another question about SSN

[elkfarmer 4]

American citizen, living in Colombia, married to Colombiana. Do I have to wait until we get visas and enter USA, before getting wife and kids Social security numbers? Have social security office in Bogota Embassy, but can not get thru front gate. And you only get recordings when trying to call. So much for being a US citizen, #######. Frustraited American.

[payxibka 10,045]

American citizen, living in Colombia, married to Colombiana. Do I have to wait until we get visas and enter USA, before getting wife and kids Social security numbers? Have social security office in Bogota Embassy, but can not get thru front gate. And you only get recordings when trying to call. So much for being a US citizen, #######. Frustraited American.

You cannot get SSN's for someone until they are eligible. Eligibility essentially means that they are work authorized. Until this happens (requires entry into USA and they possess EAD or GC) then nothing can or will happen.

[YuAndDan 153]

Yes, SSA will only issue SSN to persons authorized to work in the USA, wife can children wont have this until after entering the USA, and get green-cards.

You can still file a joint return by getting wife an ITIN issued by IRS.

US YOU http://www.visajourney.com/timeline/profile.php?id=40978

[Mononoke28 135]

Your wife will have to have a visa in order to get a SS#. If the kids are yours, then they are automatically eligible for US citizenship and they can get their SS#s in Colombia. If not, they also have to get an immigrant visa to enter the US and get a SS#.

Diana

[YuAndDan 153]

Your wife will have to have a visa in order to get a SS#. If the kids are yours, then they are automatically eligible for US citizenship and they can get their SS#s in Colombia. If not, they also have to get an immigrant visa to enter the US and get a SS#.

Diana

NOT Visa, all the visa is for is entry into the USA, the visa does not authorize work. The green-card does.

[I'm Gone 60]

American citizen, living in Colombia, married to Colombiana. Do I have to wait until we get visas and enter USA, before getting wife and kids Social security numbers?

An individual cannot be assigned a Social Security number or issued a SSN card while outside of the United States unless he or she is a United States citizen, has evidence of current United States permanent resident status or a valid non work reason for needing an SSN.

Needing an SSN for school aid or enrollment, filing taxes, private health insurance, banking or to be issued a state professional or driver’s license are NOT valid non work reasons for needing an SSN.

RM 00203.510 Alien without Work Authorization - Nonwork Need for an SSN:

http://policy.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0100203510

[I'm Gone 60]

American citizen, living in Colombia, married to Colombiana. Do I have to wait until we get visas and enter USA, before getting wife and kids Social security numbers?

The Social Security Administration (SSA) has entered into agreements with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Department of State (DOS) for those agencies to assist SSA by collecting as part of the immigration process the information SSA needs to assign Social Security numbers and issue SSN cards. DHS electronically forwards the data to SSA once the person is admitted to the United States (U.S.), to assign Social Security numbers and issue SSN cards. SSA calls this data sharing process Enumeration at Entry (EAE).

RM 00202.315 Enumeration At Entry:

http://policy.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0100202315

Individuals applying for nonimmigrant visas currently are NOT eligible to be assigned Social Security numbers through the EAE process and ALL K visa classifications are nonimmigrant visas.

Individuals age 18 or older applying at a foreign service post for an immigrant visa and alien registration, i.e., completes the Form DS-230 Application for Immigrant Visa and Alien Registration, should answer “yes” to the questions 33a and 33b on the form if he or she wants an SSN assigned or replacement card issued.

The individual should receive his or her original or replacement SSN card within 3 weeks after arriving in the United States. The SSN card will be mailed to the same United States mailing address that is used to mail the Permanent Resident card (I-551).

If you answered “yes” to being assigned an SSN on form DS-230 when applying for an immigrant visa and have not received your SSN card within 3 weeks of being admitted to the United States, we suggest that you go into your local Social Security office.

If you have been assigned an SSN, the office can provide you with the number. However, if you have not received your card within 14 days of your SSN being assigned, normally you will need to apply for a replacement SSN card.

If no SSN has been assigned after 3 weeks or application is found pending, you will need to submit an SSN application at one of our offices.

Only aliens age 18 and over will be processed by EAE. Children under age 18 must apply for Social Security numbers at a Social Security office after admission to the U.S. This is so SSA may collect their parents' Social Security numbers to provide to Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

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

http://www.ssa.gov/locator

Note: People who live or receive mail in the Brooklyn, NY, Queens, NY, Phoenix, AZ or Las Vegas, NV area MUST apply in person at one of the Social Security Card Centers, regardless of age.

Card Center Information:

http://ssa-custhelp.ssa.gov/cgi-bin/ssa.cf...hp?p_faqid=1412

Be sure to take proof of age, identity and work authorization when going into a Social Security office to inquiry about the status of your SSN or to submit an application.

Applicants need to provide at least two documents as evidence to establish age, identity and work authorization. Proof of age is not required when applying for a replacement SSN card.

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

“If the applicant has no immediate need for the SSN and the translation can be done promptly or the foreign language document is the only evidence available; have the document translated by an authorized translator and use the document as evidence.”

“If the applicant has a pressing need for an SSN, and evidence other than the foreign language document is available; request other evidence and process the application without the foreign language document.”

RM 00203.040 Reviewing SSN Evidence:

http://policy.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0100203040#B3

SSA translators comprise two groups:

-- Field office and Payment Center employees who volunteer their

services as translators

-- Central Translation Section translators who hold actual translator

positions.

GN 00301.340 Authorized Translators Defined:

http://policy.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0200301340

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.

Primary Identity Evidence for an alien:

-- Form I-551, Permanent Resident Card (includes temporary I-551

stamp/machine readable immigrant visa (MRIV) in combination with an

unexpired foreign passport when the I-551 Permanent Resident Card

has not yet been issued)

-- Form I-94, Arrival/departure Record in combination with an unexpired

foreign passport

-- Form I-766, Employment Authorization card

-- Form I-688B, Employment Authorization card

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

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

Employment Authorization Documents:

-- I-688B

-- I-766

-- I-94 (With visa status that allows work in the U.S.)

-- I-551 (stamp or card)

-- Machine Readable Immigrant Visa (MRIV) with temporary I-551 language

Note: The MRIV shows the alien's identification number (“A” number) as the “Registration Number” in the upper right-hand corner of the MRIV.

The MRIV in an unexpired foreign passport that shows the statement “UPON ENDORSEMENT SERVES AS TEMPORARY I-551 EVIDENCING PERMANENT RESIDENCE FOR 1 YEAR and is endorsed with an admission stamp is the same as a valid Temporary I-551 stamp and is valid for one year from the date of endorsement by the admission stamp.

Example:

If the admission stamp shows a date of entry into the U.S. as January 4, 2008, the expiration of the temporary I-551 status will be January 3, 2009. The expiration date on the MRIV should not be used to determine when the temporary I-551 status expires. The expiration date on the MRIV only shows how long the MRIV is valid not how long the alien's temporary I-551 status is valid.

RM 00203.410 Evidence of Alien Status for an SSN Card for an Alien Lawfully Admitted for Permanent Residence:

http://policy.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0100203410

SSA cannot accept an application filing receipt or notice of action as evidence of an immigration document.

An SSN card should be received card in the mail within two weeks after the application and documents have been received and verified when applying within the United States.

However, when an alien requests an SSN or replacement card, SSA must verify his or her documents/current status with the appropriate Bureau of the Department of Homeland Security. If the initial online verification is not possible through the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) system, SSA may need to send a Form G-845 to the appropriate Bureau of the Department of Homeland Security for manual verification.

Since 01/06/2007 Social Security field offices can submit an additional electronic online verification, which in the majority of applications eliminates the need to send a Form G-845 along with copies of the applicant’s immigration documents.

However, some applications still require a copy of the immigration document(s) being verified to be sent at the request of the Department of Homeland Security along with the Form G-845 for manual verification.

All cards are mailed from Social Security Headquarters in Baltimore, Maryland.

The IRS assigns Individual Taxpayer Identification Numbers to aliens who need to report income for tax purposes, but do not have and cannot be assigned SSN. A Form W-7, “Application for an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number,” needs to be submitted to be assigned an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN).

To request a Form W-7, we recommend that you contact IRS by:

-- Calling the IRS at their toll-free numbers, 1-800-829-3676/1040.

-- Accessing the IRS Website at:

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

-- Calling or visiting any local IRS office.

You can locate your local IRS office at:

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

You may also contact the IRS ITIN office by calling 1-215-516-4846.

You can find additional information on the IRS Website at:

http://www.irs.gov/individuals/article/0,,id=96287,00.html

http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p1915.pdf

The IRS has Acceptance Agents who are authorized by the IRS to assist applicants in obtaining Individual Taxpayer Identification Numbers. They review the applicant's documentation and forward the completed Form W-7 to IRS for processing.

You can find contact information at:

http://www.irs.gov/individuals/article/0,,id=96304,00.html

You can also call the IRS International Tax Law Hotline at 215-516–2000. This is not a toll-free call.