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I've written something up for a SSN Howto - please have a read, make comments. At some point, I'll refactor, ask for it to be pinned here.
Thanks !
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SSN Info for K-1 visa Holders and CR/IR Visa Holders
K-1 Visa Holders
Regardless of your Marital Status, you are allowed to apply for a SSN.
You have a particular time window in which to apply -
starts 2 weeks after POE date and ends 2 weeks before the I-94 expires.
Why are these start/end dates important?
2 weeks after POE date, the SAVE database MIGHT have you in the system.
SAVE is used by SSA clerks to validate you are eligible.
2 weeks prior to I-94 expiring, SSA won't accept the application, as the validity date to
receive it will pass by the time it's mailed out to you.
How to apply:
Get into your local SSA office, bring your passport and I-94 and a birth certificate. The birth
certificate is optional, but some SSA staffers want to see it. Fill out the SS-5 form there, use
your visa name (regardless of marital status) then
--ask the SSA clerk to look you up in the SAVE system via VISA NAME and/or A#.
---If the SSA clerk can't find you, withdraw the SS-5 firmly, and come back in a week.
---If the SSA clerk can find you by VISA Name but not A#, or vice versa, you need to get to a CBP secondary inspection office and FIX YOUR SAVE RECORD with a CBP staffer (see http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/toolbox/contacts/deferred_inspection/overview_deferred_inspection.xml for the local office address). Don't bother with using a telephone, just go to the office. No queues, no lines, no waiting, just go. If the CBP staffer is confused, ask for the shift supervisor - tell them you have issues with your SAVE record..
---If the SSA clerk CAN FIND YOU, YAY! Go through with the SS-5 application. Come back the next day, and ask for the SSN. Note the physical card will be mailed out, but you can have the NUMBER the next working day.
CR-1/IR-1/CR-2/IR-2/IR-5 Visa Holders
'ticking the box' on the DS-230 is sorta teasing to any Visa Applicant.
The SSN may get processed, it may not get processed - it just depends on the clerk doing the
data entry work for the 'intake' on the casefile once yer wife handed it over to any POE
staffer. I know, the tick box was ticked, there's a reasonable expectation that 'something will
get done' based on that tick box...
But -
if it's been more than 2 weeks past the Port of Entry Date,
then there's a good chance that the SAVE database system has synched up,
and
any SSA clerk, at the local SSA office, can find her in the SAVE database.
Ya won't know till you try. Suggest you go in person, bring -
--yer foreign spouse
--yer foreign spouse's passport
--filled out application (can get those at the office, too)
and apply.
Whilst at the SSA office -
Ask any clerk to look her up in the SAVE database, in the VISA name and A#.
If they can't find her by EITHER ONE (name or A#) - go away, do not allow the application to be
accepted, come back in a week - SAVE system doesn't have her, yet.
IF any SSA clerk mumbles 'need DHS/USCIS electronic verification' - do not allow the application to be accepted - come back in a week - SAVE system doesn't have her, yet.
Although SAVE database is useful for 'status checking' at the SSA office (by the SSA clerks) -
many of them are not trained on how to use it. If you get blank looks or mumbles, ask for a
Supervisor, and ask the Supervisor to 'look her up' in SAVE.
If she is found via A# but the VISA name is stored wrong, in SAVE, you'll need to do something else, with the SAVE unit, to get it changed.
It's a hassle, sure, but suggest you do change it to proper spelling of 'VISA NAME' prior to SSN issuance.
More SAVE INFO -
http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/menuitem.eb1d4c2a3e5b9ac89243c6a7543f6d1a/?vgnextchannel=1721c2ec0c7c8110VgnVCM1000004718190aRCRD&vgnextoid=1721c2ec0c7c8110VgnVCM1000004718190aRCRD

It is well. I can see how you might have taken my response as snarky. But it wasn't meant that way. I said did you get an interview which you could have gotten. I never assume. But you have to realize when I answer questions I also am trying to answer for a wider audience. People come to these threads months years after all of you have gone on with your lives. If they choose to read I want them to follow along and know the facts of the matter and know what is going on.
Again I do apologize if I came off as harsh or shirt. Was not my intention. Trust me on this. I love maintaining this thread. It was birthed from a very close friend of mine that moved on after her husband got here back in 2012.
I want the best for you all you are more like my children (I think I am old enough for that). I am praying that soon P4 letters start raining down.

Just stoping in real quick to let everyone know that my husbands visa was approved today. I'm still in Nigeria so no good network here. I will give more details in a week or so. The good news is the interview was very fast and easy with all the evidence we provided. Good luck too everyone still waiting.

OMG what great new I'm sure your husband will be thrilled, oh thank God so happy for you sweet heart.

After nine long years, my hubby finally has his visa!!!!!! Praise Jesus!!! Thank you, Soloenta, for all of your time that you have put into this forum. When I read that you were starting this forum, I RAN from the NVC Filer's forum to your forum because I knew that you were such a compassionate person and had a genuine concern for each member. Once again, thank you for all of your help! I continually pray that you will be reunited with your hubby soon. Peace and blessings!

After nine long years, my hubby finally has his visa!!!!!! Praise Jesus!!! Thank you, Soloenta, for all of your time that you have put into this forum. When I read that you were starting this forum, I RAN from the NVC Filer's forum to your forum because I knew that you were such a compassionate person and had a genuine concern for each member. Once again, thank you for all of your help! I continually pray that you will be reunited with your hubby soon. Peace and blessings!

Oh I'm so happy to see you post but more so that you at long last have your Visa, thank God, thank God I am so happy you have no idea. Thank you Lord for one more of your children delivered from this nightmare.
Awww sweet heart you honor me thank you but it's been my privilege, I gained more in knowing each one of you all have knowing me. God bless you and thank you for your prayers, I couldn't ask to be blessed more. Thank you my sweet friend!

After nine long years, my hubby finally has his visa!!!!!! Praise Jesus!!! Thank you, Soloenta, for all of your time that you have put into this forum. When I read that you were starting this forum, I RAN from the NVC Filer's forum to your forum because I knew that you were such a compassionate person and had a genuine concern for each member. Once again, thank you for all of your help! I continually pray that you will be reunited with your hubby soon. Peace and blessings!

It's been 10 years since we met and we are still not together in the States....

It's been 10 years since we met and we are still not together in the States....

It's been 10 years since we met and we are still not together in the States....

Giving up after only just filing last June ? Seriously ? It took us 5 years from meeting to finally being together. We were in AP for 16 months
and then our case was denied and returned. We filed again and were approved. It was a rough journey. If you can't handle your delay for 6 months then
yes it is better to quit now. Not sure why you even started in the first place with that 'giving up' attitude.....perhaps it was not a real love but a fling because
true love endures all, especially a few months or year of waiting.
Just shaking my head at the instant microwave expectations when it comes to some people's visa journeys.
Reality check....yours is not a nightmare but the normal procedure, come on, one months of waiting after the interview ?!

Dont give up! The best things in life are worth fighting for! Maybe u can get ur congressman involved. They may have better success getting thru 2 the embassy. I pray all goes well for u! This is a tough journey but it is so worth all of the anxiety.

Just want to say thanks to everyone who had helped me with this longgggggggggg process.im now here is USA. POE is in Chicago, went everything ok. one question ask, why you coming to USA?
Thanks everyone for answering my questions. You guys really helped me and my hubby.

Same as everyone else. It just depends how much they believe the CO's attitude or not. You could be asked 1 question or 20. I have seen it go both ways.
Since you are living together you won;t be asked for all the phone logs and emails and IM's and all that mess like the rest of us. So it should be very short and sweet.
Might ask the immigrate "why do you want to immigrate to US"?
I doubt for Japan you will have much issue with having to produce a DNA sample. Phew!! (no really Phew)

Perhaps he can try to making friends with people who are not Dominican? Are either of you active in church? Could that be a way to make friends for him? Social support aside from a spouse is important. Maybe try to make some changes and see if things get better... changing jobs for one, him making friends etc. I'd be pretty upset by the "D" word threats and name calling, that's incredibly damaging to a marriage. If both of you want to make it work, then I'd take that off the table and agree to not say things like that. He needs to put effort into resolving the issues in order to build a good marriage- it takes two.
If he won't go to a marriage counselor, what about a trusted friend or family member that both you and he feel comfortable with (either in US or DR)? In my husbands culture this is a common way to resolve marital difficulties and if you need outside support it may be more accepted by your husband than going to a US therapist. Frame it to him that it needs to be done and resolving it between yourselves hasn't helped.
My husband gets a lot of pressure from his family back home too. He shields me from a majority of this, but I know it weighs heavily on him. It's just something that he has to learn to deal with. My husbands family thinks as soon as he walked off the plane he's now a rich American! Changing families perceptions of life in america & money is not easily done, so he has to manage their expectations and find a way to deal with money requests. It is not easy by any means.

it's ok to suggest tricking your spouse out of the country and leaving them in a foreign country with nothing?
I could've sworn I've seen threads closed and members warned about being banned for less, but whatever.

P4!!!!!!!!!!!
April 1st!!!!
I can't believe it's coming up so soon...after all this waiting, now it's going to be a scramble to get ready.

Omg I'm in shock right now. Just received my p4 ? my husbands interview is 4/9/2015 at 10am in Nigeria. So excited

The right to petition the government for redress of grievance is in the constitution but yet we are denied this.
We need to start a petition for this. After all, Will Smith was able to pursue his happiness without boundaries.

Not necessarily. DNA testing takes about 2 months time. When they get results you are called in and given results and told when and where to go pick up Visa.
The interview was already done they don't ask for DNA unless you have been approved. You just are pending DNA results. Hang in there almost there.

How old is the child? Is the mother still in the picture? In your petition package did you submit pictures of your husband and the child through out the childs life (this helps establishes that he has been there for her and a staple in her life). If not you need to get those together for interview and hope CO looks at them.
Quite possibly yes they will be asked for DNA. Especially with a father/child immigration situation. So just prepare for a delay or 2 to 3 months. If you don't get asked well Hallelujah. But just be prepared. Will cost about $400 to $600 for the lab work. Just so you know.

VJ is still a good place to start. We will not limit our efforts to VJ only.
I know this is very much true. Hopefully we will reach someone who has the power to influence the correct people so they can help us.
Exexpat, you should be participating with me.

I have done the first video for, "America, where is my spouse?" Who would like to go next to upload a video or words?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B_22rI9NPi4
Let me know what you think?

I'm so nervous only 3 more days for the interview because for me on the West Coast of the US my husbands appointment is the 18 Th of Feb at 9:30 pm, while it's Feb 19 Th at 7:30 am for him. Please everyone keep us in your prayers I'm so nervous, wish I could have been there for him and not just sitting here waiting.