SSN

[shallan 0]

I was kinda upset with the staff from SSN he told us i cannot get my SSN card until i get my work permit. But i can have SSN number for tax purposes. He said we have to call IRS first and request for form W-7. Goodness gracious i told my husband He maybe wrong or was it me? I read Sheriff Uling's guidelines and maybe like those on K1 visa i can get even if i dont have work permit yet right? Holy smoke.... whats goin on with this SSN office in here. What should i do?

[spidergirl 0]

I was kinda upset with the staff from SSN he told us i cannot get my SSN card until i get my work permit. But i can have SSN number for tax purposes. He said we have to call IRS first and request for form W-7. Goodness gracious i told my husband He maybe wrong or was it me? I read Sheriff Uling's guidelines and maybe like those on K1 visa i can get even if i dont have work permit yet right? Holy smoke.... whats goin on with this SSN office in here. What should i do?

Its rediculous, how can you file for taxes if you are not working yet. SSA people are not very well acquainted with Immigration rules. If you are a K1 Visa Holder you can apply for SSN two weeks after your arrival, the SSA can verify your information in SAVE-ASVI database. If the SSA employee will not issue you the SSN bring a copy of RM 00203.500 (on topic C of this link) https://secure.ssa.gov/apps10/poms.nsf/lnx/0100203500#c1

[macutelit 0]

I got my SSN with out work permit and I am on k1 visa....

[N360 0]

I was kinda upset with the staff from SSN he told us i cannot get my SSN card until i get my work permit. But i can have SSN number for tax purposes. He said we have to call IRS first and request for form W-7. Goodness gracious i told my husband He maybe wrong or was it me? I read Sheriff Uling's guidelines and maybe like those on K1 visa i can get even if i dont have work permit yet right? Holy smoke.... whats goin on with this SSN office in here. What should i do?

W-7 is not SSS#. It is a form for ITIN number for tax purposes. You're on K1, which means you cant do much until after you get married to a USC.

After your marriage, you can file for Adjustment Of Status (AOS)

After AOS, you can file for Employment Authorization Document (EAD) which is probably what the SS worker meant as "work permit".

After AOS, you can also file for a Social Security number. Hope this helps. There's also a very detailed guide under the general K1 forum.

[jom 4]

I obtained my SSN about 3 weeks after my arrival here in the USA on a K1 visa. I suggest that you go back to the SS office and talk to a supervisor.

Goodluck

[N360 0]

After AOS, you can also file for a Social Security number.

I just realized my last sentence is wrong. you can get a social security number before marriage but you cant work until after AOS.

[RonMay 1]

i got my SSN 2 weeks after i got here. im on K1 and that the officer told me i could not get my ssn until i have my working permit etc... but i showed him the requirements that even came from their office that one can get an ssn for as long as one has I-94... which i did. i showed him my passport and the I-94 that's being stapled on it... of course its not valid to obtain a job w/ out EAD but still its a good thing to have an ssn before the aos so you can have a bank account (some banks required you to have an ssn), health insurance... so forth as to help your proof of relationship... good luck and God bless!!!

[ilovecookies 0]

try going to another ss office, that's what i did and i got my ssn on a k1 visa!!!

[mikeandlani 0]

i'm not sure if i have this correctly, but i read in one of the topics here that a K1 visa maybe issued a SSN, however, the SSN would have a proviso on it that says "Not valid for employment". After you get your AOS and EAD done, you'd have to go back to the SSA and change the previously issued one.

for more information, here's what i got from the SSA website:

Original Social Security Number for a Noncitizen Adult

In general, only noncitizens who have permission to work from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) can apply for a Social Security number. If you do not have permission to work but need a Social Security number for other purposes, see “Work eligibility” for further information.

To apply for a Social Security number:

Complete an Application For A Social Security Card (Form SS-5); and

Show us documents proving:

Immigration status;

Work eligibility;

Age; and

Identity.

Take your completed application and original documents to your local Social Security office .

Anyone age 12 or older requesting an original Social Security number card must appear for an interview at a Social Security office.

Immigration status

To prove your U.S. immigration status, you must show us the current U.S. immigration document, I-94, Arrival/Departure Record, issued to you when you arrived in the United States. If you are an F-1 or M-1 student, you also must show us your I-20, Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant Student Status. If you are a J-1 or J-2 exchange visitor, you must show us your DS-2019, Certificate of Eligibility for Exchange Visitor Status.

Work eligibility

For most foreign workers, we only need to see an I-94, Arrival/Departure Record. Some foreign workers also must show their work permits from DHS (I-766 or I-688B).

Student: If you are an F-1 student authorized to work in curricular practical training, you must provide us with a Form I-20 with the employment page (page 3) completed and signed by a designated school official. We also need to see evidence of that employment, such as a recent pay slip or a letter from your employer. Your supervisor must sign and date the letter. The letter must describe:

Your job;

Your employment start date:

The number of hours you are, or will be, working; and

Your supervisor’s name and telephone number.

If you are an F-1 or M-1 student and are authorized to work off campus, you must provide us with the Employment Authorization Document you received from DHS.

If you are a J-1 student, you must provide a letter from your sponsor. The letter should be on sponsor letterhead with an original signature that authorizes your employment.

If you do not have permission to work

Lawfully admitted noncitizens can get many benefits and services without a Social Security number. You do not need a number to conduct business with a bank, register for school, apply for educational tests, obtain private health insurance, apply for school lunch programs or apply for subsidized housing. You cannot get a Social Security number for the sole purpose of obtaining a driver’s license.

Government benefits or services: If you do not have permission to work, you may apply for a Social Security number only if:

A federal law requires you to provide your Social Security number to get a particular benefit or service; or

A state or local law requires you to provide your Social Security number to get general assistance benefits that you already have qualified for.

If you need a number to meet these state or local requirements, you must bring us a letter from the government agency. It must be on letterhead stationery (no form letters or photocopies) and:

Specifically identify you as the applicant;

Cite the law requiring you to have a Social Security number;

Indicate that you meet all the agency’s requirements, except having the number; and

Contain an agency contact name and telephone number.

Taxes: If you need a number for tax purposes and you are not authorized to work in the United States, you can apply for an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Visit IRS in person or call the IRS toll-free number, 1-800-TAXFORM (1-800-829-3676), and request Form W-7, Application For An Individual Taxpayer Identification Number.

If you are assigned a number for nonwork purposes, you cannot use it to work. If you use it to work, we will inform DHS.

Age

You must present your birth certificate if you have it or can easily obtain it. If not, we can consider other documents, such as a passport or a document issued by DHS, to prove your age.

Identity

Social Security will ask to see a current DHS document. Acceptable documents include:

Form I-551 (includes machine-readable immigrant visa with your unexpired foreign passport);

I-94 with your unexpired foreign passport; or

Work permit card from the Department of Homeland Security (I-766 or I-688B).

We may use one document for two purposes. For example, we may use a DHS work permit as proof of both work eligibility and identity. However, you must provide at least two separate documents.

All documents must be either originals or copies certified by the issuing agency. We cannot accept photocopies or notarized copies of documents.We also cannot accept a receipt showing you applied for the document.

We will mail your card as soon as we have all of your information and have verified your documents.

Keep your Social Security card in a safe place. It is an important document. Do not carry it with you.

My advice, since you won't have much use of it at this time, might as well just apply for one once you have your AOS and EAD done. Goodluck in whatever you decide to do.

[payxibka 10,045]

My advice, since you won't have much use of it at this time, might as well just apply for one once you have your AOS and EAD done. Goodluck in whatever you decide to do.

So opening bank accounts and other activities that have become so dependant on the possesion of an SSN are not of much use? I respectfully disagree.....

[sj5 4]

holy shrimps! where i live they just want my non-immigrant visa and passport and then they told me what to do next to removed DHS on my SSN.

good luck to you girl.

[mikeandlani 0]

My advice, since you won't have much use of it at this time, might as well just apply for one once you have your AOS and EAD done. Goodluck in whatever you decide to do.

So opening bank accounts and other activities that have become so dependant on the possesion of an SSN are not of much use? I respectfully disagree.....

just basing my response to the SSA guidelines which specifically states, and i quote: "Lawfully admitted noncitizens can get many benefits and services without a Social Security number. You do not need a number to conduct business with a bank, register for school, apply for educational tests, obtain private health insurance, apply for school lunch programs or apply for subsidized housing. You cannot get a Social Security number for the sole purpose of obtaining a driver’s license. "

[payxibka 10,045]

My advice, since you won't have much use of it at this time, might as well just apply for one once you have your AOS and EAD done. Goodluck in whatever you decide to do.

So opening bank accounts and other activities that have become so dependant on the possesion of an SSN are not of much use? I respectfully disagree.....

just basing my response to the SSA guidelines which specifically states, and i quote: "Lawfully admitted noncitizens can get many benefits and services without a Social Security number. You do not need a number to conduct business with a bank, register for school, apply for educational tests, obtain private health insurance, apply for school lunch programs or apply for subsidized housing. You cannot get a Social Security number for the sole purpose of obtaining a driver’s license. "

There are SSA guidelines and then there is real life.... I am simply giving REAL LIFE advice...

[honeybear 0]

I got my SSN with a "VALID FOR WORK ONLY WITH DHS AUTHORIZATION" stamp on the front of the card.

When i applied for it, i have not applied for my AOS yet, I applied for it 2 months after i arrived here because i had to wait for my state-issued marriage certificate to arrive in the mail....And then i received the SSN card 2 weeks after.

Maybe you need to show your Marriage certificate to the ssn officer to prove that you are a pending immigrant and that you are married to a US citizen.

[N360 0]

i'm not sure if i have this correctly, but i read in one of the topics here that a K1 visa maybe issued a SSN, however, the SSN would have a proviso on it that says "Not valid for employment". After you get your AOS and EAD done, you'd have to go back to the SSA and change the previously issued one.

That is correct but instead of it saying "not valid for employment' it would say... VALID FOR WORK ONLY WITH DHS AUTHORIZATION

DHS authorization is basically the EAD after AOS

Edited May 6, 2008 by NoelandTintin