JockBrocas

I would like to hear from any Brittish Immigrants that have experienced difficulty in obtaining SSN. Did anyone have to wait until immigration confirmed status?

JAJ

It is normal to have to wait around 10-15 days since first arrival with your visa before the SSA will have the detail from USCIS.

JockBrocas

Thanks for that, i seemed to be there for ages before they even figured out the right visa class. Was an interesting experience. Now i have the licence and getting a car and insurance to figure out.

DavidLemon

My issue was that of my own fault. I did not perform enough research prior to landing in the good old USofA. The very next day i went and applied for my SSN

The delay was 6 weeks longer than it need to have been, which was a tad of a nightmare. If i had researched properly i would have seen that you are suppose to wait a couple of weeks after arrival to then apply.

Other than that no other issues to declare

GeoffM

What is the right wording to ask whether I'm "in the system" (maybe that's it?) rather than provoking a lengthy manual exercise like David's?

After all, I don't want to wait 10 days and then find that I'm still not in the system and have caused problems by asking the wrong thing too early!

scrubbedexpat099

I waited a couple of weeks and went and they gave me my number, the card came a few weeks later.

Noorah101

I believe it's called the "SAVE" system. Wait about 10 days and then go to SS in person to apply. The clerk will look you up and will let you know if you're "in the system" or not.

Rene

GeoffM

Many thanks.

JockBrocas

that makes much more sense, the clerk kept telling me that there was a conflict. We tried everything from changing dates, letters for numbers and so on. In the end - after 3 hours she said, i'm baffled - we'll just send it to immigration and then you will be ok. Knightmare. Now i have the whole issue at the DMV "Have you got your SSn" you can imagine my reply.

Bob

This.

And the benefit of waiting the 10 days to be "in the system", they don't have to send out for manual verification to find your details in the system, which is what extends the process into taking around 6 odd weeks.

Colette3886

I'm moving to Florida early next month (IR-1). I have a Social Security number from when I was on a J1 visa many years ago. I did tick on the DS-230 II that I would like a replacement card as, though I do still have my old card, it is in my maiden name and it's marked 'not authorised for work with out INS approval'.

I wonder if I should still wait the 10 days before going to the SS office or if the fact I do already have a SSN makes a difference?
Also do they issue a new card at the office or just confirm the number?

Thanks
Colette

Noorah101

In my opinion, you should not have ticked that box on the DS-230. That box is asking if you want a SS NUMBER issued for you. You already have one, so your answer would have been no, I don't want a SSN issued for me. By checking that box, you run the risk of being assigned a new number now, and could end up with two SSN's, which you'd then have to get consolidated into one number.

Someone who has no SSN and ticks that box, usually gets a SS card in the mail automatically within about a month after arrival in the USA. It's not necessary to go to the office in person unless the SS card never shows up.

In your case, I'd wait 4 to 6 weeks after your arrival in the USA. If you receive a new SS card in the mail, and it's got the SAME number as your old card, then you're good to go. If it has a NEW number, you need to go in person to SS to straighten it out. If you don't receive any card, then go in person to SS with your old card, and have them update your record to your new immigrant status, and issue a new card w/o the "INS approval" legend on it.

Did you include your SSN on any of the immigration forms that might have asked for the number?

Rene

Paul S

or in my case wait 15 days and then discover that your still not in the system (3rd party contractors fault apparently). Took about 5 weeks from arriving to get SSN
Still didn't stop me opening bank account/credit card etc...

Linda44

Myhusband went to the office the day after he arrived.They said he wasn't in the system yet (can you believe they still input the data from I-94s manually) but told him to call in 2 weeks and they would tell him his SSN.Then he was able to go and get his drivers license. The SSN card arrived after about 5 weeks.

Of course, even if you aren't eligible for a SSN you can still get a drivers license. Just show that your visa means your not eligible for a SSN.

Linda44

No -you don't need a SSN to get a bank account.
We had a US bank account for 3 years before we lived here.
What credit card did you manage to get? A secured one?