Expatrian

I saw few posts in the past about this, but thought it would be good to bring up again. After getting US citizenship via naturalization, getting your citizenship status updated with SSA is a really good idea. I had no idea about this until seeing some posts about it on the BE forum. So over 20 years later I finally took care of it. I think back in the 90’s when I naturalized I seem to remember USCIS (then INS) just advised the need to get a SSN if you didn’t already have one, but nothing about updating citizenship status with SSA like they do today.

It turns out that SSA knowing you are a US citizen makes applying for a SSA pension easier (apparently there are many more rules surrounding non-citizens that make applying more complex). It also updates other federal and state databases. For example, E-verify when applying for employment, applying for ACA healthcare, or when retiring outside the US and collecting SS retirement, and possibly getting a Real ID license too, which I plan to do in the near future. There’s apparently no penalty if you don’t update your status, and the SSA clerk told me it’s not uncommon for them to do it much later after naturalization. SSA said they’ll be sending me a new SSN card (even though I didn’t need a new one) with the same SSN.

FWIW, I also found out you can set up an account on E-Verify to check your status in the SSA and DHS databases and confirm there will be no issues if a prospective employer uses it to verify you (I used it to confirm the SSA clerk had actually updated my citizenship status 🙂). You can also lock/unlock your SSN being used in E-Verify to help protect your SSN from fraud. 😃

tht

I have yet to go the the SSA to update mine, only became a USC in 2019.

It’s on my list to do.

I am not sure SSA is tied to e-verify.. i think it’s USCIS. I have done that with my SSN and passed, I guess it could still have my GC attached, but I did select USC so not sure.

In terms of the real ID I had that already as a LPR, I have done my DL renewal since and took my US passport, which confused the DMV who said I already had real ID so why was I bringing my passport, but they got a supervisor to update my record and of course got promoted to register to vote on the keypad.

Expatrian

E-Verify actually uses SSA and DHS databases, but it depends what you select when doing the E-verify check. If you select “US citizen,” it only checks SSA, and if the entry doesn’t match, it advises “Tentative Non Confirmation / TNC.” So if you don’t get a TNC and it says you’re “Eligible” for employment, then you know your SSA record is correct regarding citizenship. If you select one of the non-citizen options, it checks SSA and DHS, again with an eligible or TNC response if either database doesn’t have a match. That’s my understanding of it.

RICH

The issue that I recall from years ago is when your Kids apply for college tuition/sponsorship. But I do not know what the problems were.

Expatrian

Yes, FAFSA is another one! I think it’s an issue when the children under 18 yrs become automatic citizens due to one or both of the parents naturalizing, but didn’t update SSA.

S Folinsky

On a related issue, i seem to recall that some state agencies would not accept US passports as proof of citizenship for grown offspring who had naturalization derivative of parent naturalization - they would only accept a DHS issued certificate of citizenship.

RICH

I assume that means the updated SSN card. When I did it shortly after Naturalization, that is all I got beyond the certificate and passport.

Not even sure what difference the cards have, but the record is supposedly updated!

eta updating your status is a 10 min interview at the local DSS/DHS/SSA office or was 10 years ago.

tom169

I’ve enquired about it since naturalizing and my local office would accept the form and proof in the lockbox, negating an “interview.” Not sure I’d personally do that, rather get it sorted in person and not have documents leave my sight.

Expatrian

Same here…in person. It was a 2-hour process for me, all but a few minutes waiting to be seen. I just handed the clerk my passport and she updated the system; there was no interview. They did want a SS-5 form (SS card application) completed, so I’d recommend completing that prior to visiting. They will accept a US passport, certificate of naturalization, certificate of citizenship, or birth certificate, according to this (page 3).

S Folinsky

It is NOT automatic. Back in the days of ancient history when I was a brunette sans bald spot, former INS had form N-402 which could be filed ancillary to the N-400 for a quite nominal filing fee for issuance of a certificate of citizenship for derivative kids. Making perfect sense, it was of course eliminated a long time ago. Current procedure is to require a N-600 for the kid. That form is designed for complicated cases and has a largish filing fee to match. Many people are discouraged from filing just because of the cost and general PIA factor.

(I’ve may have mentioned this previously, our family lore was that my mother had to register as an “enemy alien” when the U.S. entered WWII. So, she naturalized in July 1943 the month before marrying her sailor boy (aka “Dad”). After mom passed I took possession of the certificates of mom and my grandparents. Much to my surprise, Mom had a certificate of citizenship, not naturalization, reciting she had been a citizen since April 1940. Of course that was the date my maternal grandparents naturalized. Mom was 17 at the time. In other words, mom had never been an enemy alien.)

Pulaski

[Recreating the post (between posts #8 & #9) which I deleted, due doubts over wording and meaning, which I still have reservations about but Folinsky snagged my post before I had deleted it, and posted his response after I had deleted it.]

I think he means the certificate that anyone who naturalizes (as an adult) gets after the path ceremony, and which they have to send in with their passport application. ... If I am correct, I was unaware that the DHS issues certificates for minors - are they automatically sent, or just on request?

Expatrian

$1,170 for a N-600! I didn’t realize all the fees had gone up so much. An I-140 application used to be $35 and a N-400 was $95 back in the 80/90’s!

Expatrian

Oops, wrong link for USCIS fees.

OldJuddian

I had been waiting for the offices to open as updating the citizenship cannot be done online. Good timing to know that they are open again, as can get the kids done before school restarts.

excpomea

I have mentioned my situation before.
I recently went through this process via an interview at my local SS office.
They screwed up and issued me a second SS#.

Lots of back and forwards, basically they cannot rescind the 2nd SS#. I have to continue to use my original but 'don't lose the 2nd' they tell me.

I'm sure in years to come this is going to bite me in the ass.