re: Social Security number after CR-1

[eveghost 0]

I am curious if anyone could help me with this question. I am wondering if once my husband comes on his CR-1 visa next month if we have to go to the Social Security office or will he get a number? On the forms for his visa it asked if he has a SSN and if not would he like one to be assigned. I told him to select "yes" as the option on this question for assignment of SSN. Based on this question, now I'm confused.

Anyone else encountered this?

-Eve-Natasha

[I'm Gone 60]

Individuals age 18 or older applying at a foreign service post for an immigrant visa and alien registration, i.e., completes the Form DS-230 Application for Immigrant Visa and Alien Registration, should answer “yes” to the questions 33a and 33b on the form if he or she wants an SSN assigned or replacement card issued.

The individual should receive his or her original or replacement SSN card within 3 weeks after arriving in the United States. The SSN card will be mailed to the same United States mailing address that is used to mail the Permanent Resident card (I-551).

If he answered “yes” to being assigned an SSN on form DS-230 when applying for an immigrant visa and has not receive his SSN card within 3 weeks of being admitted to the United States, suggest that he go into his local Social Security office.

If he has been assigned an SSN, the office can provide him with the number. However, if he has not received his card within 14 days of the SSN being assigned, normally he will need to apply for a replacement SSN card.

If no SSN has been assigned after 3 weeks or application is found pending, he will need to submit an SSN application (Form SS-5) at an SSA office.

You can obtain the address and directions to Social Security offices from the Social Security Office Locator, which is available on the Internet at:

http://www.ssa.gov/locator

Be sure he takes take proof of age, identity, lawful alien status and work authorization when going into a Social Security office to inquiry about the status of his SSN or to submit an application.

Applicants need to provide at least two documents as evidence to establish age, identity, lawful alien status and work authorization. Proof of age is not required when applying for a replacement SSN card.

If a foreign-born person has the foreign birth certificate (BC) in his/her possession or can easily obtain a copy, he or she must submit it as proof of age. When a person is foreign-born, a BC may not exist, may not have been recorded shortly after birth, or the probative value of the document may not be high. In these situations, SSA can accept alternative evidence of age in order of probative value. The alternative evidence of age may be less than a year old, e.g., a DHS document or passport.

You can find detailed information regarding evidence that

establishes age on our the SSA at:

http://policy.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0100203110

The documents acceptable as evidence of identity are now based on three factors: (1) the applicant’s age, (2) the applicant’s citizenship/alien status, and (3) the relative probative value of documents.

You can find detailed information regarding evidence that establishes identity on the SSA Website at:

http://policy.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0100203200

The unexpired immigration documents I-551 card or Machine Readable Immigrant Visa (MRIV) with temporary I-551 language establish lawful alien status and employment authorization.

Note: The MRIV shows the alien's identification number (“A” number) as the “Registration Number” in the upper right-hand corner of the MRIV.

The MRIV in an unexpired foreign passport that shows the above statement and is endorsed with an admission stamp the same as a valid Temporary I-551 stamp and is valid for one year from the date of endorsement by the admission stamp.

Example:

If the admission stamp shows a date of entry into the U.S. as January 4, 2004, the expiration of the temporary I-551 status will be January 3, 2005. The expiration date on the MRIV should not be used to determine when the temporary I-551 status expires. The expiration date on the MRIV only shows how long the MRIV is valid not how long the alien's temporary I-551 status is valid.

RM 00203.410 Evidence of Alien Status for an SSN Card for an Alien Lawfully Admitted for Permanent Residence:

http://policy.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0100203410

An SSN card should be received card in the mail within two weeks after the application and documents have been received and verified when applying within the United States.

However, when an alien requests an SSN or replacement SSN card, the SSA will verify his or her documents/status with the appropriate Bureau of the Department of Homeland Security. If verification is not available through the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) system, the SSA office will send Form G-845 for manual verification.

RM 00203.720 Verifying Immigration Documents:

http://policy.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0100203720

All cards are mailed from Social Security Headquarters in Baltimore, Maryland.

New Rules For Getting A Social Security Number And Card:

http://www.ssa.gov/pubs/10120.html

Employers can contact the CIS Business Liaison Office Hotline at their toll-free number, 1-800-357-2099 with work authorization and Form I-9 questions.

You may also wish to review “Employer Responsibilities When Hiring Foreign Workers,” that can be found on the SSA Website at:

http://www.ssa.gov/employer/hiring.htm

You may find additional SSN and employment information on the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Website at:

http://www.irs.gov/businesses/small/intern...=129227,00.html

[lucyrich 19]

Question 33a on the DS-230 asks if you've ever had a SSN. I assume that answer was "NO". Then, it asks if you would like to have one assigned. I'll assume that answer was "YES". Then, question 33b asks if you give consent for the Department of Homeland Security to disclose your information to the Social Security Administration. If you want them to automatically issue a SSN, that question must be answered "YES".

If you get all three of those answers right on the DS-230, they should automatically generate a SSN, and the card should arrive in the mail something like 3-4 weeks after entry. From reports here, it seems like the process works almost all of the time, but not absolutely 100%, so if it doesn't arrive automatically, you may have to follow up with the social security office.

If you answer any of those three questions differently than I've outlined, then no SSN will be automatically generated and it's up to you to visit the social security office yourself.

[I'm Gone 60]

When an individual indicates on the DS0-230 that he or she would like to be assigned an SSN when applying for an immigrant visa, one of three things may happen:

1. The application information is not transmitted correctly from the

Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Department of State (DOS)

and the individual must go into a Social Security office to submit

an SSN application (Form SS-5).

2. The application information partially transmits from DHS and

DOS and the individual must go into a Social Security office. If

the exception can be corrected the SSN can be assign and card

issued. Otherwise, the individual must submit an SSN application.

3. The application information transmits correctly from DHS and DOS and

the individual is assigned an SSN and the card is mailed to address

provided to DHS for the mailing of the I-551 card.

RM 00202.315 Enumeration At Entry:

http://policy.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0100202315

[joej 0]

We selected yes also. When I called the ss office here they said they didnt know what i was talking about. We went in and applied for it and had it in the mail one week later.

Best of luck

[eveghost 0]

Thanks for the informative post!

Thanks, we answered everything correctly to the best of my knowledge. This helps clear things up!

thanks for sharing your experience. I kinda wonder if we should just go apply at the office anyway to be on the safe side?

[I'm Gone 60]

I kinda wonder if we should just go apply at the office anyway to be on the safe side?

NO!!!

http://www.ssa.gov/oig/ADOBEPDF/audittxt/A-08-04-14093.htm

OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL

SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION

ASSESSMENT OF THE ENUMERATION AT ENTRY PROCESS

March 2005

One of EAE's key features is that it allows immigrants to apply for an SSN as part of the immigration process rather than requiring that they visit an SSA field office (FO). However, we are concerned that a number of immigrants apply for SSNs through EAE and at FOs. In fact, many immigrants visit an FO within the first week of entering the country. SSA personnel at five of the six FOs we visited told us that most immigrants who apply for SSNs through EAE also apply at an FO. Our findings appear to support their concerns.

We estimate that about 645 (about 56 percent) of the projected 1,161 immigrants with multiple SSNs visited an SSA FO within 1 week of entering the country...

[farah2005 0]

We selected yes also. When I called the ss office here they said they didnt know what i was talking about. We went in and applied for it and had it in the mail one week later.

Best of luck

same for me after 3 weeks i called SS office and they have no idea about appling for a SSN as part of the visa process!!she asked me to gave her my receipt number, and when i tried to explain her the situation she hang up on me ,now i feel that i just waisted time in waiting i should have applied for one as soon as i arrived.

[I'm Gone 60]

same for me after 3 weeks i called SS office and they have no idea about appling for a SSN as part of the visa process!!she asked me to gave her my receipt number, and when i tried to explain her the situation she hang up on me ,now i feel that i just waisted time in waiting i should have applied for one as soon as i arrived.

The individual should receive his or her original or replacement SSN card within 3 weeks after arriving in the United States. The SSN card will be mailed to the same United States mailing address that is used to mail the Permanent Resident card (I-551).

If you answer“yes” to being assigned an SSN on form DS-230 when applying for an immigrant visa and have not receive your SSN card within 3 weeks of being admitted to the United States, suggest that you go into your local Social Security office.

Don't waste your time calling SSA. If you don't have card within 3 weeks get your butt into the nearest SSA office with your birth certificate, I-551 or MRIV and passport.

Edited February 18, 2006 by mdyoung

[Euro 3]

I'm here on a K3 and have applied for EAD so i will beable to apply for a SSN!!..........I will be going back to the UK for my CR1 interview, just waiting for case complete, my question is, if by that time i have a SSN, then i would NOT check the box??........or do i still check it & get a different card, is there any difference??.......................hm is this a silly question

[I'm Gone 60]

I'm here on a K3 and have applied for EAD so i will beable to apply for a SSN!!..........I will be going back to the UK for my CR1 interview, just waiting for case complete, my question is, if by that time i have a SSN, then i would NOT check the box??........or do i still check it & get a different card, is there any difference??.......................hm is this a silly question

Just check "YES" that you have an SSN and list the number and check "YES" that you want a card for question 33a and check "YES" for 33b. That way if all goes well you will be issued an unrestricted SSN card within 3 weeks of entry with the CR-1 visa.

[cmartyn 0]

Oh the horrors of it all.

The government couldnt create a computer system that works to save their lives. I would advise people to just avoid the confusion of the 1 2 3 scenario and not partake in EAE at all. Just go the the SS office and apply a couple of weeks after entry. They will send your card in a week. No danger of two numbers that way.

[I'm Gone 60]

Oh the horrors of it all.

The government couldnt create a computer system that works to save their lives. I would advise people to just avoid the confusion of the 1 2 3 scenario and not partake in EAE at all. Just go the the SS office and apply a couple of weeks after entry. They will send your card in a week. No danger of two numbers that way.

It's three computer systems DOS, DHS and SSA. From the OIG report it seems that the problem is from DOS and DHS entering things that the SSA system doesn't recognize.

"MES could not process 27,383 (26 percent) of the 103,383 EAE records SSA received in FY 2004 because of data incompatibility issues among the Agency, State and DHS. As such, immigrants had to visit an FO to obtain an SSN, which defeats the purpose of EAE. This increases FO workload and Agency administrative costs. Had MES processed these EAE applications, we estimate the Agency could have saved approximately $657,000 in FY 2004, assuming all immigrants later obtained an SSN through an FO. If data incompatibility issues prevent MES from processing EAE records, and all variables remain constant, we estimate SSA may incur about $3.3 million in additional costs over the next 5 years. Resolution of the data incompatibility issue is particularly important given SSA's interest in expanding EAE to other classes of noncitizens.

When EAE records have invalid information in one or more data fields, MES places them on a "pending file." Our analysis of 50 pending EAE records disclosed that 48 (96 percent) failed to process because characters in the applicant's address field were not compatible with MES data requirements. These invalid characters were primarily commas, periods, colons, semicolons, ampersands and improperly placed blank spaces. For example, MES could not process an EAE record that included a period after "Street" (St.) in the address field.

SSA personnel acknowledged that data incompatibility problems prevent processing of some EAE records. SSA personnel explained that they provided State and DHS with specific data requirements, but the other agencies' data systems continue to allow characters MES will not accept."

I would say that might not be a bad idea to forget about the EAE, since you know for sure an SSN application has reached SSA, but that could have a down side too. If you apply in the SSA office your status must be verified, so you roll the dice as to whether you can be verified through SAVE.

I think overall EAE works more often than not, so I would give it a try since you have nothing to lose. If it works you get your SSN and card. If it doesn't work you have to go in an SSA office and you have to go in to apply if you don't try the EAE.

[Euro 3]

I'm here on a K3 and have applied for EAD so i will beable to apply for a SSN!!..........I will be going back to the UK for my CR1 interview, just waiting for case complete, my question is, if by that time i have a SSN, then i would NOT check the box??........or do i still check it & get a different card, is there any difference??.......................hm is this a silly question

Just check "YES" that you have an SSN and list the number and check "YES" that you want a card for question 33a and check "YES" for 33b. That way if all goes well you will be issued an unrestricted SSN card within 3 weeks of entry with the CR-1 visa.

Thank you.........

[meauxna 15]

Quick Q: Who's MES?