Applying for social security card

[Todd-Leah 0]

I arrived here last Tuesday with IR1 and went down to the social security office this Tuesday to apply for a SS card.

Armed with the marriage certificate, passport that has the visa and I-551 stamp, thought that's the only trip I need to go down there. But, alas, we wasted whole morning driving down there, only to be told I need my birth certificate with me to apply for a SS card.

I don't remember reading anything about this requirement. Were you require to produce the birth certificate?

Leah

[Dakine 26]

I arrived here last Tuesday with IR1 and went down to the social security office this Tuesday to apply for a SS card.

Armed with the marriage certificate, passport that has the visa and I-551 stamp, thought that's the only trip I need to go down there. But, alas, we wasted whole morning driving down there, only to be told I need my birth certificate with me to apply for a SS card.

I don't remember reading anything about this requirement. Were you require to produce the birth certificate?

Leah

Don't really matter what others were asked for!

Give them what they want!

[jundp 191]

I had to provide birth certificates for my children when applying for a SSN the first time. I'd say this is a pretty valid request as to establishing identity and country of origin.

[Completely 3]

I arrived here last Tuesday with IR1 and went down to the social security office this Tuesday to apply for a SS card.

Armed with the marriage certificate, passport that has the visa and I-551 stamp, thought that's the only trip I need to go down there. But, alas, we wasted whole morning driving down there, only to be told I need my birth certificate with me to apply for a SS card.

I don't remember reading anything about this requirement. Were you require to produce the birth certificate?

Leah

Give them what they want to get your SSN quickly.. They have to check your information in any forms of identification,

[Baileyj96 0]

Wow that sounds familiar. It took us 3 trips to one office and each time they ask for something different. I asked for a supervisor but he wasn't anymore informed than the others. I finally snapped. Told them what I thought and left. I went the very same day to another office in a different town, gave them what they asked for and had all the paperwork done in less than 5 minutes.

Sometimes the answer is as simple as changing locations.

Best wishes,

Baileyj

[chris4gretchen 1]

hi, Its better to have it and them not ask for it, than to not have it and they do want it.

It could save you a trip.

Chris

[Ursa Tripudio 2]

Yes. We took the birth certificate with us.

We are getting used to carrying the whole bundle with us when we interact with a government agency. Whatever request they come up with, we have it...

[alienlovechild 75]

I arrived here last Tuesday with IR1 and went down to the social security office this Tuesday to apply for a SS card.

Armed with the marriage certificate, passport that has the visa and I-551 stamp, thought that's the only trip I need to go down there. But, alas, we wasted whole morning driving down there, only to be told I need my birth certificate with me to apply for a SS card.

I don't remember reading anything about this requirement. Were you require to produce the birth certificate?

Leah

Yes, I showed my birth certificate and passport with visa and I-551 stamp on it. The birth certificate is necessary.

[NCWife 0]

Well I was not asked for my birth certificate though I had it with me along with the translation.

Cheers...

[antda 13]

Hi Todd-Leah,

When I applied for my SSN, I brought along the following to the SSA, which they also made copies of:

-The Completed Application Form

-Marriage Certificate

-Canadian Passport with "temporary I-551" stamp (which I got right after I was approved during the AOS interview a week earlier)

-Canadian Naturalization Card and other Canadian ID

-Birth Country (Not Canada) Birth Certificate (though I told them I was not associted and/or not a citizen of this country, but I brought it along anyways as they asked for it on the forms)

However, as stated on my VJ timeline: "Ant's SSN Received 2007-01, delayed (8 weeks) due to immigration status verification." As in, they did not accept my perfectly valid "I-551 stamp" in my passport as proof of my "legal status" then! Instead, they made me wait (without telling me why) as wanted to see the actual "permanent I-551 green card" instead. And so I had to take the extra time find out what was delaying my application, and had to waste another trip (in the middle of a snowstorm, a long distance away) to go to the SSA and show them my actual "green card" to get my SSN application finally approved and get the SSN card a week after that.

So depending on the SSA you go to, the "visa" and "I-551 passport stamp" as "proof of legal status" may not be valid and you might have to wait until you get the actual "green card" before applying for a SSN (and not waste another extra trip down there).

Hope this helps. Good luck on your immigraiton journey too.

Ant

I arrived here last Tuesday with IR1 and went down to the social security office this Tuesday to apply for a SS card.

Armed with the marriage certificate, passport that has the visa and I-551 stamp, thought that's the only trip I need to go down there. But, alas, we wasted whole morning driving down there, only to be told I need my birth certificate with me to apply for a SS card.

I don't remember reading anything about this requirement. Were you require to produce the birth certificate?

Leah

Edited October 13, 2008 by AntandD

[StillThePrettiest 3]

here's another who had - and was asked for - the birth certificate