What the heck are we supposed to do now?

[GlenAndLisa 0]

I'm mad. I had no idea that we were supposed to file for Glen's SSN soon after he got here. This stuff just isn't spelled out clearly enough! So now his I-94 is expired and I have no idea what to do!

Someone please help us.

[KarenCee 3]

From the Guides at the top of the website:

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.ph...om&page=ssn

:: For K1 Visa Holders ::

As a K-1 Visa Holder you are eligible to receive a SSN upon producing a valid I-94 (unexpired). Do

not wait until you only have a few weeks left until your I-94 expires to file for a SSN. Many SSA

offices will not allow you to file for a SSN if your I-94 is about to expire (generally 14 days prior

to the expiration on your I-94). On the other hand, you should also not file for a SSN too soon either.

You should wait 2 weeks after you arrived in the US before applying for a SSN. If you go too soon your

record of arrival will not be in the SAVE-ASVI system yet, and it will require manual verification from the

USCIS. As this will add weeks to the period it takes to process the SSN, it is advisable to attempt to wait the two weeks to be safe. If you have waited the 2 weeks and they tell you they can not verify you arrival record via the SAVE database, you may allow them to to process it (but remember the potential delay for manual verifications). You can ask if they will check the computer again for you in a few days or return personally to have them look again -- thus eliminating the manual verification. The manual verification will require the SSA office to file a G-845 with the USCIS.

To apply for a SSN you will need to go to your local SSA office and bring the documents below. These

documents are proof of your eligibility to file for a SSN:

1.

The SS-5 form you downloaded and filled out (they have some at the office if you forget).

2.

your Passport (with the K-1 Visa in it)

3.

your valid I-94

4.

another form of valid ID (as defined in the SS-5 instructions)

5.

You should also bring the document RM 00203.500 that you printed out

Make sure to bring all the documents above because some offices have staff that are not aware

that a K-1 Visa Holder is eligible to file for a SSN. A friendly reminder is a nice thing to have -- if not

you could be turned away incorrectly.

Once you have successfully applied for your SSN, the SSN card will come in the mail in about 2 weeks. You can check on the status of the SSN application and/or often get the SSN in advance by returning in person (try calling) to the SSA office. If you need your SSN before it arrives in the mail you may ask them for an SSA-7028, Notice to Third Party of Social Security Number Assignments, to be sent to your employer or other interested third party once a SSN has been assigned. Your card, when you receive it, will be marked with the words "VALID FOR WORK ONLY WITH INS AUTHORIZATION" indicating to an employer that you must also have an unexpired EAD to be eligible to work.

At this point you may have to wait til he has his EAD or GC before he can get one. Hopefully someone else who has been in this position will come along and advise you.

[GlenAndLisa 0]

At this point you may have to wait til he has his EAD or GC before he can get one. Hopefully someone else who has been in this position will come along and advise you.

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Yes, we do have to wait until then. So what does that mean? He can't work until he gets both the EAD and SSN?? And once we get the EAD, what do we do? Follow this same guide, but bring the EAD with us? And how do we find a local SSA office?

Seriously, I'm about ready to cry. How could I have missed this? We can't afford for him to have to wait another month or however long it's going to take to get his SSN! I assumed he'd be issued one automatically... how was I to know?

[KarenCee 3]

Go to the SSA website...there is a place to search for your local office. Find it, call them and ask what to do. I'm guessing you'll have to wait for the EAD or the GC to get one. He can't work without the EAD anyway, regardless of whether or not you got the SSN before the I-94 expired. I know many on here say K-1 is work authorised, but that would be up to the employer who would need the I-9 filled out. As to not knowing, the Guides spell that out for you, as I posted before. I'm so sorry, I know this is frustrating.

http://www.ssa.gov/

[GlenAndLisa 0]

Go to the SSA website...there is a place to search for your local office. Find it, call them and ask what to do. I'm guessing you'll have to wait for the EAD or the GC to get one. He can't work without the EAD anyway, regardless of whether or not you got the SSN before the I-94 expired. I know many on here say K-1 is work authorised, but that would be up to the employer who would need the I-9 filled out. As to not knowing, the Guides spell that out for you, as I posted before. I'm so sorry, I know this is frustrating.

http://www.ssa.gov/

I read the AOS guideline so carefully and did everything right. I just didn't know the SSN was a separate thing. I will call them, though.

[I'm Gone 60]

Yes, we do have to wait until then. So what does that mean? He can't work until he gets both the EAD and SSN?? And once we get the EAD, what do we do? Follow this same guide, but bring the EAD with us? And how do we find a local SSA office?

Seriously, I'm about ready to cry. How could I have missed this? We can't afford for him to have to wait another month or however long it's going to take to get his SSN! I assumed he'd be issued one automatically... how was I to know?

Well with the I-94 being expired he will need the EAD card or wait until the AOS is approved and he has an I-551 stamp or card.

Once he has the EAD card go to an SSA office and take the EAD card and birth certificate. That covers proof of age, identity and work authorization. Even then he isn't going to be assigned an SSN until his status is verified by the SSA office with immigration and that can in some cases take a while.

The other thing is even if he had been assigned an SSN, he would have been issued a restricted card and probably wouldn't have been hired without the EAD card anyway.

Find SSA office:

http://www.ssa.gov/locator

Unless you live in an area serviced by a Card Center:

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

[Texanadian 10]

Not really a big deal. Without the SSN, you can't work. But you can't work anyways between day 91 and EAD/Greencard approval.

I went back after getting my green card and had them take off the Valid for work with DHS authorization only, bit anyways. So you need to go to the SSN office

Granted, you don't need to take the DHS bit off the card, but it's just nice to not have it on there.

Edited June 24, 2008 by Texanadian