buckers

Hi

Many thanks for all your help but unless i need financial aid etc then it doesnt matter (doesnt say that in the link but when you phone them thats what they say)..........he ho.... thankfully my husband has one so that takes care of most things but as soon as i get my EAD i will be going down to get one then.

Thanks again and sorry to hop onto someone elses thread but this may clear it up for those of us who dont know but need to.

Happy Thanksgiving to those who celebrate

hd44

I went to the SS office too early (3 days after landing) and got told to come back in two weeks (after a 2.5 hour wait).

I went back this morning and successfully filed but was told that it will take 30-60 days to verify my documents. I'm on a L1B, hubby is on L2 (filed his by producing marriage certificate). Has anyone else also been told the 30-60 days? Extremely annoying as the health insurance via work requires SSN......

Noorah101

If SS needs to verify your status here, then it means you still were not in the SAVE system.

Be proactive on this one, go in to SS once a week or so to have them re-verify your status. You don't have to wait the 30 - 60 days.

Let the health insurance carrier know that you are in the process of getting your SS number. They should let you sign up without it, and you can supply it when you get it.

Rene

hd44

Thanks for the advice Noorah101. The woman at the office this morning said at least twice that we should not come in to check our status (lol). Will definitely not listen to her in that case...

meauxna

I was just going to post the same as Rene. Ask the insurance company people to use another 'unique identifiyer' for you. It's not the SS# that the *need*, that's just what is easy for them to use. You don't want to miss a window of opportunity to get yourself & spouse added to the plan.

And go back to SSA, especially if it's been 10+ days since landing. If they accepted your application on the first day (they should have), your number should be ready now, and the card on its way to you. They will give you the number in person, but not over the phone.

agentred

I'm in the same boat hd44.

I arrived on the 20th of November and applied for my SS on the 1st of Dec. I was given a letter which began:

"Dear Agentred

This is to acknowledge that you applied for a SS number on Dec 1st 2009.

Before we can issue you a social security number card, we must verify the documents you gave us to show your citizenship or alien status with the federal, state or local office in the US that issued the documents. This may take up to four weeks.

More spiel followed...."

Did you get a similar letter or were you just turned away?

I called every other day last week to ask if it had been issued but they always said no. Will call tomorrow but expect more of the same. Can I ask them to put it in to the SAVE system or something? When I went to the SS office to apply the guy seemed completely clueless, telling me that I won't be able to get my number until the card arrives and other falsities.

My firm's insurance company is asking for the SS and is unwilling to accept any other form of identifier such as a passport. What bothers me more is that I can't get a driving license and a car.

Previously I would've been asking if there was anything I could do (another office, a direct line to call etc) but honestly, after the dog's dinner which was the visa process and AP, I'm resigned to my fate. They'll take 4 weeks, or 8, or whatever they feel like.

hd44

I got that letter too but the 'lovely' lady crossed out the four weeks and wrote 30 to 60 days..... I'm lucky I don't need a car (or drivers license - but want one) as I live in Hoboken and work in NYC. Going to chase up HR to see if they can get the health insurance company to issue another unique identifier.

agentred

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH!

I just got a letter stating that the SS Office can not issue me a number because I "have not given them the document(s) they need to show identity"

And they resent the SS5 form. But I took my passport which had the I-94 stapled inside. And the SS5 form states "If you are not a US Citizen, we must see your current U.S. immigration document such as I-551, I-94, I-688B or I-766 and your foreign passport with biographical information or photograph".

What else was I supposed to bring?!?! I even showed them my I-797B and 9035e but they didn't make photocopies.

I think the staff don't know what they're doing, could someone please tell me what documents I need (on an H1-B) to show them, so that I can make sure they make copies this time?

The worst part is I'll have to be very polite and be all "Dear Sir, how nice to see you again, I had a pleasure waiting three hours in your tiny waiting space. Unfortunately, the last time I came in and spent three hours waiting I must not have made my requirements clear. I would very much appreciate if you could please accept these documents for another application, that is if you believe such actions would help my present situation which, of course, is my own fault completely, bla bla bla bla" when really all I want to do is grab that punk by the collar of his shirt and shout "WHY CAN"T YOU PEOPLE DO ANYTHING RIGHT??!?!?!??!?!?!?! GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH"

Sigh... I need to go take some deep breaths...

Ray

https://secure.ssa.gov/apps10/poms.nsf/lnx/0100203500

agentred

Thank you, that link says:

Employment authorization for nonimmigrants can be determined by:
- the alien's class of admission code as shown on the I-94 (the non-immigrant classifications shown on the I-94 with employment authorization inherent in status are listed in RM 00203.500C.1.);

and since it's an H1-B, it's in the section of "The following sections list nonimmigrants, by alien class of admission codes, who are authorized to work in the U.S. without specific authorization from DHS. The person’s I-94 will not have the DHS employment authorization stamp and the alien will generally not have an EAD."

So I don't have an EAD, and I took my I-94 and passport, and as far as I can figure out that's all I need. Am I missing something... or did they just forget to photocoppy/misplace something?

hd44

Maybe they didn't take a copy of the back of the I-94. For mine, the lady took the staple out and went to make copies and then came back and restapled - I thought it must be for the back.

Ray

Take it to a different office

sjclark74

Based upon all the feedback here I'm planning on going on to the local SSN office here in NJ 10 days after my arrival. I've printed off the SS-5 form and I assume in Section 3 Citizenship I am a legal alien allowed to work if I entered on a L1A?

Thanks Simon

ian-mstm

Yes.

Ian

hd44

My husband went to the SS office on the 23rd Dec and the same woman who had done our interviews told him to go away and wouldn't check anything.

Then on Saturday 26th, mine came in the post (11 days after the interview) and it was dated 17th (2 days after the interview). This was really lucky as I got told I couldn't get paid without it.

My husband's came 1.5 weeks after mine.