leeutb

Hello,

I depart for the US (Houston) in 2 weeks and some possible new information has just come my way with regards to obtaining a SSN. I have been browsing the forum for some time and the below is what I seem to have gathered.

I will have an L1 visa with my partner and child having L2's.

Is it correct that:

1) I need to wait 7 days until I can apply for my SSN?
1a) Does this have any impact on me being able to open a bank account, get a lease, get insurance etc?
2) My wife cannot get a SSN until she obtains a work permit? She wasn't planning on working at least for the first 6 months until we are settled
2a) She will also be learning to drive in Houston, I assume she will need a SSN to obtain a learners permit?
3) My child cannot get a SSN number? Does this have an impact on applying for a school?

Thanks in advance.

Olly_

1. Best to wait to make sure you'll be in the SAVE system, otherwise your application has to be manually verified and it will delay things for weeks.
1a. Sort of, you can technically open a bank account without an SSN but some bank branches won't know how to or want to - I just waited until I got my SSN

2. No, she can get an SSN without an EAD, she just needs to bring her marriage certificate to the Social Security office. I'd advise applying for an EAD as soon as possible though because it can take up to 6 months to arrive.
2a. See above

3. Correct, dependent children can't get SSN's on an L-2. I don't believe it will have an impact on school applications.

Jack8602

From my own experience arriving on an L1 i had slightly different to what Olly posts for 1 & 1a.

1. I went to the social security office and applied on the 2nd day i was here, received it in the mail 5 days later.
1a. Bank of America will open an account for you without an SSN, just take your passport and visa and have an address to open the account. A lease on what? for a car loan, you'll need an SSN. An apartment complex will allow you to lease with a big enough downpayment (1.5 - 2x the monthly rent) and verification of employment / visa etc.

Olly_

I think something has changed since we first arrived - petitefrancaise has mentioned new arrivals having real issues with the SSA recently if they go too soon. The problem is that if you apply and they can't verify you it takes weeks and weeks to resolve so you would have been better off waiting a week or so. YMMV though as always! EDIT: See this post here: Applying for Social Security Number

Different situation I know but I went to the SSA last year almost two months after my AoS was approved to get an unrestricted SS card and they couldn't verify me (or my husband) via SAVE, it took about a month for them to do it via the manual process.

Jack8602

Ah ok cool.

Meh, i gotta go to the office to get my unrestricted card. Been delaying going lol.

Olly_

I think I'd rather go to the dentist than the SSA office again any time soon

petitefrancaise

I go about 3 times a week and I'm an ex dental hygienist. No winning mate....
Here's the recipe for SSN success
Check the i94 as soon after arrival as you can .cbp.dhs.gov/I94/#/home (get most recent i94). If it's incorrect, come back here and I'll help you sort it out...
Wait 7 days.
Kids don't get SSNs.
L1+L2 Take passports with visa stamp, print outs of i94, birth certificates if you have them. Fill out the form on arrival
L2 will need marriage certificate.
Bingo.

karenkaren1

FYI - dont let your wife make the same mistake that I made recently, which is to not check the box on the application form for her work permit which simultaneously applies for her SSN. Because I didn't check the box, I had to visit social security office which was neither a quick or a pleasant experience and added another couple of wks to the process. My husband went to apply on day 5 of arriving in USA and had no issues.

petitefrancaise

DO NOT TICK THAT BOX!!!!!!
EADs are taking 4-6 months to come through and your wife will be without the SSN until then.
In Texas, the SSN makes life easier when applying for the driver's license and bank accounts and credit cards and drs will ask for it as well. Schools may ask for it when registering the kids. It's not essential to have it but by golly it is much easier with it.
I get ALL my assignees to apply on 7 days after arrival.
Visit the SSN first thing in the morning, get there 30 minutes before opening time and you'll be out by 9.30. 10.00am latest

karenkaren1

I dont understand? The agent at the SSN office, told me I could have avoided this visit and my SSN would have been already sent with the EAD if I had ticked the box. it took just over 2 months tho so not bad at all. this was all very recent. end of last year.

* I am referring to the wife on the L2 (same as me)

leeutb

Thank you all for the information, very helpful.

I guess we will apply for an EAD earlier than planned then. We haven't even looked into it yet.

Rete

Applying for the EAD should be your first important thing to do, at least the moment you have a permanent address to put on the application.

insan

Hi, Just arrived in Austin 10 days ago from UK and made the mistake of applying for SSN the next day, they needed to verify with Immigration even though i had a printed 1-94. Waited for two week and called them up few times but still nothing. Went today to a different SSN office and was done in 10 minutes and was told that i'll get it in the post in next 5-7 days. I applied as a new applicant.

For new comers, please wait before you go to SSN and if they say they have to verify maybe think of rescinding the application and waiting a bit longer

petitefrancaise

I would not advise this.
In my experience, once the application has commenced they cannot abandon it just because you can't be verified in SAVE. I would think that your original application will still be processing and having a second one on the go may well land you in a pickle.
I await the end result with interest.
Just wait the 7 days people and you won't have any problems at all.

insan

Thanks, agree, I'll update if I get it in next 5-7 days. but original advise stands delay your visit to the SSN office for few days.