fishyfish

Quick question. My wife (UK) and I (US) submitted our I-130 to the London Consulate on the 1st of Feb. We are planning to submit our DS-230 now.

On the final page (page 4) it asks if she would like to request a Social Security number. Is there any reason we should/shouldn't not do this now? I always assumed that we would do that when she first landed in the States.

If we tick yes, will they send her card to our address in the UK?

Any experience with this?

-fishyfish

mdyoung

RM 00202.315 Enumeration At Entry:

http://policy.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0100202315

The Social Security Administration (SSA) has entered into agreements with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Department of State (DOS) for those agencies to assist SSA in enumerating aliens. These agencies will assist SSA by collecting as part of the immigration process the information SSA needs to assign Social Security numbers and issue SSN cards. DHS then will electronically forward the enumeration data to SSA, after the person is admitted to the U.S., to assign Social Security numbers and issue SSN cards. SSA calls this data sharing process Enumeration at Entry (EAE).

Original SSN or replacement card applications are now taken at most United States embassies as part of the immigrant visa application process. Individuals applying for nonimmigrant visas currently are not eligible to be assigned Social Security numbers through the EAE process.

Note: None of the K visas are immigrant visas.

An individual applying at a foreign service post for an immigrant visa and alien registration, i.e., completes the Form DS-230 Application for Immigrant Visa and Alien Registration, should answer “yes� to the questions 33a and 33b on the form if he or she wants an SSN assigned or replacement card issued.

The individual should receive his or her original or replacement SSN card within 3 weeks after arriving in the United States. The SSN card will be mailed to the same United States mailing address that is used to mail the Permanent Resident card (I-551). SSN Areas 729 through 733 have been allocated for Social Security numbers issued through the EAE process.

If you answered “yes� to being assigned an SSN on form DS-230 when applying for an immigrant visa and you have not receive your SSN card within 3 weeks of being admitted to the United States, suggest that you go into your local Social Security office.

If you have been assigned an SSN, the office can provide you with the number. However, if you have not received your card within 14 days of your SSN being assigned, normally you will need to apply for a replacement SSN card.

However, only aliens age 18 and over will be processed by EAE. Children under age 18 must apply for Social Security numbers at a Social Security office after admission to the U.S. This is so SSA may collect their parents' Social Security numbers to provide to Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

Individuals with nonimmigrant visas also must apply for Social Security numbers at a Social Security office after being admitted into the U.S.

You can obtain the address and directions to Social Security offices from the Social Security Office Locator, which is available on the Internet at:

http://www.ssa.gov/locator

Be sure to take proof of age, identity, lawful alien status and work authorization when going into a Social Security office to inquiry about the status of your SSN.

Applicants need to provide at least two documents as evidence to establish age, identity, lawful alien status and work authorization. Proof of age is not required when applying for a replacement SSN card.

The birth certificate is the preferred document an individual can provide when proof of age is requested. However, SSA can accept a passport or immigration document that shows a date of birth to establish age.

The following list includes some of the documents SSA normally accepts as proof of identity:

-- Driver's license
-- Passport
-- U.S. Government or State employee ID card
-- School ID card or transcript
-- Marriage or divorce record
-- Health insurance card
-- Clinic, doctor, or hospital provided record
-- Military record or ID card
-- Court order for name change
-- Adoption records
-- Baptism or confirmation record
-- Life insurance policy
-- Immigration document, i.e. I-551 card

Any document used to establish identity must meet the following criteria:

-- The document provides information the reviewer can compare with the
data on the form SS-5 (e.g., the person's name, as well as age, date
of birth, or parents' names) and/or
-- The document provides information the reviewer can compare with the
applicant (e.g., physical description, photograph).

NOTE: A non-picture identity document should have the person's name as well as information that can be compared to the SSN record, the applicant or other documents submitted (e.g., age, date of birth, or parents' names).

The unexpired immigration documents I-551, I-94, I-688B, I-766 or Machine Readable Immigrant Visa (MRIV) with temporary I-551 language establish lawful alien status.

Employment Authorization Documents:

-- I-688B
-- I-766
-- I-94 (With visa status that allows work in the U.S.)
-- I-551 Stamp
-- Machine Readable Immigrant Visa (MRIV) with temporary I-551 language

Note: The MRIV shows the alien's identification number (“A� number) as the “Registration Number� in the upper right-hand corner of the MRIV.

An SSN card should be received card in the mail within two weeks after the application and documents have been received and verified when applying within the United States.

However, when an alien requests an SSN or replacement SSN card, SSA will verify his or her documents/status with the appropriate Bureau of the Department of Homeland Security. If verification is not available through the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) system, the SSA office will send Form G-845 for manual verification.

If the SSA office does send the G-845, suggest that you go back to the SSA office every couple weeks with your documents to (1) ask them to check SAVE again (2) ask if they sent a G-845 (3) if yes, did it come back (4) after 30 days ask if they have followed up on the G-845 by calling or sending another mark "second request."

http://policy.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0100203720
RM 00203.720 Verifying Immigration Documents

http://policy.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0100203735
RM 00203.735 Requesting Online (Primary) Verification By SAVE

http://policy.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0100203740
RM 00203.740 Requesting Additional (Manual) Verification By DHS

After 30 days you can even try calling the immigration office doing the
verification to ask if they received a G-845 and if yes could they
please get it back to the SSA office ASAP.

http://policy.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0100203748
RM 00203.748 List of DHS, USCIS Offices That Verify Immigration
Documents

If they say they never received one, go back to the SSA office and ask
to speak with the office manager and insist that they send another G-845 marked “second request.�

You can try calling the SSA Regional Office as a last resort if you have waited at least 30 days and your local SSA office doesn't seem to be concerned.

http://www.ssa.gov/otherssasites/

All cards are mailed from Social Security Headquarters in Baltimore, Maryland.

HunterGreen

That's a whole bunch of information in the post above this one.

The thing is, people have ticked the box and received their SSN 'automatically', others have ticked it and still had to go to an office to get it.... so if you tick the box don't assume that it will always get there just like that - if you haven't heard anything about your SSN about a month after you arrive in the US then pay a visit to an SSA office.
The card will be sent to your US address.

Elaine

junenmark

i didnt tick the box,will i still receive my ssn when we move to the us?

fishyfish

3 weeks seems longer than I was thinking it would take.

If I tick the box and visit our local SS office on arrival. Is a SS card something you walk away with the same day like getting a drivers license or will it take a few weeks to come though the mail?

thanks again for all the info, I just printed it off incase we go down the apply in US route.

-fishyfish

HunterGreen

Fishyfishyfishy (sorry, fishing humor ),

Like it says in the long post, the cards are sent through the mail, but in some cases you can get your # at an office.

Juneandmark,

People who didn't tick the box or are under 18 have to apply for an SSN at an SSA office themselves.


Elaine

junenmark

over 18.how long will it take before it arrives when we move.can i still work? many thanks.

mdyoung

Read this!!!

"All cards are mailed from Social Security Headquarters in Baltimore, Maryland."

mdyoung

AND

Individuals with nonimmigrant visas also must apply for Social Security numbers at a Social Security office after being admitted into the U.S.

Note: None of the K visas are immigrant visas.

mdyoung

There is no specific time period to be assigned an SSN if you are an alien. Just depends on how long it takes to verify your work authorized status. Just need to stay on top of it.

When an alien requests an SSN or replacement SSN card, SSA will verify his or her documents/status with the appropriate Bureau of the Department of Homeland Security. If verification is not available through the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) system, the SSA office will send Form G-845 for manual verification.

If the SSA office does send the G-845, suggest that you go back to the SSA office every couple weeks with your documents to (1) ask them to check SAVE again (2) ask if they sent a G-845 (3) if yes, did it come back (4) after 30 days ask if they have followed up on the G-845 by calling or sending another mark "second request."

http://policy.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0100203720
RM 00203.720 Verifying Immigration Documents

http://policy.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0100203735
RM 00203.735 Requesting Online (Primary) Verification By SAVE

http://policy.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0100203740
RM 00203.740 Requesting Additional (Manual) Verification By DHS

After 30 days you can even try calling the immigration office doing the
verification to ask if they received a G-845 and if yes could they
please get it back to the SSA office ASAP.

http://policy.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0100203748
RM 00203.748 List of DHS, USCIS Offices That Verify Immigration
Documents

If they say they never received one, go back to the SSA office and ask
to speak with the office manager and insist that they send another G-845 marked “second request.�

You can try calling the SSA Regional Office as a last resort if you have waited at least 30 days and your local SSA office doesn't seem to be concerned.

http://www.ssa.gov/otherssasites/

Rete

Sorry to burst your tank's bubbles, but even if you came into the US as a resident and are issued an I-551 at the POE, it might take 10 weeks until you get a social security card.

Your status has to be verifiable to the Social Security Administration before they will issue the card. Thus if your name and status is not in the SAVE system, they will have to write to the USCIS for manual verification. Long Wait if that happens.

Rete

Oh and btw regarding the driver's license. That isn't so easy and many people find it is not a one day deal either. You are from the UK. You have to take the test(s). In some states it is both the written and driving tests. In other states it is just the written. It is not an exchange of licenses as it is with Canadians for the most part statewide.

Also DMV requires verification of USCIS status as well and a social security number and proof of where you are living, etc. You might want to check that all out on the state's DMV website.

mvjenno

Mr J ticked the box on his form...but 5 weeks after POE, nothing has been sent from SSA. We phoned them last week, and apparently he is NOT on the system. He was told that if there is ANY kind of data error, they do not have any resources to attempt to rectify, so the application just gets 'lost' in the ether. This is why they ask you to call them after 3 weeks! So he'll have to go to the local SSA office and apply there.

Ticking the box didn't work for us! Altho others on this forum have received it within 3 weeks...

berthman

Hi all,

I have been here almost a month now and DID request a duplicate SSN card, nothing yet though. Just been to the SS Adminstration office and requested on as I'm looking for work and need some proof of a number.

Berthman

mdyoung

Some problems can be corrected by the SSA office before the record drops off the system.

http://policy.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0100202315
RM 00202.315 Enumeration At Entry

C. PROCESS – ENUMERATION DATA RECEIVED FROM INS

"When MES cannot process an EAE record because there is a data error (e.g., the name field contains a numeric character, or the date of birth is an impossible date), it drops the record. When a record is dropped, no SSN is assigned or SSN card issued."

"When MES cannot process the record because there is an exception (e.g., the sex code is not F or M or there are multiple spaces in a parent's name) the record is placed on the MES pending file with the application status of “Incomplete� . The unprocessed EAE record stays on the pending file for up to 120 days and, if the discrepancy is not resolved and the record processed, the record is then dropped. Records are placed on the pending file when there is an exception for address data, sex code, place of birth, a parent's name, or alias (other name used). These exceptions are the equivalent to the edit message(s) that appear on MES screens in red when discrepant data is keyed. When a record is on the MES pending file and the alien visits any SSA field office, an SSA employee can correct the discrepant data and submit the corrected record to MES for processing."

NOTE: When MES drops an EAE record, the alien must visit an SSA office, complete an SS-5, and submit evidence of age, identity and alien status to be assigned an SSN. SSA does not notify INS when an EAE record is dropped and MES does not send any notice to an SSA field office when this happens, Therefore, neither INS nor SSA tries to contact the alien. The alien must contact SSA.

Don't know who you are calling, but DON'T I repeat DON'T waste your time calling the SSA 800 number. Go into an SSA office with your documents.