Hey all,

Quick question that I was suggested to take to a new thread. I've read that I need to wait 10 days before I can apply for an SSN so I'm in the "system", and if I try before I risk waiting up to 6 weeks. I looked back a while but I've seen conflicting advice for what is the most recent procedure.

Is this still true?

Also is it also true that I don't need an SSN to open a personal US bank account?

Thanks all.

You dont need a SSN to open an account. We opened ours with our rental agreement (address) and our Visa. We went into the Social Security Office after 10 days and didnt have any issues (so our numbers had come through ok).

We opened our account with Chase and also credit cards through Advancial Federal Credit Union (used job offer letter) to get one based on pay. Credit unions operate to different regulations to banks, so have some more flexibility in terms of what products they can offer.

Good luck

Yes.

Yes.

Rene

Great. Thanks guys. Appreciated.

I recently became a US Citizen, and at the ceremony, they made a point of telling us to go to the social security office with our certificate, to "upgrade" our status. BUT do not go for at least 10 days, as USCIS and SSA are on different systems and it takes that long for the info to synchronize- words to that effect.

That is what they said 3 weeks ago. I did not test it. I did go to the office around 10 days later, but after waiting an hour, had to go back to work without being seen.

Upgrade your status? To what? Are they suggesting USCs pay less tax or something like that?

Yeah, I'm not sure what difference it makes, but I should get a new SSN card that does not say "Valid for work only with DHS authorization".

I'm telling my Boss she now has to pay me the Citizen rate

Apparently you don't need a SSN to open a bank account, however I was not able to open one for myself or the kids when on H4s.

The SSA database is used by other federal agencies to verify immigration status. So when you become a USC, it's important that you go to your local SSA office with proof of US citizenship and have them update their database. You will obtain new SSN cards (the numbers will be the same but any restrictions will be erased and a new date of issue will appear on the front of the card).

I didn't know that I had to do this until a few years after we became US citizens when my eldest daughter applied for a US federal student loan. She received a letter stating that her loan application could not be processed because the immigration status she had indicated on the application form (USC) could not be verified by the SSA. So we all went to our local SSA office to have our immigration status updated. It worked because the next year my 2nd daughter successfully applied for her federal student loan without any problems.

I've heard such stories. What I don't get is the 10 days (or whatever) to synchronize things. If the USCIS info flows to SSA, great. But then it seems the person has to physically go to SSA and verify anyway, and if they don't, or go to soon, the automatic flow becomes invalid?

Meanwhile, SSA becomes the primary source of immigration status info for anyone interested.

Not to mention many oath ceremonies have tables set up to do it straight after the ceremony.

You should already have had an unrestricted Social Security card as a green card holder.

You need to update your status with Social Security as that's how many federal and state agencies will verify your U.S. citizenship. You'll get another Social Security card, identical to the one you have, except with a different issue date.

It's up to you whether you want to wait until you have problems later on, or be proactive.

Again, I have heard that. It was not available at mine, so am I somehow dis-advantaged? Who can I sue?

I think I knew this and ignored it, but I still don't get the requirement to show up in person to validate the "upgrade", if the system does it automatically, albeit after 10 days.

FWIW there is no Issue date on the card I have. No doubt it is recorded though.

The system doesn't upgrade your status automatically. It just means that when you show up with evidence of citizenship, Social Security will be able to validate the information with USCIS.

Social Security only started to put issue dates on cards in 2007.
http://www.ssa.gov/history/ssn/ssnversions.html

As to the rest, it is not usual for Social Security representatives to attend U.S. citizenship ceremonies. Passport or voting registration officials - maybe, but not usually Social Security. Although there may well have been exceptions. Either way, it's your responsibility to fulfil the necessary post-citizenship formalities.