KH2010

Hi Everyone,

I'm new here (both to the forum and NC!) and wondering whether anyone has any advice or experience they can pass on. bear with me if this becomes a bit long!

I arrived in NC early November on an L2 visa - my husband has the L1A as he has transfered from the UK. His firm's attorneys handled our visa applications and everything went smoothly. Three days after arriving we went to the local Social Security office to file our applications for SSN and my husband received his about 7 weeks later. Mine still hadn't arrived so yesterday I called them to check the status as I desperately need to get working and take my driving test (I know I require an EAD as well which we're waiting on too). They couldn't find my reference number or name anywhere on their system and after being on hold forever I was told they had DELETED my application/ file because DHS couldn't verify my paperwork! What?! My husband and I applied at exactly the same time and the paperwork we handed over at the social security office was the exact same documentation attached to our visa applications, everything tied up.

I have been going round in circles phoning uscis (who just refer me to the website to make an appointment for my local office - none of the options for getting an appointment are applicable to me), Social Security and our immigration attorneys, all of whom have not been able to help at all. Our local USCIS office doesn't allow walk in appointments and I can't find a phone number for it anywhere either. I'm left feeling totally stumped now - I don't know what to do next, what my options are... I NEED to work as we need the money...we have a 16 month tenancy agreement so stuck here and soon unable to pay the bills! The plan was to continue my UK employment from home as soon as my EAD etc came through, but now I don't even know if that can happen?

Does anyone know what could have caused this issue and is it possible that I might not be able to work at all, despite my visa basically entitling me to (in which case I face the harsh situation of returning to the UK with my 2 year old and leaving my husband here for the next 16 months)?

Sorry to sound dramatic and panicked, but that's how I'm feeling right now... I have no idea what to do next!

Thanks in advance to anyone out there who might be able to offer some kind words of advice. I don't know much about this stuff!

Kelly

seawaternow

Kelly,

go back to the same or another SSA office and insist to speak to the supervisor. Often times the front desk people are inexperienced and you want to make sure the things are done right. You have to be persistant, you will get the SSN you're an entitled to.

MsElui

it might have been that for some reason you were not on the system at that time. (the arrivals from immigration take about 10-14 days to get on the system).

Go back with all your visa documentation, marriage cert etc and a completed form. They should be able to tap it into the system then and there and give you a receipt. If they cant find you on the system then ask them how you go about sorting out that issue as you should be.

meauxna

I agree with swn.. the only people who can solve this are the SSA, so that narrows down the fight.
Just go into a new SSA office, ask them to look up your application (I've never heard of them actually deleting one, and I've been around a long time) and if it is not there, re-apply. You do not need an EAD; remind them that your L-2 visa is on the 'employment authorized incident to status' list and that they may issue you a SSN.

You can also apply for the EAD without an SSN.. did you apply for that immediately after you arrived? If you are working for your overseas employer, they won't want your SSN anyway (you will need it for your upcoming US income tax return though)


I am curious what your immigration attorneys said to you/did on your behalf if you don't mind sharing.

Hovik

I had a similar experience. I went to the SSN office 11 days after arriving. They could not find my entry, and forwarded my application to DHS. After 4-5 weeks I went to the SSN office, and asked what the status of my application was ( I had heard nothing ). Turned out DHS had sent a request for more info to the SSN office, and they had failed to notify me. They got an extra copy of my passport, I-94(?), etc, and my SSN arrived a week later.

Had I not went back to check on them, my application would not have gone through. Next time you apply, make sure to check up on them after a couple of weeks.

augigi

I agree you probably went in too soon. If you go when you get here, they can't verify the info from immigration. This is why many posts advise to wait 2 weeks after entry before applying.

BostonBrit Expat Since 03

Havent you got the I94 stamped with your visa category aswell as the VISA, this should be just a technicality and solved easily...

jondem

NOt sure if this was solved for you yet, but just a brief memo on my experience with this. When I arrived in Virginia, did the same process. Went (with relocation consultant) to SSN office with form filled and checked. No probs. Went back 2 weeks later with wife when she arrived to do same thing. At that time I mentioned I still hadn't received my card (everything was on hold waiting for those 9 special numbers!) After some digging, and eventually when the reloc lady had a word with her 'old friend' behind the SSN counter, they checked the computer which said some step in the process had not been completed. The SS lady looked embarrassed, pressed a few buttons, smiled and said both cards should be in the mail in two days. Hey presto! both arrived 2 days later. Most of the time, my experience with Admin here is that when 'computer says no', it is usually because a human has done something wrong! Speak assertively and things miraculously get sorted. good luck.



No i'm about to embark on the tax return journey....

KH2010

Thanks everyone.

Turns out I should have applied for my EAD before my SSN. Still waiting for the adjudication of my EAD app. but hoping it will come through soon. THEN I can apply for my SSN. The stupid thing is the EAD application form has a space for your SSN..yet you can't get one until the EAD is through...?! As they say out here... 'go figure!'

Anyway as I said, thanks all. I hope everything goes smoothly from here - keep your fingers crossed for me )

Bob

That's because some people may already have a SSN because they were here on a previous work visa, student, intern J1 etc.

meauxna

While the EAD does solve your problem... they will definitely issue a SSN once you have one, your visa class does not require an EAD for you to get a SSN.

But sometimes, it's just work to get them to do what they should. Hopefully, you'll put the EAD to more use than 'just' your SSN.

KH2010

I don't understand why they would have not only rejected but completely deleted my last application for a SSN if the EAD is irrelevant then?! Apparently the Dept of Homeland Security couldn't verify my documents, but that's crazy as we presented the exact same copies of everything that got submitted with our visa application, which was successful and straightforward.

This whole thing is stressing me out so much - if everything runs its course and comes through without any further glitches I will have been in the country 9 months already! And if there are more obstacles we could be packing up our things to go home again before it all gets sorted... I've never known anything so frustrating.

Our immigration attorneys have told us that I would have been refused the SSN because I didn't have the EAD?!

*Sigh*

meauxna

Have you called the SSA's national customer service number? They have some very helpful people there. You can also email them.

discoviking

That observation is spot on. I have been in IT since the mid 80's, and during the course of my career have learned that the #1 problem with computers is that they will do exactly what you tell them to do. They will never do what you though you told them to do. I truly believe computers are autistic.

You are making the assumption that every person involved with the chain of events executed their assigned task in a timely, efficient and correct manner, and that government computer systems are all linked and communicate with each other flawlessly. Your assumption is incorrect. Most likely, you are a victim of what computer geeks (especially in the tech support area) sometimes refer to internally as PEBKAS (Problem Exist Between Keyboard And Seatback), possibly combined with an id10t system error.

Go back to the same or a different SSA office armed with all your paperwork, and politely but firmly ask to see a supervisor. Good luck.

MadRad

We got SSNs 2 weeks after arrival last March. We then had to get new visas two months later. I then applied for my EAD mid-summer. Our idiot lawyers forgot to file it until October. I still don't have an EAD - my case is sitting at initial review - and neither USCIS nor our lawyers have been able to help. To say I'm frustrated is an understatement.