Nick15

So I'm in the USA!

My immigrant visa was granted after beginning with an I-130. I've paid the UCIS fee and now patiently await my Green card whilst starting our new life in America.

I've found a job, but how do I actually start working without a social security number? when do I get a social security number? can I work this second?

So many questions! I'd appreciate any help you can give.

Thanks,

Nick.

Noorah101

If you checked the box on the visa application to get a SSN, it should come in the mail within a few weeks.

Yes, you can work immediately. The employer can use a dummy number until you get yours.

Rene

rpjs

If you checked the relevant box on the form, you should get your social security card within a few weeks of arrival, but that doesn't always work. The traditional advice here is to wait at least ten working days after arrival and then go to a Social Security Administration office and file a form SS-5. Usually that will result in your SSC arriving in a week or two.

The "wait ten days" bit is because it takes that long for your arrival as a fully-fledged Lawful Permanent Resident to appear on the immigration database that the SSA use to validate your residency. Recently there have been some newly-arrived people that have reported that they've gone to the SSA sooner than ten days and still been successful. The reason why we've traditionally said "wait" is that it certainly used to be the case that if you filed the SS-5 before you appeared on the immigration database that could force the SSA to do a manual verification which could delay you getting your SSN by weeks.

In general as an LPR you are allowed to work without an SSN and you are allowed to be paid, although your tax deductions from your paycheck can't be properly attributed to you until you have an SSN. The problem is that despite that being the law, many many employers won't employ you or if they will, will won't pay you until you can produce your SSN.

zzrmark

As one of those who was knocking on the door of the SSA the first day after my POE I can understand the reason for the 'ten day wait' advice.

My details were in the system when I visited, which was lucky in one respect because immigration had entered my name incorrectly into the database. When I went back a week later as advised not only did the chap remember me but said that he'd just sent me a letter confirming he'd filed the SS-5 that very morning and that he'd go check the outgoing mail to see if it was still there - thereafter ensued some debate, interesting from my point of view, with one of his work colleagues and some frantic keyboard thrashing when it transpired that he'd entered an SS-5 into the system, within the ten day period, at the very same time the system had generated an SSN for me and that had I not returned to check on the progress I'd now be the holder of one Green Card and two different SSN's!

Upshot being that it shouldn't matter how soon you visit the SSA their staff are apparently not supposed to enter an SS-5 into the system until ten days after POE, going in earlier means that your SS-5 is consigned to the in-tray until at least those ten days are passed, meaning it'll get seen to as and when that staff member finds the time - hence the aforementioned delays occurring. (The chap dealing with me was quite chatty whilst he was waiting for PC delays!)

My SSN card arrived 11 days after POE, it may have arrived more quickly had I not gone to the SSA but then I'd have been faced with a visit to correct my name!

sarahincos

Ours had not arrived on its own even though we checked the box and almost certainly did all of the same things you did. We had to go down to the office and apply in person for a new SSN, and we had to try this twice until we got someone who believed we DIDN'T need an I-94 number. If they give you crap ask for a supervisor.

Pulaski

I started working, for a large international corporation, six days after I stepped of the plane (having previously been interviewed for several jobs while on a VWP visit before my CR-1 interview), and several days before i received my SSN.