Wilto

So I entered the USA on July 8th on a CR1 - Spouse visa.

Today is 3 weeks since being in the US.

I have a job offer, but am waiting for my Social Security and Green Card to come.

Im pretty desperate for cash, can I go get a Social # from the office? Or should I most definitley wait?

fatbrit

Go to the local social security office.

Noorah101

You can go in person to the SS office and get the number. They might also give you a letter saying a number has been assigned and the card is on the way, you can show that to your potential employer.

As for the green card, if you entered on an Immigrant Visa, you should have an I-551 stamp in your passport which is the equivalent of the green card. That I-551 shows your status as permanent resident. Not sure if that stamp is acceptable on the I-9, though.

Rene

meauxna

You can start working in advance of receiving your SSN, Wilto; are they ready for you to start at your job?

You can also do as Rene suggests and see if your number is ready at SSA.

The endorsed visa is an acceptable hiring document for the I-9.

Wilto

The company who I will be working for won't let me work until they get the social due to background checks.

Yes the endorsed visa is fine but it would be nice to have the card!

Ok well I think I may go to the SSA office and get the number.

meauxna

Ah, different deal then.
Yes, I'd get yourself down to SSA to inquire. Be all nice, not like you're checking up on them, your objective is to get the number (and secretly confirm that your case was entered correctly).
good luck


Any Welcome letter from USCIS yet?

Wilto

Yes I recieved 2 welcome letters both on the same day, identical letter but dated 21st and 22nd of July, was a bit thrown by that but yeah seemed like all was in order!

meauxna

That is a good sign that your envelope was processed correctly; your SSA card is likely in route to you.
But as your are pressed to get started, go in and see if you can get the number. Hopefully the number alone is acceptable to your employer (don't see how it is going to help with a background check when it will be a blank slate).

md95065

Of course the irony of this, which I am sure is not lost on you, is that a background check based on a brand new social security number will, of course, come up with precisely nothing ...

Bob

Unless you get a rare recycled number

Wilto

Exactly what I told them but the HR department said they need to do it.

meauxna

HR.
There ya go.

Wilto

Yeah it's a case of - Computer says no!

Going to head down to the office now, the phone line was a waste of time.

Hopefully at least that I will get the number so my employer can check it out.

Start work on the 17th of August

meauxna

Nice! Enjoy your time off now then, prolly be til next august before you get a vacation! (god I hope I'm just kidding....)

Way to hit the ground running thorugh, Wilto!

Wilto

Just got back from the office.

There was an application pending in the system.

The lady who helped attempted to get me re-issued with a number and it was all ok and confirmed.

But, she couldn't tell me today, it takes 24 hours for the system to update and to get a number issued, so hopefully by monday afternoon, tuesday morning I will have a number issued on a letter, and then the card will come in 2 weeks.

She said if the 1st application does come through, just come back to us and we will get one cancelled.

Wish I had done this a bit sooner now, oh well!

Still waiting on my "Residence Card", getting tired of carrying my passport around all the time, it does say that I have carry it at all times.