Daniel Conroy

Hi,
I finally mailed my I-485, 765, 131 applications today :-D
Thanks for everyone's help with all the questions I asked.

Now I have some other general questions :-D all about things that I've had
difficulty with since getting here.

They refuse to give me a SSN until I have permission to work. Although I
managed to get a bank account from Charter One bank the other day, from a
nice guy who used my UK passport details as ID, everyone else seems to need
my SSN for me to do anything at all.

Does anyone know of any credit card companies who will set up with a credit
card, without a SSN? I was hoping to get put on my wife's credit card, so I
could start building up some credit history, but they wouldnt do it without
a SSN.

Also, although I have been put on my wife's health insurance, which she gets
through her work, the doctor office she uses will not let me have a doctors
appointment without a SSN (?!?). I asked them if they could provide me some
kind of document stating I need a SSN, which I could then take to the Social
Security office to prove that I need one, but they said no.

Is it normal for a doctor to need you to provide a SSN? or if I just try
others will I finally be able to find one who will give me an appointment?

It annoyed me that the government wont give me a SSN, but they still sent me
a "RITA" tax form to fill out, requiring my SSN lol, and all sorts of other
NON work related things all need a SSN.

Anyone know any tricks to getting a SSN? lol according to the SSA website if
you have a valid non work reason for having one then they will issue one,
but it'll need some kind of official document proof.

Thanks for any replies,
Daniel

scrubbedexpat099

Try a different Doctor. So they will not treat Visitors?

Probably better off at a Surgery that caters for the hispanic population.

How and when you get a SSN varies according to your status which you ahve not mentioned.

Noorah101

Hi Daniel,

Did you enter on a K-1? If so, you CAN get a SSN, you just need to talk to someone higher up in the chain at the SS office.

I'm very surprised at the difficulty you're having. My fiance came here on a K-1 last year, and I was able to add him to all the following places, without his SSN yet:

1. United Healthcare Insurance
2. Aetna Dental Insurance
3. Car Insurance
4. Wells Fargo checking account...he even opened his own checking account without a SSN
5. My American Express card
6. My Discover card

Best Wishes,
Rene

Daniel Conroy

We went to the Social security office, and I showed her all my documents
etc, and she just said "can you work?" "no, not yet but..." "well I can't
give you a SSN then".

We called the social security help line phone number from the website, and
they said the same.

What do I have to tell them?

"Noorah101" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected] m...
    >> Hi,
    >> I finally mailed my I-485, 765, 131 applications today :-D
    >> Thanks for everyone's help with all the questions I asked.
    >> Now I have some other general questions :-D all about things that I've
    >> had
    >> difficulty with since getting here.
    >> They refuse to give me a SSN until I have permission to work. Although
    >> I
    >> managed to get a bank account from Charter One bank the other day,
    >> from a
    >> nice guy who used my UK passport details as ID, everyone else seems to
    >> need
    >> my SSN for me to do anything at all.
    >> Does anyone know of any credit card companies who will set up with a
    >> credit
    >> card, without a SSN? I was hoping to get put on my wife's credit card,
    >> so I
    >> could start building up some credit history, but they wouldnt do it
    >> without
    >> a SSN.
    >> Also, although I have been put on my wife's health insurance, which
    >> she gets
    >> through her work, the doctor office she uses will not let me have a
    >> doctors
    >> appointment without a SSN (?!?). I asked them if they could provide me
    >> some
    >> kind of document stating I need a SSN, which I could then take to the
    >> Social
    >> Security office to prove that I need one, but they said no.
    >> Is it normal for a doctor to need you to provide a SSN? or if I just
    >> try
    >> others will I finally be able to find one who will give me an
    >> appointment?
    >> It annoyed me that the government wont give me a SSN, but they still
    >> sent me
    >> a "RITA" tax form to fill out, requiring my SSN lol, and all sorts of
    >> other
    >> NON work related things all need a SSN.
    >> Anyone know any tricks to getting a SSN? lol according to the SSA
    >> website if
    >> you have a valid non work reason for having one then they will issue
    >> one,
    >> but it'll need some kind of official document proof.
    >> Thanks for any replies,
    >> Daniel
    > Hi Daniel,
    > Did you enter on a K-1? If so, you CAN get a SSN, you just need to talk
    > to someone higher up in the chain at the SS office.
    > I'm very surprised at the difficulty you're having. My fiance came here
    > on a K-1 last year, and I was able to add him to all the following
    > places, without his SSN yet:
    > 1. United Healthcare Insurance
    > 2. Aetna Dental Insurance
    > 3. Car Insurance
    > 4. Wells Fargo checking account...he even opened his own checking
    > account without a SSN
    > 5. My American Express card
    > 6. My Discover card
    > Best Wishes,
    > Rene
    > --
    > Posted via http://britishexpats.com

ian-mstm

I believe the CC companies are prohibited by law from giving a credit card to someone without a SSN. This is just in the past few years or so.

Ian

inquisitive40

The doctor in most states CANNOT legally require your SSN and most health insurance companies are moving away from SSN tied to healthcare. I was asked for my SSN before I had one and I refused to give it and expressed to them it was my right not to.
Patrick

Noorah101

Hi Daniel,

You still didn't say what visa you came in on. It really depends on that. If you came as a K-1, then yes, you are allowed to work, and can get a SSN.

If you came in on a CR-1 or IR-1, then yes, you are allowed to work, and can get a SSN.

If you came in on a K-3, then they are right, you need your EAD first in order to work, and can then get the SSN after you have the EAD.

Hope that helps....

Rene

Noorah101

I could add his name to my existing cards without his SSN, but he did need his SSN in order to get a credit card in his own name, yes.

Rene

Daniel Conroy

I came on a K1 - but it's always told be everywhere that K1 can't work,
during the application etc.


"Noorah101" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected] m...
    >> We went to the Social security office, and I showed her all my
    >> documents
    >> etc, and she just said "can you work?" "no, not yet but..." "well I
    >> can't
    >> give you a SSN then".
    >> We called the social security help line phone number from the website,
    >> and
    >> they said the same.
    >> What do I have to tell them?
    >> "Noorah101" <[email protected]> wrote in message
    >> news:[email protected] m...
    >> >> Hi,
    >> >> I finally mailed my I-485, 765, 131 applications today :-D
    >> >> Thanks for everyone's help with all the questions I asked.
    >> >> Now I have some other general questions :-D all about things that
    >> >> I've
    >> >> had
    >> >> difficulty with since getting here.
    >> >> They refuse to give me a SSN until I have permission to work.
    >> >> Although
    >> >> I
    >> >> managed to get a bank account from Charter One bank the other day,
    >> >> from a
    >> >> nice guy who used my UK passport details as ID, everyone else seems
    >> >> to
    >> >> need
    >> >> my SSN for me to do anything at all.
    >> >> Does anyone know of any credit card companies who will set up with
    >> >> a
    >> >> credit
    >> >> card, without a SSN? I was hoping to get put on my wife's credit
    >> >> card,
    >> >> so I
    >> >> could start building up some credit history, but they wouldnt do it
    >> >> without
    >> >> a SSN.
    >> >> Also, although I have been put on my wife's health insurance, which
    >> >> she gets
    >> >> through her work, the doctor office she uses will not let me have a
    >> >> doctors
    >> >> appointment without a SSN (?!?). I asked them if they could provide
    >> >> me
    >> >> some
    >> >> kind of document stating I need a SSN, which I could then take to
    >> >> the
    >> >> Social
    >> >> Security office to prove that I need one, but they said no.
    >> >> Is it normal for a doctor to need you to provide a SSN? or if I
    >> >> just
    >> >> try
    >> >> others will I finally be able to find one who will give me an
    >> >> appointment?
    >> >> It annoyed me that the government wont give me a SSN, but they
    >> >> still
    >> >> sent me
    >> >> a "RITA" tax form to fill out, requiring my SSN lol, and all sorts
    >> >> of
    >> >> other
    >> >> NON work related things all need a SSN.
    >> >> Anyone know any tricks to getting a SSN? lol according to the SSA
    >> >> website if
    >> >> you have a valid non work reason for having one then they will
    >> >> issue
    >> >> one,
    >> >> but it'll need some kind of official document proof.
    >> >> Thanks for any replies,
    >> >> Daniel
    >> > Hi Daniel,
    >> > Did you enter on a K-1? If so, you CAN get a SSN, you just need to
    >> > talk
    >> > to someone higher up in the chain at the SS office.
    >> > I'm very surprised at the difficulty you're having. My fiance came
    >> > here
    >> > on a K-1 last year, and I was able to add him to all the following
    >> > places, without his SSN yet:
    >> > 1. United Healthcare Insurance
    >> > 2. Aetna Dental Insurance
    >> > 3. Car Insurance
    >> > 4. Wells Fargo checking account...he even opened his own checking
    >> > account without a SSN
    >> > 5. My American Express card
    >> > 6. My Discover card
    >> > Best Wishes,
    >> > Rene
    >> > --
    >> > Posted via http://britishexpats.com
    > Hi Daniel,
    > You still didn't say what visa you came in on. It really depends on
    > that. If you came as a K-1, then yes, you are allowed to work, and can
    > get a SSN.
    > If you came in on a CR-1 or IR-1, then yes, you are allowed to work, and
    > can get a SSN.
    > If you came in on a K-3, then they are right, you need your EAD first in
    > order to work, and can then get the SSN after you have the EAD.
    > Hope that helps....
    > Rene
    > --
    > Posted via http://britishexpats.com

Noorah101

Hi Daniel,

That is untrue. K-1's are allowed to work for the first 90 days upon entry. The problem is only if you don't go through JFK, you dont' get a work authorization stamp to prove it. But you *do* still have work authorization.

Go back to the SS office and speak to someone higher up. Show them your K-1 visa and this memo that I'm going to post a link to. That should help get the ball rolling, because you are indeed entitled to a SSN with the K-1 visa.

Best Wishes,
Rene

Noorah101

Daniel,

Print this memo:

http://policy.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0100203500!opendocument

and take it in with you to show the SS person. Keep talking to higher ups until you find one who knows about this memo.

Rene

scrubbedexpat099

Or try another office.

Bluegrass Lass

Here's some karma for you Rene!! I was going to post the link to that memo if noone else had!!

Daniel, don't you dare take no for an answer. Unfortunately in the US, it's becoming increasingly difficult to even breathe with an SSN. Do not leave that SSN office until they have allowed you to apply for a SSN. Take your passport (w/visa), birth cert. and that memo. Tell them that unless they can prove that the info in the memo is no longer valid, that memo establishes your ability to apply for a SSN as a K1 visa holder.

We lived in a very small town at the time, and my husband was able to fill out an application days after entering on his K1. He rec'd it about 10 days later. I was able to add him to my health insurance and car insurance w/out a US license or SSN. Go to a different doctor if that one is being an ass...there are plenty more who will accept your money.

Good luck!!
Jamie