Anyone else has filed for adjustment of status for K1 in August last year?

[Dragonsarereal 20]

Hi all!

So we filed in mid August for adjustment of status for me and my teen. The USCIS site says now it takes on average 10 months to finish the process. So I gather we are due to get some communications any time? For a couple of months we wondered if it's better to file for my teen to have the SSN (as it takes 3 months and costs $$$ we didn't quite feel compelled). However, because she doesn't have an SSN we can't add her as a dependent and thus we will lose thousands in tax credits, due I think by October. 

If you have filed from the UK and are now under whichever office works with Wyoming and similar areas maybe you have some experiences to share?

PS Although our medical was pretty much complete when we left, we had the Covid vaccine in September and we didn't have the flu vaccine (we have the MTHFR mutation which makes it difficult to expel toxins).

Thanks!

[JeanneAdil 7,064]

 

 u can claim child as dependent same as spouse without SS#

 

https://www.irs.gov/faqs/filing-requirements-status-dependents/dependents/dependents#:~:text=If the child isn't,to Individual taxpayer identification number.

 

If the child isn't a U.S. citizen or resident, and if the child qualifies as a dependent, a TIN is still required. To obtain an ITIN, use Form W-7, Application for IRS Individual Taxpayer Identification Number. For more information, refer to Individual taxpayer identification number

[Dragonsarereal 20]

Thank you. The child IS resident (and not going to be adopted) and therefore when we went to the SSN office we were refused the SSN number a couple of months ago.

[OldUser 9,732]

30 minutes ago, Dragonsarereal said:

Thank you. The child IS resident (and not going to be adopted) and therefore when we went to the SSN office we were refused the SSN number a couple of months ago.

Did you file for EAD for the child? Typically this is what needed to get SSN after AOS forms are filed.

[Dragonsarereal 20]

We only did adjustment of status as we didn't realize she could not get a bank account or tax credit without it. Very frustrating. And unsure why It takes 3 months to give a permission to work and an SSN!

[OldUser 9,732]

9 minutes ago, Dragonsarereal said:

We only did adjustment of status as we didn't realize she could not get a bank account or tax credit without it. Very frustrating. And unsure why It takes 3 months to give a permission to work and an SSN!

Sadly adjustment of status has a lot of drawbacks. Whenever people ask whether to do AOS or consular, most of the time I recommend consular unless somebody is on work visa and has income in the US, for example. Hundreds of thousands, if not millions, are applying for EADs every year. Hence the delay.

[Dragonsarereal 20]

17 minutes ago, OldUser said:

Did you file for EAD for the child? Typically this is what needed to get SSN after AOS forms are filed.

We did not. We did not know that an SSN number would be impossible to get and since the wait is very long and costing some $250 (while the Green card might arrive before the permission to work) we stopped thinking about it. Then 2 months ago my husband realized that in his tax form he could add my daughter, but ONLY if she had an SSN. As my green card is due now any time, we thought it was a waste of time and money to send a new application....

[smilingstone 542]

Why is the SSN impossible to get? I got mine before filing my AOS, before my EAD was approved and arrived, and it didn't cost me a penny.

 

 

[Dragonsarereal 20]

16 minutes ago, smilingstone said:

We went to the social security office with all the documents and the officer refused to even consider us. Only for adoption he would issue something. So we drove home. He said he deals with it all the time and we can’t get it without work permission.

 

 

[OldUser 9,732]

25 minutes ago, smilingstone said:

Why is the SSN impossible to get? I got mine before filing my AOS, before my EAD was approved and arrived, and it didn't cost me a penny.

 

 

The key word is before AOS.

[Dragonsarereal 20]

5 minutes ago, OldUser said:

The key word is before AOS.

sure but we didn't know that it would take a whole year for the green card, and that she would need the SSN earlier, and that for tax purposes she did need that SSN. It was not in any notes we seen, not on the IRS site, not here as far as I know. We did ask many times and nobody mentioned the above. So now we are stuck not knowing when then GC will arrive. As on a average hey are now taking 10 months and its been 11 I assume we are closer...

[Sam Burns 196]

I’m pretty sure you can refile your taxes back 3 years so when you get the SSN, you will hopefully get the tax credits applied 

[OldUser 9,732]

32 minutes ago, Sam Burns said:

I’m pretty sure you can refile your taxes back 3 years so when you get the SSN, you will hopefully get the tax credits applied 

That's true, good point.

[Dragonsarereal 20]

2 hours ago, smilingstone said:

Why is the SSN impossible to get? I got mine before filing my AOS, before my EAD was approved and arrived, and it didn't cost me a penny.

 

 

How did you do that? I fear that different offices act differently.

[smilingstone 542]

16 minutes ago, Dragonsarereal said:

How did you do that? I fear that different offices act differently.

 

I went to SSA website, followed some links about booking an appointment, picked a date and location: https://www.ssa.gov/number-card/request-number-first-time

 

I had to make an account. It also asked me to confirm what identifying documents I'd be bringing. From what I remember, I just took my passport with visa, I94 and proof of address.

 

Following that, I've learnt to just call my local SSA office directly to schedule appointments, but I know some places, especially big cities, don't allow you to do this. If not, you're stuck calling the national number and being on hold for 2+ hours.

 

But as @OldUser says, this seems to be an issue caused by trying to get an SSN after filing for AOS. I did have trouble updating my name on my SSN to my married name in between filing AOS and receiving my EAD, but was solved as soon as I was able to go to the SSA with my EAD card. And FYI I am currently looking at an estimated 27 months for GC, so it is possible to do before receiving GC.