Boylerz

Hi Folks,

I got my L1 visa yesterday from the embassy in Vancouver. Going to be working in Hillsboro, Oregon. I am well chuffed to have it, it runs till Aug 2009. You might remember from older posts that my GF lives in Seattle so happy days.

So I now need to apply for my SSN. I have few questions that some of you may be able to answer - Can I work without having a SSN? My employer wants me to start next week. Do i need an original copy of my birth cert when applying for it? Going by previous posts it seems that it takes a few weeks to get it?

I'm off to buy a sim card for my phone today! They better not try make me buy a phone aswell. Gonna got with Cingular pay as ya go I think.

Any help would be great guys,
Conor.

angelman

The first thing I did when I arrived was to go to the social security office at 8am and line up. I signed all the papers showed my passport and that was it.. It took me THREE months to get my bloody card! I was issued with a temporary number, but my work was running me on a temporary social number. When it came to get my driving licence which was an ordeal in itself it turned out the name on my SS card was not the same as the name they had on file!!!
I had filled out the form perfectly but it turned out the idiots at the SS office ignored all that and just used the info from my passport which included my rarely used middle name. I hadnt used that on the SS form. Anyway another month later it was corrected and I coudl get my DL licence. Most people don't have to wait this long, 2 weeks is more common

mdyoung

An alien applying for a work-authorized original SSN must present evidence to establish his or her age, identity and employment authorization.

When requesting an SSN card, the documents presented, as evidence must be either originals or copies certified by the issuing agency. SSA will not accept uncertified or notarized photocopies as evidence.

For an original work authorized SSN request, an alien applicant must present at least two documents to establish age, identity, lawful alien status and current work authorization. If the immigration document, i.e., I-688B, I-766, is used to establish alien status and identity, the alien must provide another document to establish age.

If a foreign-born person has the foreign birth certificate (BC) in his/her possession or can easily obtain a copy, he or she must submit it as proof of age. When a person is foreign-born, a BC may not exist, may not have been recorded shortly after birth, or the probative value of the document may not be high. In these situations, SSA can accept alternative evidence of age in order of probative value. The alternative evidence of age may be less than a year old, e.g., a DHS document or passport.

You can find detailed information regarding evidence that establishes age on the SSA Website at:

http://policy.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0100203110

The documents acceptable as evidence of identity are now based on three factors: (1) the applicant’s age, (2) the applicant’s citizenship/alien status, and (3) the relative probative value of documents.

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).

However, the acceptability of an identity document must be evaluated on a case by case basis by the office processing the application, taking into consideration the applicant s situation and exploring what evidence is available for the person.

You can find detailed information regarding evidence of identity for an SSN Card on the SSA Website at:

http://policy.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0100203200#E

The unexpired I-94 with current L-1 status establishes employment authorization.

A spouse with L-2 status can provide an unexpired I-688B, I-766 or I-94 to establish lawful alien status and employment authorization.

However, if an I-688B or I-766 is not submitted, the L-2 spouse applicant must submit a marriage document as evidence that he/she is spouse of the L-1 alien.

How Do I Get a Work Permit (Employment Authorization Document):

http://www.uscis.gov/graphics/howdoi/ead.htm

Children with L-2 status are not eligible to be authorized to work in the United States.

SSA will not accept an application filing receipt or notice of action as proof of work authorization.

Form SS-5, “Application for a Social Security Card,” is the appropriate form to request an original SSN.

Form SS-5 can be requested by calling our toll-free number, 1-800-772-1213 or download from the SSA Website at:

http://www.ssa.gov/online/ss-5.html

To read and print Form SS-5 at a personal computer, you will need the Adobe Acrobat Reader. The software is available free of charge from Adobe at:

http://www.adobe.com/prodindex/acrobat/readstep.html

Complete the Form SS-5 and take it along with the required documents, to the nearest Social Security office. Individuals age 12 and over applying for an original SSN and card must apply in person at a Social Security office.

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

http://www.ssa.gov/locator

Normally, an SSN card should be received in the mail within two weeks after the application and required document(s) have been received and verified.

When an alien requests an SSN or replacement SSN card, SSA will verify his or her documents and current 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, SSA will send Form G-845 for manual verification.

RM 00203.720 Verifying Immigration Documents:

http://policy.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0100203720

If the SSA office does send the G-845, suggest that you go back to the SSA office no more that once week 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/0100203735
RM 00203.735 Requesting Online (Primary) Verification By SAVE

You can try calling the SSA Regional Office if you have waited at least 30 days and your local SSA office doesn't seem to be concerned about following up on the G-845 or sending one.

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

Refer them to:

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

Step 6

DHS should respond to SSA within 15 federal work days after receiving the Form G-845. If DHS does not respond within 15 federal work days from the receipt of the G-845 from SSA, follow-up with the DHS, USCIS Immigration Status office. (Allow 15 days plus five additional federal work days of mail time for the G-845 to be received at and returned from DHS. Follow local practice to follow-up with DHS.

Some SSA offices have an arrangement with the DHS, USCIS office to telephone for the follow-up contact; other SSA offices send a copy of the original G-845 annotated “second request.”) If the DHS response is still not received within 15 federal work days after the follow-up contact (if the follow-up is by mail allow five additional federal work days of mail time for the G-845 to be received at and returned from DHS), make a second follow-up contact. If the DHS response is not received within 15 federal workdays (again, if the follow-up is by mail, allow five additional federal work days of mail time for the G-845 to be received at and returned from DHS), after two follow-ups, contact the Regional Office (RO). Also report to the RO any trend that shows a serious deviation by DHS from the above time frames. The RO will consult with central office.

All cards are mailed from Social Security Headquarters in Baltimore, Maryland to the postal address provided on the Form SS-5.

If ineligible to be assigned an SSN, Social Security offices can provide written notice using Form SSA-L676 to explain that an SSN cannot be assigned due to the applicant not having provided authorization to work in the U.S. or evidence of a valid nonwork reason for needing an SSN.

The following are valid nonwork reasons:

-- Receive Social Security benefits
-- Receive Medicaid
-- Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)
-- Food Stamps
-- State/Local General Assistance Benefits

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) assigns individual taxpayer identification numbers (ITIN) to aliens for tax purposes who are not eligible to be assigned an SSN. A Form W-7, “Application for an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number,” needs to be submitted to receive an ITIN.

You can download a form W-7 from the IRS Website at:

http://www.irs.gov/formspubs/index.html

Employers can contact the CIS Business Liaison Office Hotline at their toll-free number, 1-800-357-2099 with work authorization and Form I-9 questions.

You may find additional SSN and employment information on the IRS Website at:

http://www.irs.gov/businesses/small/...129227,00.html

gsnichol

In short, take EVERY document you have pertaining to you, your visa and your job. This includes copies of any of the notices they may send you, copies of your offer of work/contract etc etc. The whole lot. You can be sure if you don't they will ask for something you don't have. My SSN card arrived in less than a week, as I recall. You can work without it initially (I did); they tax you at the full emergency rate until things are settled.

AdobePinon

Yes, you can start work without an SSN, although you might find it hard to convince HR of that. Once you start, you must apply for the SSN within (someone correct me if I'm wrong) seven days.

BigDavyG

Yep - you will need a sympathetic and semi-knowledgable emloyer for that.
Get yourself down to the social security agency asap with your passport, visa and id.
Apply for a ssn.
Return 48 hours later to be told your number.
Wait for the card to arrive in the mail.
As far as I know though giving an employer the number is enough - no-one has any right to ask to see the actual card - once you see the card you'll understand why that is.

Good luck in the us - from kildare to oregon ain't that bad - at least you'll be used to the rain

ladygwennie

That is if you are in the dreaded "save system"

Keeping my fingers crossed for ya Boylerz, get to the ss office asap!!!

dbj1000

Three and a half years ago I followed pretty much all the advice that's been given so far in this thread... and it still took me 9 weeks to get an SSN at all, and another 4 to get the card.

I sincerely hope you have more luck than I did!

BigDavyG

They should be able to give you the number in 48 hours is you go back to the office - there is no reason why they can't unless they f**k something up (though this is quite likely to be fair)

snowbunny

If the visa holder's arrival in the US hasn't been processed by DHS and fed into the SAVE system as mentioned, then SSA cannot proceed until the data is there.

God I am glad we don't have to go through that one more than once.

mdyoung

Nothing here will make getting the SSN assigned and card issued 100 percent certain in 2 weeks or 2 months, but if you follow it you at least know you have done everything you can. Plus knowing the steps helps to makes sure the people at the SSA office are doing their job and not feeding you a bunch of BS.

SSA is supposed to start using an electronic verification instead of sending the G-845 when a person can't be verified through SAVE. Hopefully, that will make the waiting time shorter for status verifications. The way things are now once the SSA office puts the G-845 in the mail they pretty much are done with it for at least a month and don't really know if it ever got to the immigration office. Same when the immigration office sends it back to SSA, they don't track it to see if it got to the SSA office.

Boylerz

Hi Folks,

Thanks so much for the info. My employer did called me yesterday evening and told me that I am free to satrt the job next Tuesday as I don't need the SSN right now but as you guys said I will need to apply for it ASAP.

Also, Can you set up a bank account without an SSN? Is it fairly straightforward to set one up? It was sooo easy in Canada so I'm hoping it is the same here. It is a nightmare in Ireland for immigrants I hear!

Big Davey - I'm soo used to wind and rain!!! The summer has been so good here in the Northwest though. But the drizzlefest will start soon enough I guess!!!

Boylerzzzzzzzzz (7:30am)

meauxna

hey, try Washington Mutual bank--but you must go in person. If you don't get joy, speak to the manager.
Hope the new employer doesn't start with 'I' and end with 'L' <eek>. Are you going to live out there in the sticks?
Rains had better not start for a couple of months yet--welcome to the neighborhood!

Paul S

Mine wasn't when I got here

Was the proverbial pain in the ar$e to get it sorted. As you say, just as well we only have to go through it once

Elizabeth Prescott

Hi,
Welcome to the US!

Having just gone through this process myself recently I thought I would give you my advise/insights!

I didn't need my birth certificate just my passport, visa documents and I think I took a letter from my employer just stating I actually worked there.
There is also a form which you need to fill in which you can get from the SS website. You can work without this number but they can't pay you! Joking your employer should be able to give you a temporary number, I'm not sure if you are from the UK? Presuming you are, if your employer has a branch in the UK they could pay you via that branch but my advise is don't do that! The number takes up to 4 weeks but I got mine sooner. As you are on a work visa the SSN is just for that - it really doesn't give you any "status" in the US. I'm not sure what your circumstance is but I would also advise to to establish residency - ie your name an address on bills, bank statements etc. as soon as you can.

It's a great place to live once you get past the initial states of setting up all those annoying things! Good luck

Liz


I should have read the other replies first! I agree with all the above!