How Soon can I go to SS Office?
 

Hi Folks,

My flight got in On Friday afternoon, how soon can I got to the Social security office and put in my application/receive a temporary number? Would tomorrow (Tuesday) morning be OK?

T0he office is kind of far and I don't have a car so I don't wanna schlep all the way out there only to be turned away.

Many thanks!
AR

Re: How Soon can I go to SS Office?
 

There is no temp number ....give it about a week after arrival ...

get the form SS5 of the net

Re: How Soon can I go to SS Office?
 

A week?!? :eek:

Re: How Soon can I go to SS Office?
 

Yes, I'd wait about 7 to 10 days after your arrival, before trying to apply for your SS card. SS has to wait until your name clears in the system them use to verify your status here (SAVE system). It doesn't do any good to go in before your name and status shows up on their system.

The SS number and card you receive is not temporary, it's permanent.

Rene

Re: How Soon can I go to SS Office?
 

you can go straight away - but like its said above your name will unlikely be on the system so they wont be able to process it on the spot. They will therefore 'hold onto' the application and then check periodically to see if it can be put in yet. However - how diligently they would check i cant say. If you wait the 7-10 days then you will be able to see them input the application in front of you and get a receipt and KNOW its in the system. You can then return the next day if you chose and get a paper printout of the number - or simply wait for the proper card to arrive.

Re: How Soon can I go to SS Office?
 

I believe, and if I am wrong I will hear from the Big Giant Head, that you can go in anytime from tomorrow on and put in your application.

You can go back 2 or three business days later to get the number (but not the card).

Non-immigrants (other than Ks) seem to get entered in the system a lot faster than immigrants.

SAVE Verification Process

I'll send Mike an email to confirm this... you have come with an H-1B, correct?

I've been meaning to get to the bottom of this with current policy anyway. :)
Sucks for you you've landed in a holiday week.

I know it's good sense to get the number ASAP but is there something particular you have in mind that you need it for?

Re: How Soon can I go to SS Office?
 

OK, forget it, I was wrong. :)

SSA still recommends you wait 10 days for best processing success, and someone with boots on the ground agrees.
http://www.ssa.gov/pubs/10096.html

That said, I seem to read more and more stories of earlier success.

It's a crap shoot, and most things can be accomplished initially without the number.

AR: let us know if there's something specific we could help you problem solve w/out the number (except for a driver's license. If your state requires an SSN, you just have to wait).

Re: How Soon can I go to SS Office?
 

Hi

We got here a month ago with my hubbys L1 visa (i am L2). Hubby waited 10 days (not working days just 10 days) from the day we arrived then went down to the local SSN office with all his docs. Filled in the form and within a week we had it back. His work paid him by cheque in the meantime so that he could still be paid. I, however, have to wait until my EAD comes through before i can get mine, but their is light at the end of the tunnel as i have my biometrics interview in Dec so hopefully not long after i will have my EAD, then i can get my SSN. Thankfully it hasnt stopped me from getting a driving licence here in VA which is a blessing, i now feel sort of part of it all.

Good luck with it all though and stick it out. Just make sure you have all the docs with you and dont go down too soon, you will still end up waiting the same length of time potentially

T

Re: How Soon can I go to SS Office?
 

Hey thank you.

I need it for my drivers license and the sooner I get that the sooner I can cut back on the hassle and expense of taxis.

Will wait until next week and hope the holiday doesn't throw timing off too much.

Have a happy holiday!

Re: How Soon can I go to SS Office?
 

you dont need to wait for an EAD - i got my ssn 18 months before i got around to getting my EAD. Just take your marriage cert, passport/visa etc and you are good to go.


source
https://s044a90.ssa.gov/apps10/poms.nsf/lnx/0100203600
specifically this sentence:

Re: How Soon can I go to SS Office?
 

I concur with this...my missus (L2) was able to apply for an SSN by producing our marriage certificate. Of course the fact that someone had her in the system as being here on a B2 rather than an L2 threw a spanner in the works, but that's another story...

Re: How Soon can I go to SS Office?
 

Why can't you drive on your UK license? (perhaps you've covered this in another thread)

Re: How Soon can I go to SS Office?
 

Ah I can but I'm under 25 so rental car rates basically double (75 a day vs. $40 for cabs). My boss offered to let me drive his car but I'm worried I'll crash it so that's a very last resort :eek:

Re: How Soon can I go to SS Office?
 

Hi

If only, i took our marriage cert, my birth cert, my passport with my visa, something to prove where i lived etc etc and they would not even look at the form unless i had my EAD and we checked with other offices and they gave the same answer so for those who on a L2 managed to get their SSN without an EAD - i am so jealous and well done.:) but not to be for me - maybe the lady in Manassas was having a bad day!!!!

T

Re: How Soon can I go to SS Office?
 

print out the social security rules (link i posted) from their own website and take them in!

Re: How Soon can I go to SS Office?
 

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

Re: How Soon can I go to SS Office?
 

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......

Re: How Soon can I go to SS Office?
 

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

Re: How Soon can I go to SS Office?
 

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...

Re: How Soon can I go to SS Office?
 

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.

Re: How Soon can I go to SS Office?
 

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.

Re: How Soon can I go to SS Office?
 

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.

Re: How Soon can I go to SS Office?
 

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...

Re: How Soon can I go to SS Office?
 

Re: How Soon can I go to SS Office?
 

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?

Re: How Soon can I go to SS Office?
 

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.

Re: How Soon can I go to SS Office?
 

Take it to a different office

Re: How Soon can I go to SS Office?
 

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

Re: How Soon can I go to SS Office?
 

Yes.

Ian

Re: How Soon can I go to SS Office?
 

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.

Re: How Soon can I go to SS Office?
 

Glad to hear it worked out finally!

For future readers too, I believe what your were told (by your company?) is not true. The company *can* pay you if you have applied for but not received your SSN. Whether they can be bothered to learn how to do something differently is another story.
I would encourage anyone in that situation to press further. The instructions for employers are on the ssa.gov site.