Trutta

20 hours ago, MichaelJuan.198 said:

i can’t call the next closest office bc now we are tied to our zip code. they only help us based on our zip code so i can’t go somewhere else (i tried)

 

and how do i look for my representative in congress ??

It's not true. You can go to any social security office in the United States. They're located in all major and some minor cities. https://www.ssa.gov/locator/

This is how you find your representative: https://www.house.gov/representatives/find-your-representative

6 hours ago, MichaelJuan.198 said:

i know that but when i call my office they don’t care. they are not even letting me finish my sentence. I’m like “that’s on your website” and she’s like “WE CAN’T MAKE AN APPOINTMENT I’M SORRY” 😂😂 

Call your representative in congress and explain the situation. Or call the next closest office.

First trying calling local SS office. They wouldn't even answer the phone -- 2 days straight.

I called my congressman's office, explained the situation, had an appointment 2 days later.

Went in, 5 minutes later we were done and SS card in the mail.

Very easy. Walked in. Showed passport and greencard. 5 minutes later he said that was it. SS card will be here in 7-14 days!

On 12/11/2021 at 9:07 AM, ra0010 said:

Try contacting your congressman. It worked for me!

Well I contacted my congressman's office on Monday. And we now have an in person appointment for tomorrow at 9:30 AM. Thanks!

16 hours ago, imse82 said:

I'm a USC and just filed AOS documents for my parent who's here on Visitor Visa. I'm wondering when should I expect to receive AP document? 

Ours came 2 days after the green card/

On 12/4/2021 at 4:39 PM, Trutta said:

We filed I-485 in April. Biometrics were done in August. Just had AOS interview on Friday. She passed and green card is on the way.

 

Interview was very easy. He only wanted to see 3-4 documents. He said he already planned to approve us before we came in based on our file.

 

Good luck everyone!

Quick update: She had her interview on Thursday. On Monday we got a letter saying she was approved. Green card was at the house on Wednesday. Less than a week! Finally some fast movement. Keep the faith all!

18 hours ago, Scandi said:

You must've missed that there's a pandemic going on and that pretty much "everything" has changed. Yes, during pretty much all of 2020 people were forced to send their originals in the mail if they needed something updated with SSA. 

There's a pandemic going on and everything from strip clubs to casinos to concert halls are open... just not the SS office. LOL

The law hasn't changed. Permanent residents are required to show their green card to any law enforcement officer who asks for it. That means it must remain in their possession at all times, as even this social security administration memo states: https://secure.ssa.gov/apps10/reference.nsf/links/05262021015248PM

1 hour ago, Scandi said:

For SSA you send your documents with whatever delivery company you like, and they return it via UPS. USPS doesn't have to be involved, your choice. For the passport your documents are sent with USPS. 

You shouldn't send any original documents with any service.

"Due to DHS regulations, non-citizens are required to have their immigration documents in their possession at all times" https://secure.ssa.gov/apps10/reference.nsf/links/05262021015248PM

2 hours ago, El Escocés said:

My second attempt at updating my SS profile: after a couple of hours of being on hold, cut off,  redialing and so on, I was told that the next available appointment was 10 weeks away. Instead, I drove to their office that same day and used their drop box.. they sent back my documents via UPS overnight mail three days later (that was a passport) and I received my replacement SSN within a week.  
 

as others have suggested, give them a call and see what they can do.

About the same deal here. Except no answer at all. Over two days I've spent 7 hours on hold trying to talk to a human. No luck.

2 hours ago, ra0010 said:

What happens? Have you tried it?

listen, to each their own. I personally would never mail original documents. I’ve had had and actually right now I’m having a very unpleasant experience with the postal system in this country. So what I did when I got my green card was to request an in- person appointment through my Congressman. Easy peasy.

Yep. And if they don’t want to give an appointment, get your congressman involved.

I would never send an original irreplaceable document through the USPS these days.

NB: Half of my family works for USPS!

1 hour ago, ra0010 said:

Try contacting your congressman. It worked for me!

Pretty sad it has to come to that. Not a bad idea though. Thanks.

16 hours ago, JeanneAdil said:

yes,  you can 

read the site 

it says they will be returned

 

1. like when applying for US passport /we have to send originals thru the mail and they return them

2. when u apply for SS benefits ,  they will keep originals and send out to process at a district office and return originals to u

(or u can mail all them yourself)  

 

our government still has faith in the USPS even though some of us don't

just make a copy for your protection and keep it till originals come back and send things insured with return receipt 

I don't trust them to return anything. Nor do I trust the mail.

Plus an immigrant must keep their green card in their possession and show it to any immigration or law enforcement officer on request -- something they can't do if it's in the mail.

4 hours ago, Adventine said:

How about booking an in person appt at a different SS office?

The next closest office is hours away. Might be my only option though.

29 minutes ago, JeanneAdil said:

apply online using the following instructions and SS-5 form

bottom of page 2 

 

page 5 is the form itself

 

https://www.ssa.gov/forms/ss-5.pdf

Thanks. But they need to see the original documents. I can't send those through the mail.

My wife was approved and her green card came yesterday. I've been calling the local social security office for 2 days straight trying to make an appointment for her to apply for a SS#.

I have about 7 hours of phone time in now. They will not answer the phone. I am just on the hold loop the whole time.

It is not because they are busy. This is in a city of 13,000 people.

They aren't open to in person visits and they won't answer the phone. So..... what do?

It says "Please check your card to verify that the information is correct. If any information on this card is missing or incorrect, please call the USCIS Contact Center (UCC) at 1-800-375-5283 or check our Website at www.uscis.gov for instructions."

7 minutes ago, aaron2020 said:

If someone was getting Medicaid, it doesn't prevent them from adjusting and getting a green card.

 

However, immigrants can't use means tested benefits for the first 5 years.  If they do, then the I-864 sponsors are potentially liable to reimburse the US Government.  However, the US Government has no means to recover anything at the moment.  Trump was trying to do it.  Biden put a stop to it.  This is a really gray area of the law.  

Okay thanks.

This is clear as mud. Thanks for trying to explain.

So she wouldn't be deported or anything? But I might be expected to pay it back. Does anyone ever really have to do that?

The strange thing is at the state marketplace they won't let me pay for insurance that I can see. Once I make my profile with my income all prices automatically drop to $0.

2 minutes ago, aaron2020 said:

This is the public charge rule for getting a green card.  It doesn't have anything to do with your I-864 obligations.

 

You can get Medicaid.  Your immigrant wife can not.

 

Here's the I-864 info.  https://www.uscis.gov/i-864p

 

Means-Tested Public Benefits

Federal Means-Tested Public Benefits
Federal means-tested public benefits include food stamps, Medicaid, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), and the State Child Health Insurance Program (SCHIP).

State Means-Tested Public Benefits
Each state will determine which, if any, of its public benefits are means-tested. If a state determines it has programs that meet this definition, we encourage them to notify the public on which programs are included. You can also check with the state public assistance office for more information.

Programs Not Included
The following federal and state programs are not included as means-tested benefits:

• Emergency Medicaid;
• Short-term, non-cash emergency relief;
• Services provided under the National School Lunch and Child Nutrition Acts;
• Immunizations and testing and treatment for communicable diseases;
• Student assistance under the Higher Education Act and the Public Health Service Act;
• Certain forms of foster-care or adoption assistance under the Social Security Act;
• Head Start programs;
• Means-tested programs under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act; and
• Job Training Partnership Act programs.

So they don't consider it to let her in the country. But once she is in the country, she can't use it?

What about this?

Quote

USCIS is no longer applying the August 2019 Public Charge Final Rule. As a consequence, among other changes, USCIS will apply the public charge inadmissibility statute consistent with the 1999 Interim Field Guidance. In other words, USCIS is not considering an applicant’s receipt of Medicaid (except for long-term institutionalization at the government’s expense), public housing, or Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits as part of the public charge inadmissibility determination.

https://www.uscis.gov/green-card/green-card-processes-and-procedures/public-charge

8 minutes ago, aaron2020 said:

Medicaid is a means tested benefit.  Generally. it's prohibited for new immigrants and is on the list for the I-864.  California allows Medi-Cal (Medicaid) because it doesn't use federal money for new immigrants.

What state are you in?  

Not California.

What if I enroll but she doesn't?

What if I purchase insurance instead? They automatically give a discount based on my income.

Can you give me a link to "the list for the I-864"?

Thanks!

My fiance was approved for marriage based AOS. I make enough money to support us both and I'm well above the federal poverty line.

Today I went to my government portal to purchase health insurance to see what they might charge for this. After entering all my information they say we are eligible for totally free medicaid based on my income.

So I am not poor, not considering poor by the federal guidelines, but I am considered qualified for free medicaid by my state here.

Does this count as "government assistance"? Would it mess anything up with my I-864?

We filed I-485 in April. Biometrics were done in August. Just had AOS interview on Friday. She passed and green card is on the way.

Interview was very easy. He only wanted to see 3-4 documents. He said he already planned to approve us before we came in based on our file.

Good luck everyone!

Sorry wrong year!

We had appointment. She passed. Interviewer didn't look at most of the stuff we brought.

He only wanted to see:

- Water bill with both names.

- Credit card bill with both names.

- affidavits from brother and business partner.

- Pictures (that he quickly looked over and handed back).

That was it.

He said he decided to approve us before we even walked in.

Green card is on the way!

23 hours ago, Ayrton said:

The paper that came with the EAD tells you need to do in case there's something wrong with it. You don't file another form. You mail back the EAD with proof of what's wrong and they mail the new fixed card to you. In my case it took about 2 months.

Paper says call a number. Called number and couldn't get a hold of anyone. Big fun!