Not existing is getting old.... A vent.

[Crazy Cat 39,848]

Just now, Hanxa said:

But I'm here now and other things take priority 

I have news for him:  Immigration should be high on the priority list.  If you have a 2 year green card, planning will make the Removal of Conditions process smoother.  Then, there is the process for naturalization to plan for.  It's a long journey.

[beloved_dingo 1,946]

Prepaid mobile phone plans from the big mobile companies are really not that different than a "regular" plan in many cases. My husband and I use prepaid through Verizon but we still have a mobile/data plan with a set cost each month (we don't pay for "minutes"). It's $68 for both of us. I believe prepaid plans from T-mobile are similar. 

 

The biggest differences are 1) no contract (a positive, imo) and 2) no discounts on phones (generally). 

[Hanxa 9]

3 minutes ago, Crazy Cat said:

I have news for him:  Immigration should be high on the priority list.  If you have a 2 year green card, planning will make the Removal of Conditions process smoother.  Then, there is the process for naturalization to plan for.  It's a long journey.

10 year. I don't need to worry about immigration stuff until I'm thinking about citizenship (if I do) and until we start the paperwork to get him to the UK later

[CMJuilland 484]

First off, I understand where you’re coming from. I remember finding it frustrating to not have my own credit card or bank account because nobody could find me in the system and/or because I had no credit history. The latter was especially vexing because I had made sure all my life to live within my means, never had any debt, bought cars outright, etc. Like you, I knew it wasn’t going to be easy, but it was still frustrating (venting helps imo). Also, my experience is that it takes time for systems to update. When I came here, I was advised “to wait at least two weeks” for everything, but even after two weeks had passed, some systems still didn’t have me. It takes patience, but it’s worth it. 

I would get a phone asap. You need it, and using your UK number will be problem, especially for finding a job. I don’t think it matters much if you have a prepaid phone, especially for now. You can always change that later on, but it might mean having to switch numbers. 

Finally, make sure that you know your rights. A 551 stamp in your passport is the same as a GC in terms of showing your status. Unfortunately, not everybody knows that (I had my fair share of interactions at the beginning where I had to explain over and over and over again that it takes time for the physical GC to arrive, and when my conditional GC expired, the same story started again). If that means politely asking to speak to a manager in some businesses, that’s something you can do. I live in an area with a large immigrant population, so businesses are also more accustomed to deal with all kinds of statuses, but the less urban you go, the fewer immigrants and less experience there is. I’m sorry you’re having a hard time sorting stuff out, but trust that it’ll get better over time. 

Best wishes to you and a speedy adjustment here. 

[Lil bear 3,878]

1 hour ago, Hanxa said:

Thanks guys. Hubs very much has a laissez-faire attitude to many things (especially this apparently) and he doesn't see the need for me to be this bothered since I fly home (back to the UK) at the end of the month to work my notice. But I know that. I'm still trying to build my life here and having a head start for December will make everything else so much.... Easier. I hope. 

 

I'll ask him about adding me as an authorised user to start building my credit, but will see. He's currently rebuilding his credit so I don't know if that's an option. 

 

I'm used to phone contracts. I've not had payg since I was a kid and it bothers me that it isn't straightforward. But I'll get something sorted. 

 

I've not even started looking into healthcare... I need to get my prescription transferred over somehow and that's my biggest worry - access to my meds. I know I have time, but sitting around with no car isn't helping. I'm just stuck. I hate it and I want to go home to where the world makes sense. 😂 

Make sure he adds you to his employer health plan now .. there is only a limited time after you immigrate that allows this to happen. Otherwise you miss the special enrollment period for immigrants. Missing this window means that you can only sign up for health insurance during the standard period .. usually October to December .. and coverage starts Jan 1 2023. You wont be able to get prescriptions transferred .. has to be a script written by a provider here in the US. Hopefully you have enough meds for August .. when you come back in December bring 3 months supply with you .. buys you time to get an appt with a provider here 

[P055UM 261]

1 hour ago, top_secret said:

There are allot of really good prepaid phone service options.  My wife uses https://www.mintmobile.com/ which is the cheapest we found and requires nothing but a payment to have a SIM card sent.

I second this. Couldn’t be happier with Mint. The US phone network is a ridiculous oligopoly which exists solely to extort the consumers.
 

Mint at $15/month is the closest I could get to the £10/month I was paying back in the UK. 
 

They even do eSims! You could be with them in 15 minutes if you have a newer smartphone! 

[Adventine 3,187]

Another vote for Mint Mobile and getting added as an authorized user to your spouse's cards. Speaking from personal experience, both are extremely easy to do.

[Klugscheißer 175]

@Hanxa

Not trying to be insensitive, so please don't take it personally...

 

According to your timeline, you arrived in the US on 07/20/2022 (if I see it correctly). That's less than two weeks ago. Many, MANY people have to wait several months or even longer to be able to get a SSN, credit card, etc. and are in limbo for a long time before they can fully "establish" their lives here.

Patience is key. Nothing is gonna be fast. It takes time.

 

Besides... it only being a couple weeks, I would give the computer systems a little more time to show you "exist". Authorities are known to work kinda slow. Lol

Good luck!

 

[yuna628 9,547]

4 hours ago, Hanxa said:

First up. Yes, I am impatient. Nothing works. 

 

I have my SSN but I don't have a US phone number yet. I tried opening a Chime account to get me started but they won't accept the temporary green card in my passport (yey!). I can't apply for a secured credit card to start building credit history because, nothing can find me. I don't exist. I want to open a phone line but... Hey ho, credit check. I don't even know if it will be accepted rn. 

 

I'm feeling super isolated. I'm applying for summer work to get me started, but without a US account, who knows how that will go. I'm out here in the middle of nowhere with no transportation, a UK phone number and I can't even do the few things I had hoped to while hubs is at work. 

 

I'm super frustrated rn... How do you even get started when the whole system seems to be against you? I'm hopefully heading to T-mobile today about a phone. I will take the car and go alone if I have to... I will want an account eventually. I have a Wise US account so hopefully that can tide me over for now. 

Well... when my husband arrived to these shores he had no credit. Neither did I (just never had need for credit cards). But one of the first things he did was get himself a cellphone. How did we do it? Well, as the American spouse, I did have a bank account - and being married and him having an SSN, adding him to it was pretty simple. Next was the joint health insurance plan. At the same time he started work on getting his American license which was easy to do in this state.

 

So we went down to the nearest Walmart and picked up a go-phone (you can use whatever American phone you want though so long as it works with the provider you've chosen), then headed over to the nearest ATT store. No credit check was needed, and we got the phone service all set up. By having the bill direct debited from our joint account each month, we had quite a big discount. Don't rightly remember when we applied for a secured credit card, but it wasn't too long and we had a virtual blank slate. Was only six months before they were happy to let him have a full one. Now we have a fantastic credit score. To this day my husband hates contract phone plans, and we are just fine with our plan we got since we started. When he wants a new phone, he just buys it outright and adds it to our plan.

Edited August 1, 2022 by yuna628

[yuna628 9,547]

3 hours ago, Hanxa said:

Yep. He was fine with that. But I'm here now and other things take priority 

It's probably of the highest priority that the American spouse get proactively involved and help move things along. If there's one thing that will be completely alien to a UK spouse, it will be the US healthcare system and it is imperative for you to be on some sort of insurance plan pretty asap. If you need a prescription, you cannot transfer one over. You need to start from scratch, and that means seeing a doctor and explaining your condition and the medication you've taken in the past. Any future medication is going to come from your new American doctor, and you need to start that relationship, especially if there is needed medication. Wait too long on open enrollment or a special qualifying life event window and you will be out of luck.

 

 

[Sarge2155 4,571]

4 hours ago, Hanxa said:

Hubs is still on a family plan under his ex's name with their kid. He pays for it but I'd rather not be attached to her myself. If I can't get a plan, my plan is to get prepaid instead. I just need a damn phone 😂

 

I don't understand why I don't exist anywhere on anything yet. Nothing seems to speak to anything else. It's really not made to be easy. 

To be frank in speaking sounds like your husband was ill-prepared for this venture. All the things you mentioned you wanted to get would be 90% easier with your spouses help and input. Why is he not helping you?  Authorized user on credit cards, your spouse could do that easy. Half your battle is complete since you have your SS card. To deprive you of a phone to me is just unconscionable. I won't go into him having the ex on his phone plan only I'll say I would be livid if it were me. Set him down your husband and have a frank talk with him. He needs to get off his you know what!!!! Once you get on that authorized user to his credit card you will be amazed how fast you exist then!

Edited August 1, 2022 by Sarge2155

[Sarge2155 4,571]

39 minutes ago, yuna628 said:

It's probably of the highest priority that the American spouse get proactively involved and help move things along. If there's one thing that will be completely alien to a UK spouse, it will be the US healthcare system and it is imperative for you to be on some sort of insurance plan pretty asap. If you need a prescription, you cannot transfer one over. You need to start from scratch, and that means seeing a doctor and explaining your condition and the medication you've taken in the past. Any future medication is going to come from your new American doctor, and you need to start that relationship, especially if there is needed medication. Wait too long on open enrollment or a special qualifying life event window and you will be out of luck.

 

 

Exactly, the husband needs to get busy!

[Timona 3,977]

I used Cricket when I landed. They didn't need anything. Just walked to the store, got a cheap $100 phone and line. Just like that. No SNN nor PP needed. They have monthly that plans you pay each month.

 

I then used my PP to open Bank of America account. No questions were asked. I moved from it 2 years later because of how thieving they are. So, use them as a start, stay with them if you wish. 

@Hanxa

[Sofitalian 134]

Since you have got your SSN, it should be already much easier than a lot of those who haven't.

 

Phone card - When I first arrived, I bought a pre-paid SIM card with me (ultramobile, which uses T-mobile network). Note that when you activate it, you don't even need to be a lawful resident (can be used for tourists). Afterwards, I just continue using it on a month-to-month plan (no contract) for over a year until we eventually fix a family plan with another carrier.

 

Credit card - I got my SSN but not my green card when I got my credit card. My husband and I went to his bank together. It wasn't hard for me to get my own Credit Card with a security deposit. I think it took around 9 months for them to remove it and return the security deposit to me. 

[Letspaintcookies 2,237]

A fresh SSN can take a while to be seen in the system. That's unfortunately a thing. Shouldn't hold you back when you go in person and show them the card as proof that you exist tho.

If your husbands credit sucks it might not be the best idea to get added to his cards. Instead go for a secured credit card on your own. You don't happen to have a American Express in the UK? They can be transferred world wide.