Can't get SSN because my I-94 number is wrong

[Cecile and Bryan 0]

I went to the Social Security office today, to get my social security card. A little background first: I arrived in the USA a little more than a month ago, on a fiance visa, and we got married two weeks ago. So today, SSN. Well, it's not that easy.

The woman there seemed to know that she can issue SSN for K1 visas and that we can work, she was a little worried that the immigration would not approve her request because it is in my married name and not maiden name (and we haven't done the AOS yet, we wanted to get the SSN first). But anyway, we had another HUGE problem.

When she entered my I-94 number, she got information about someone else. Different name, different visa, different citizenship, etc. Apparently they messed up at the airport.

So she is going to send a request with my info anyway but it will probably have to go to Virginia (main office there?) and will take a lot more time, and she doesn't even know if it is going to work.

Did that happen to anyone before? Were they able to give you a SSN? Is there something I can do to try to correct this problem?

[Cecile and Bryan 0]

No idea? No-one? Do you think I should call USCIS to tell them? make an infopass? go to the nearest airport and ask them what to do? or just sit patiently on the couch for a month or two and hope that they'll find how to do?

[I'm Gone 60]

If you are lucky the secondary electronic verification request (if that's what she did) will verify your status, but I'm leaning toward immigration wanting to see a copy of the I-94 along with Form G-845 and as a K-1 that can almost kill your chance of being assigned an SSN based on the K-1 status.

I assume G-845s for your state are sent to Arlington, VA for verification.

[I'm Gone 60]

No idea? No-one? Do you think I should call USCIS to tell them? make an infopass? go to the nearest airport and ask them what to do? or just sit patiently on the couch for a month or two and hope that they'll find how to do?

Since you only got here July 31st, you have a little time to play with. I wouldn't start sweating until they say the G-845 needs to be sent. Then it's just a matter of waiting a couple weeks and then checking with the office at least once a week to see if it came back and hopefully has verified your status.

[Cecile and Bryan 0]

Ok so there's nothing I can do at this point.

She took copies of my passport (so I guess a copy of my I-94 too), and yes it was sent to Virginia.

What do you mean exactly when you say that it can kill my chances to get an SSN based on my K1 status? does it mean that I will probably have to wait until AOS is complete to get an SSN?

Also, should I send my AOS paperwork soon, or wait a few weeks to see if the SSA can issue me a number? What is the best course of action right now?

[I'm Gone 60]

Ok so there's nothing I can do at this point.

She took copies of my passport (so I guess a copy of my I-94 too), and yes it was sent to Virginia.

What do you mean exactly when you say that it can kill my chances to get an SSN based on my K1 status? does it mean that I will probably have to wait until AOS is complete to get an SSN?

Also, should I send my AOS paperwork soon, or wait a few weeks to see if the SSA can issue me a number? What is the best course of action right now?

Well for one thing she shouldn't have sent the G-845 right away without trying the secondary verification, probably immigration would have responded to see your I-94, but still should have gave it a shot. What I mean about killing your chance is that you only have 76 days from when you arrived to be assigned an SSN based on the K-1 status. The G-845 and the copy of your I-94 gets mailed to the immigration office to be verified and the response gets mailed back. So in a perfect world it takes around a month to send it and have it come back.

July 31, 2008 and September 9, 2008 is 40 Days

So pray that it gets done right away and sent back, doesn't get lost in the mail or sit on someone's desk at the SSA office once it comes back. That's why I said give it a couple weeks and start checking back with the SSA office at least one a week.

[Cecile and Bryan 0]

Oh ok. I understand why you said it would kill my chances to get it with my K1. Thanks for the explanation.

I don't remember if she said she would do a "secondary verification". I remember that she said she would send a request to the immigration (normal process apparently) and that if it didn't work it would be sent to Virginia, which from what you said would be with the G-845. But I can't remember if she mentioned something else.

I will call them in a few weeks.

Thank you.

[Cecile and Bryan 0]

One last question: do I wait until next month to send the AOS paperwork to USCIS?

I suppose that if my status changes while the SSN sends their request, it won't help my case very much...

[I'm Gone 60]

One last question: do I wait until next month to send the AOS paperwork to USCIS?

I suppose that if my status changes while the SSN sends their request, it won't help my case very much...

Send the AOS as soon as possible. You don't need an SSN to file it and there isn't much chance of it being approved while the SSN application is being verified, if you haven't even submitted the AOS yet.

[Cecile and Bryan 0]

ok thank you

and by "if my status changes", I wasn't thinking of my AOS being approved, I was thinking of it being "pending". So yes, we will do that as soon as possible.

[MIDUVIL 34]

Bonjour,

You need your I-94 for the AOS form.

If there are a problem on your I-94, you can maybe wait before sending all the forms-

It will be a big mess (desordre) if you receive a new I-94 number but send your AOS form with the first I-94.

Concerning my name on my SS card, I came with my passport (family name ) and mariage certificate (names hyphenated) and she asked me: what name do you want on your SS card ? and said me " you can change it after if you want"

Good luck

[Cecile and Bryan 0]

You need your I-94 for the AOS form.

If there are a problem on your I-94, you can maybe wait before sending all the forms-

It will be a big mess (desordre) if you receive a new I-94 number but send your AOS form with the first I-94.

That's true, if they end up giving me a new I-94, that would be a big mess! Now I don't know what to do anymore!

[MIDUVIL 34]

Attente active

*You can wait 2 weeks to know what they will tell you on the SSA , and call them to know the progression of your case,

*You can call USCIS to explain them the situation... (maybe if they don't know the good reply, they will tell you that when they will receive the request for SSA, they will instruct it...).

*You can ask the SSA, if after verification, you will be issued a new I-94 or do you have to fill others forms- because you can have a reply: OK, there are a problem, but after that you don't have a new I-94.

*You can call the airport or the immigration service which gave you the I-94, to know if it is possible, or how it is possible, or if it is possible to check.... because maybe this SSA agent did a wrong number on the computer (that can happen).

Envoi

*It is possible to send the AOS forms:

-you will receive a RFE if there are a problem (it seems me that there are a delay for the reply, but maybe you will have a problem because you won't have your new I-94 number) -

-you can also send all the forms with a letter of the SSA (if it is possible) explaining the problem of your I-94

But maybe this possibility will give headache to the USCIS agent and they will send you a RFE.

Desolee d'etre celle qui te dit les mauvais cotes des choses.

Good luck

Edited September 8, 2008 by MIDUVIL

[Cecile and Bryan 0]

My husband said that we should do what we had planned: wait 3 weeks and then start calling the SSA every week. And we are going to wait until the beginning of October to send the AOS, which would be when we start calling the SSA.

And we will probably call USCIS around the same time to see what they advice us to do. I need to find what the phone number is now.

[I'm Gone 60]

My husband said that we should do what we had planned: wait 3 weeks and then start calling the SSA every week.

Don't call, go into the office, unless the person that waited on you gave your their number to personally call them. If you call the SSA 800 number you will get a bunch of BS and if you call the local office general public number you probably will never get through.