

I believe the impact is that there are some jobs that require citizenship to be eligible. There are also certain benefits only available for citizens.

 

Also, is it mandatory to change your driver's license or state ID after naturalization? Or can you just update your record with the DMV without getting a new card?

Edited by EternalForeigner

N-400 PROCESS:

COLORADO|APPLYING AFTER FIVE YEARS|GC THROUGH "SPECIAL IMMIGRANT INTERNATIONAL BROADCASTER" STATUS

N-400 FILED ONLINE: MARCH 18, 2021

BIOMETRICS REUSE NOTICE ONLINE: MARCH 18, 2021

RECEIPT NOTICE ONLINE: MARCH 18, 2021

INTERVIEW NOTICE ONLINE: JULY 13, 2021

INTERVIEW NOTICE RECEIVED IN MAIL: JULY 19, 2021

INTERVIEW DATE: AUGUST 17, 2021

APPROVAL, OATH CEREMONY AND CERTIFICATE: AUGUST 17, 2021

PASSPORT PROCESS:

Aug. 17: Applied for US passport+book at metro Denver USPS, expedited processing, 1-2 express delivery, barcoded application from online wizard.
Aug. 20: Online status changed to “In Process” with locator number 34 (Charleston, SC). 
Aug. 23: Check cashed. 

Sep. 21: Status changed to "Approved” then “Shipped” later in the day.

Sep. 23: Passport book delivered, next-gen passport regular book. Label on envelope says Charleston, SC.

Sep. 25: Passport card delivered. 
Oct. 4: Naturalization certificate delivered. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

55 minutes ago, EternalForeigner said:

Per the USCIS:

I believe the impact is that there are some jobs that require citizenship to be eligible. There are also certain benefits only available for citizens.

 

Also, is it mandatory to change your driver's license or state ID after naturalization? Or can you just update your record with the DMV without getting a new card?

I get that everyone should go to the SSA to update their status post-naturalization, but I don't know of any examples where a problem would arise if you don't update your status that showing your American passport wouldn't fix, such as government jobs requiring citizenship. There probably are systems where eligibility for benefits is checked via the SSA record as opposed to other means, but I just want to know specifically what those are out of curiosity.

 

I doubt it's mandatory anywhere to renew your driver license after naturalization but many people do it for two reasons—one being those who change their name with naturalization and need their ID updated to reflect that, and the other being people whose IDs/licenses are valid not for the full standard period (in my state it's eight years for adults) but rather for the period of a foreigner's authorized stay (so if you have the two-year conditional green card some states would only give you until that expiration date). I can imagine there are some people who get their ID valid for two years with the conditional card, then extend it with the I-751 Removal of Conditions Notice of Action that extends the validity of the card for one year beyond expiration, and then they are eligible to naturalize under the three-year rule before they ever would have needed to renew their ID with the ten-year permanent green card.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, jxn said:

Just for my own knowledge… what happens if you don't update your citizenship status at the SSA? For proof of employment, you can show your Social Security card with the restrictive text and proof of work authorization, such as your naturalization certificate or U.S. passport. Of course one should go to the SSA and update the information, but what problems arise if you don't? Thanks!

I’m not employed by anyone (I consult, I have had to prove work eligibility to the companies I contract to) but so far my problems with no update have been ....exactly zero. So... I’m also interested to hear if anyone has had any problems!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: England
Timeline

I think most people,don’t even know to update. I updated with DMV strictly to be able to do things online. My state requires LPRs to go in person with their greencard to renew, change their address or anything else. Citizens can do a lot of that online and skip the hassle and long lines at the DMV. I wanted them to have on record that I was a citizen.


Texas DMV (and the SSA) both use the SAVE database to check with USCIS. You can’t simply show your naturalzation certificate. They have to fnd your name in the system. Additionally, they issued me new SS card and DL to match the name USCIS had for me. My first had my I-94 name (first last). My greencard had a middle initial so new card and DL. Citizenship had all names fully spelled out so new card and DL to match. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Filed: Timeline
On 1/30/2021 at 10:11 PM, wbeem said:

To those of you who have already been naturalized, did you skip out the SSA visit while most of them are not doing in person right now? I wanted to update my DL with DMV as my understanding is that they want us to do so once we are citizens. My local office is doing online only and want you to print and sign the form and mail in all your original documents. The reviews on their site for people actually getting them back or managing to contact anyone by phone to find out where their certificate and license is ... well let's just say I'm not willing to go that route.  I see there are some offices a few hours away that will do in person by appointment only, which would be fine with me. Do you have to go to the office nearest you, or can you go to any office? I know people do name changes and things too so I assume someone here has some info.  Thanks :)

no name change/FL resident here. I didn't update my DL with DMV after naturalization because during that time I still had more than a year remaining on my DL. When the time of renewal came this year though, I got a mail from DMV saying that I qualified to renew by mail since I had real ID already. I had already updated my citizenship with SS before then.

 

I remember from back then that after naturalization that we're supposed to do SS and then DMV. For me, updating citizenship with SS is more important (to get it over with) than updating citizenship with DMV. You can always wait (even years) until SS accepts in person visits unless you need something from them asap.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Wuozopo said:

I think most people,don’t even know to update.

At the ceremony I went to they told us to do it, had a slide or two about it as part of the bit the presentation about “what to do next”.  There was absolutely nothing about updating anything at the dmv though, maybe that’s state dependent

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Russia
Timeline

**Moved from US Citizenship General Discussion to Passports, etc. - What to do now that you are a US citizen**

🇷🇺 CR-1 via DCF (Dec 2016-Jun 2017) & I-751 ROC (Apr 2019-Oct 2019)🌹

Spoiler

Info about my DCF Moscow* experience here and here

26-Jul-2016: Married abroad in Russia 👩‍❤️‍👨 See guide here
21-Dec-2016: I-130 filed at Moscow USCIS field office*
29-Dec-2016: I-130 approved! Yay! 🎊 

17-Jan-2017: Case number received

21-Mar-2017: Medical Exam completed

24-Mar-2017: Interview at Embassy - approved! 🎉

29-Mar-2017: CR-1 Visa received (via mail)

02-Apr-2017: USCIS Immigrant (GC) Fee paid

28-Jun-2017: Port of Entry @ PDX 🛩️

21-Jul-2017: No SSN after three weeks; applied in person at the SSA

22-Jul-2017: GC arrived in the mail 📬

31-Jul-2017: SSN arrived via mail, hurrah!

 

*NOTE: The USCIS Field Office in Moscow is now CLOSED as of February 28th, 2019.

 

Removal of Conditions - MSC Service Center

 28-Jun-2019: Conditional GC expires

30-Mar-2019: Eligible to apply for ROC

01-Apr-2019: ROC in the mail to Phoenix AZ lockbox! 📫

03-Apr-2019: ROC packet delivered to lockbox

09-Apr-2019: USCIS cashed check

09-Apr-2019: Case number received via text - MSC 📲

12-Apr-2019: Extension letter arrives via mail

19-Apr-2019: Biometrics letter arrives via mail

30-Apr-2019: Biometrics appointment at local office

26-Jun-2019: Case ready to be scheduled for interview 

04-Sep-2019: Interview was scheduled - letter to arrive in mail

09-Sep-2019: Interview letter arrived in the mail! ✉️

17-Oct-2019: Interview scheduled @ local USCIS  

18-Oct-2019: Interview cancelled & notice ordered*

18-Oct-2019: Case was approved! 🎉

22-Oct-2019: Card was mailed to me 📨

23-Oct-2019: Card was picked by USPS 

25-Oct-2019: 10 year GC Card received in mail 📬

 

*I don't understand this status because we DID have an interview!

 

🇺🇸 N-400 Application for Naturalization (Apr 2020-Jun 2021) 🛂

Spoiler

Filed during Covid-19 & moved states 1 month after filing

30-Mar-2020: N-400 early filing window opens!

01-Apr-2020: Filed N-400 online 💻 

02-Apr-2020: NOA 1 - Receipt No. received online 📃

07-Apr-2020: NOA 1 - Receipt No. received via mail

05-May-2020: Moved to another state, filed AR-11 online

05-May-2020: Application transferred to another USCIS field office for review ➡️

15-May-2020: AR-11 request to change address completed

16-Jul-2020: Filed non-receipt inquiry due to never getting confirmation that case was transferred to new field office

15-Oct-2020: Received generic response to non-receipt inquiry, see full response here

10-Feb-2021: Contacted senator's office for help with USCIS

12-Feb-2021: Received canned response from senator's office that case is within processing time 😡

16-Feb-2021: Contacted other senator's office for help with USCIS - still no biometrics

19-Feb-2021: Biometrics reuse notice - canned response from other senator's office 🌐

23-Feb-2021: Interview scheduled - notice to come in the mail

25-Feb-2021: Biometrics reuse notice arrives via mail

01-Mar-2021: Interview notice letter arrives via mail  ✉️ 

29-Mar-2021: Passed interview at local office! Oath Ceremony to be scheduled

13-Apr-2021: Oath Ceremony notice was mailed

04-May-2021: Oath Ceremony scheduled 🎆 Unable to attend due to illness

04-May-2021: Mailed request to reschedule Oath to local office

05-May-2021: "You did not attend your Oath Ceremony" - notice to come in the mail

06-May-2021: Oath Ceremony will be scheduled, date TBA

12-May-2021: Oath Ceremony re-scheduled for June 3rd, then de-scheduled same day 😡 

25-May-2021: New Oath Ceremony notice was mailed

16-Jun-2021: Oath Ceremony scheduled 🎆 - DONE!!

17-Jun-2021: Certificate of Naturalization issued

 

🎆 Members new and old: don't forget to fill in your VJ timeline! 🎇 https://www.visajourney.com/timeline/

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I haven't updated either. Since becoming a citizen I registered to vote, and will be filling taxes soon. I can't imagine sending in the certificate through mail and hoping it returns. From what I've been reading on here, a lot of people have not updated yet and there's no rush. I spoke with a SS agent a while ago and they said some people don't even update after many years and still do normal life stuff. I am hoping the SS offices do open back up to the public soon though. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: England
Timeline
1 hour ago, cj201 said:

I can't imagine sending in the certificate through mail and hoping it returns.

I felt that way when I had to send mine off to get my US passport. It was just days after receiving it and (gulp) I didn’t want to part with it. I came back to me just fine.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

IT IS WHAT IT IS - MOVING FORWARD NONETHELESS

Given that nobody has any idea when covid-related closings might end, decided to go ahead and get the SSA and DMV citizenship update done as things currently permit.

Called my local SSA last week. They re-confirmed what they had said earlier - "Mail in the naturalization certificate or passport, and we will process it and send it back to you".

Decided to send the passport.

Will let you know how it goes -

 

STATUS

01/29/2021 Friday  - Mailed the form and passport to the local SSA Office via USPS

02/01/2021 Monday - USPS shows package was received

02/02/2021 Tuesday - Spoke with local SSA Office. Was told that receipt was not in their system yet; said could take 7-10 days to be scanned and put in the system; another 7-10 days for work-at-home SSA agent to process it.

Edited by Suze1

Profile pic - Rainbow Tower of the Hilton Hawaiian Village - Waikiki, Honolulu, Hawaii.

Why this for the profile pic?  Often in movies and on TV when they show Hawaii they show this beach/view. So, instead of doing Kauai or some other locale, we decided to do here, so that whenever some show shows Hawaii and this view, we will see where we were married.

 

BENEFICIARY (From Dubai)

2012 - US Tourist Visa, Manila, Philippines

2012 - First Night spent in the US - Waikiki Beach, Honolulu

 

2016 - Wedding on the beach, Honolulu, Hawaii

2016 - Honeymoon at the hotel in this photo, Waikiki, Honolulu, Hawaii

            They were filming a scene of Hawaii Five-O in the suite above ours during our Honeymoon stay! Actors everywhere!

            Spouse hung out here with celebrities from the movie The Fifth Element back when he moved to Hawaii

2016 - US Spousal Visa, via DCF, Manila, Philippines

....................................

PETITIONER (from NYC)

1999 - Got a place right down the street from this hotel - Waikiki, Honolulu, Hawaii

2007 - Visited Philippines on vacation

2008 - Got a condo in Makati, PH

2012 - Considered for a role on the TV show, The Last Resort, shot out of Hawaii

 

....................................

SUMMARY TIMELINE

06/2011 - Met Spouse in Makati, Philippines

01/2012 - B1/B2 Tourist Visa, Manila, Philippines

10/2016 - Married in Hawaii

11/2016 - Filed for Spousal Visa DCF, in Manila, Philippines

12/2016 - POE, CR-1 Status Received

10/2018 - ROC I-751 Received by USCIS

10/2019 - Filed for Citizenship, N-400

03/2020 - Citizenship Ceremony

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 2/2/2021 at 2:53 PM, Suze1 said:

IT IS WHAT IT IS - MOVING FORWARD NONETHELESS

Given that nobody has any idea when covid-related closings might end, decided to go ahead and get the SSA and DMV citizenship update done as things currently permit.

Called my local SSA last week. They re-confirmed what they had said earlier - "Mail in the naturalization certificate or passport, and we will process it and send it back to you".

Decided to send the passport (cheaper/easier to get a new one, no emotional attachment to it..hee hee, not going to need it anytime soon...smile, etc.).

Will let you know how it goes -

 

STATUS

01/29/2021 Friday     - Mailed the form and passport to the local SSA Office via USPS

02/01/2021 Monday - USPS shows package was delivered

02/02/2021 Tuesday - Spoke with local SSA Office. Was told that receipt was not in their system yet; said could take 7-10 days to be scanned and put in the system; another 7-10 days for work-at-home SSA agent to process it.

UPDATE:

Received the passport back today, hand delivered via UPS!!!!

Only took 5 days total!!! And that includes over the weekend!

 

STATUS

01/29/2021 Friday           - Mailed the form and passport to the local SSA Office via USPS

02/01/2021 Monday       - USPS shows package was delivered

02/02/2021 Tuesday       - Spoke with local SSA Office. Was told that receipt was not in their system yet; said could take 7-10 days to be scanned and put in the system; another 7-10 days for work-at-home SSA agent to process it.

02/03/2021 Wednesday -  RECEIVED PASSPORT BACK and LETTER saying we would receive the SS card within two weeks!!!

 

Glad that is over!!!

Next - DMV!

 

Edited by Suze1

Profile pic - Rainbow Tower of the Hilton Hawaiian Village - Waikiki, Honolulu, Hawaii.

Why this for the profile pic?  Often in movies and on TV when they show Hawaii they show this beach/view. So, instead of doing Kauai or some other locale, we decided to do here, so that whenever some show shows Hawaii and this view, we will see where we were married.

 

BENEFICIARY (From Dubai)

2012 - US Tourist Visa, Manila, Philippines

2012 - First Night spent in the US - Waikiki Beach, Honolulu

 

2016 - Wedding on the beach, Honolulu, Hawaii

2016 - Honeymoon at the hotel in this photo, Waikiki, Honolulu, Hawaii

            They were filming a scene of Hawaii Five-O in the suite above ours during our Honeymoon stay! Actors everywhere!

            Spouse hung out here with celebrities from the movie The Fifth Element back when he moved to Hawaii

2016 - US Spousal Visa, via DCF, Manila, Philippines

....................................

PETITIONER (from NYC)

1999 - Got a place right down the street from this hotel - Waikiki, Honolulu, Hawaii

2007 - Visited Philippines on vacation

2008 - Got a condo in Makati, PH

2012 - Considered for a role on the TV show, The Last Resort, shot out of Hawaii

 

....................................

SUMMARY TIMELINE

06/2011 - Met Spouse in Makati, Philippines

01/2012 - B1/B2 Tourist Visa, Manila, Philippines

10/2016 - Married in Hawaii

11/2016 - Filed for Spousal Visa DCF, in Manila, Philippines

12/2016 - POE, CR-1 Status Received

10/2018 - ROC I-751 Received by USCIS

10/2019 - Filed for Citizenship, N-400

03/2020 - Citizenship Ceremony

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Ukraine
Timeline
26 minutes ago, Suze1 said:

UPDATE:

Received the passport back today, hand delivered via UPS!!!!

Only took 5 days total!!! And that includes over the weekend!

 

STATUS

01/29/2021 Friday           - Mailed the form and passport to the local SSA Office via USPS

02/01/2021 Monday       - USPS shows package was delivered

02/02/2021 Tuesday       - Spoke with local SSA Office. Was told that receipt was not in their system yet; said could take 7-10 days to be scanned and put in the system; another 7-10 days for work-at-home SSA agent to process it.

02/03/2021 Wednesday -  RECEIVED PASSPORT BACK and LETTER saying we would receive the SS card within two weeks!!!

 

Glad that is over!!!

Next - DMV!

 

Congrats!  Did you only send the passport and form SS-5?  I thought they required secondary identification such as a driver license.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 
Didn't find the answer you were looking for? Ask our VJ Immigration Lawyers.

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
- Back to Top -

Important Disclaimer: Please read carefully the Visajourney.com Terms of Service. If you do not agree to the Terms of Service you should not access or view any page (including this page) on VisaJourney.com. Answers and comments provided on Visajourney.com Forums are general information, and are not intended to substitute for informed professional medical, psychiatric, psychological, tax, legal, investment, accounting, or other professional advice. Visajourney.com does not endorse, and expressly disclaims liability for any product, manufacturer, distributor, service or service provider mentioned or any opinion expressed in answers or comments. VisaJourney.com does not condone immigration fraud in any way, shape or manner. VisaJourney.com recommends that if any member or user knows directly of someone involved in fraudulent or illegal activity, that they report such activity directly to the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement. You can contact ICE via email at Immigration.Reply@dhs.gov or you can telephone ICE at 1-866-347-2423. All reported threads/posts containing reference to immigration fraud or illegal activities will be removed from this board. If you feel that you have found inappropriate content, please let us know by contacting us here with a url link to that content. Thank you.
×
×
  • Create New...