Choccyaddict

So I am here on a NATO spouse visa, which gives me the right to work. My work permit arrived o the 23 Aug and I went straight to the Social office to apply for a number. I didn't hear anything for weeks and continually went back on a weekly basis to bug them, but they kept saying that it was being processed. Eventually in November, I spoke to someone else who looked into it and discovered that the first idiot I had spoken to had applied for a card rather than a new number and funnily enough it got flagged up as a fraudulent application.
They also had issues that my passport is valid for 10yrs 6 months; I had 3 years left on my old passport when I got married.
Sooooo they made me reapply and promised me a 2 week turnaround- that was on the 7 Nov and I was told last week that it is still being processed with immigration. There can't be any issues with immigration as like I said I am here on a NATO Visa and I still have military clearance from my old job so I am definitely not a terrorist risk. I can't work because I need a ssn for a live scan and even Starbucks won't take me without an SSN! Their mistake is costing me a lot of money!

I can understand why they have armed guards!!!.......any suggestions on my next course of action?

Noorah101

Try a new application at a different social security office?

Rene

Bob

Don't need a number to work though, proof of work authorisation, your visa, is good enough...have to show the number once you get it though, but that shouldn't be stopping you from getting a job.

And yeah, go to another office.

It's the government, you won't get anywhere trying to sue them.

Choccyaddict

So can I apply at a different office whilst I have an ongoing application?

ian-mstm

This is the US... you're allowed to do anything you want as long as there isn't a law against it -- so... yes!

Ian

Rete

I don't think you should go to a new office. Your order is being processed. It is not that they think you are a terrorist or whatever. Your status with the USCIS needs to be verified regardless of the fact that you are on a NATO visa. That means squat all. My DH had top military clearance from Interpol, FBI and CIA and still had to go through the verification process. NATO is only an organization and does not supercede the regulations of US Federal Agencies.

Verification of your status with USCIS can take up to ten weeks. They are NOT verifying your security clearance but your visa status. A big difference. Until they have verification from the USCIS that you have a valid visa with the right to work, you aren't going to get a social security card/number.

BTW the first person was not an idiot. Your post appears to me that you already had a social security number and that "idiot" as you called her applied for a new card instead of a new number. If you have one number already, you are not entitled to another number. Or perhaps you are confused and think that they were requesting a new card for you instead of requesting the one and only social security number which, btw is on a card and thus, has the same meaning. So perhaps the second person was the idiot.

MarylandNed

Contact the office of your local elected federal representative (senator or congressman).