WELLCOME LETTER.

[thirdsjen 0]

So, this "A" number is given by the visa issuing embassy or at the POE? Also, I already have a SSN number, can I start working eventhough i dont get welcome letter or a physical green card?

how did you get your SSN so fast?

[john & jean 37]

MY WIFE ARRIVED NOV.26, RECD. SS CARD ABOUT TWO WEEKS LATER...

[thirdsjen 0]

MY WIFE ARRIVED NOV.26, RECD. SS CARD ABOUT TWO WEEKS LATER...

hmm.. so i guess we'll just wait till next week then.. my husband is suppose to be the one who is impatient regarding this but i'm the one getting anxious..

[bratikicks 0]

i got my SSN 13 days prior to my point of entry, and i got my welcome letter last november 26,now i am waiting for my green card...

i guess sometimes it takes awhile......

[LA80 3]

I entered on Nov 19th, and no signs of welcome letter, SSN card, and green card I do not even expect. Today I went to the local SS office, and they could not even find my name in the system. I applied for a new one at the spot.

As I could understand, POE sends the content of yellow envelope to USCIS, and then USCIS sends the welcome letter once they get the documents? Does the welcome letter also contain the case number with which I could check my green card status?

are you serious? you should at LEAST get a welcome letter.. yeah, the POE sends the envelope to USCIS then USCIS send the welcome letter. it's a NOA with a receipt number which you could check your case on the USCIS website. my husband's status says this:

Application Type: OS155A, IMMIGRANT VISA AND ALIEN REGISTRATION

Current Status: Approval notice sent.

On December 9, 2008, we mailed you a notice that we have approved this OS155A IMMIGRANT VISA AND ALIEN REGISTRATION. Please follow any instructions on the notice. If you move before you receive the notice, call customer service.

Yep, I am totally serious. I will probably move my bed to the mailbox soon, so I do not miss something. This might sound stupid but I never got the number, and maybe it has something to do with DCF? I asked this because I am preparing myself to go to infopass because they messed up my status (to change CR1 to IR1 since two years of marriage at the POE have passed), and if they ask me for my case number, i only have the case number in my visa, but that is not what they want.

Also, about the passport thing and what they wrote... In my case it is not the date when my conditional residence would expire, but when the passport thing would expire, and that is exactly one year.

Anyway, it's time to check my mailbox again.

[Nita&Assaad 0]

My husband hasn't recieved his welcome letter either wonder what is going on. I called USCIS and they told me to wait 30 from POE to get Green Card, and if he hadn't recieved it to call them again. So on 12/26 I will be calling USCIS again.....

You have to keep on top this otherwise it can fall through the cracks...

Nita

I entered on Nov 19th, and no signs of welcome letter, SSN card, and green card I do not even expect. Today I went to the local SS office, and they could not even find my name in the system. I applied for a new one at the spot.

As I could understand, POE sends the content of yellow envelope to USCIS, and then USCIS sends the welcome letter once they get the documents? Does the welcome letter also contain the case number with which I could check my green card status?

are you serious? you should at LEAST get a welcome letter.. yeah, the POE sends the envelope to USCIS then USCIS send the welcome letter. it's a NOA with a receipt number which you could check your case on the USCIS website. my husband's status says this:

Application Type: OS155A, IMMIGRANT VISA AND ALIEN REGISTRATION

Current Status: Approval notice sent.

On December 9, 2008, we mailed you a notice that we have approved this OS155A IMMIGRANT VISA AND ALIEN REGISTRATION. Please follow any instructions on the notice. If you move before you receive the notice, call customer service.

[trinket 30]

I entered on Nov 19th, and no signs of welcome letter, SSN card, and green card I do not even expect. Today I went to the local SS office, and they could not even find my name in the system. I applied for a new one at the spot.

As I could understand, POE sends the content of yellow envelope to USCIS, and then USCIS sends the welcome letter once they get the documents? Does the welcome letter also contain the case number with which I could check my green card status?

are you serious? you should at LEAST get a welcome letter.. yeah, the POE sends the envelope to USCIS then USCIS send the welcome letter. it's a NOA with a receipt number which you could check your case on the USCIS website. my husband's status says this:

Application Type: OS155A, IMMIGRANT VISA AND ALIEN REGISTRATION

Current Status: Approval notice sent.

On December 9, 2008, we mailed you a notice that we have approved this OS155A IMMIGRANT VISA AND ALIEN REGISTRATION. Please follow any instructions on the notice. If you move before you receive the notice, call customer service.

How did you check your case status online for SSN? I mean which number did you put. Did you put the same number as you did in like WAC2008****** or is it some other number?

When I put the WAC one which we got with our NOA-1 while filling i-130, it shows me the old message of approving our case.

I haven't yet been to social security office mainly because I don't know the road directions out here and by the time my husband gets back from work its past 5 pm, so SS office is closed by that time, I am not in that much of hurry but still getting my SSN would achieve at least something and I can at least do some volunteer work, or get a DL rather than sitting at home all day.

[galaxy_2008 0]

in my understanding, your visa (if you entered on an immigrant visa) should serve as a "temporary I-551 evidencing permanent residence for 1 year." this is what i am reading on my husband's visa that is stamped in his passport. also, the immigration officer at the POE stamped his passport with the arrival date, class of CR1 and the date of when his conditional residence would expire. the officer also wrote down his "A" number on the passport.

so, since you already have your SSN, go ahead and apply for jobs, open a bank account, etc. you don't need a welcome letter or the physical green card right now as the I-551 is valid for 1 year from the date of your entry..

somebody pls correct me if i'm wrong.. but this is how i understand it..

YEAH,

YOU ARE RIGHT AND I AM VERY MUCH CONCERN ABOUT MY CASE NOW COS IT IS GETTING TO A MONTH NOW WHEN I ARRIVED THE STATES AND I HAVE RECEIVED MY WELLCOME LETTER BUT I HAVE NOT HAD ANYTHIN FROM SSN....I WANTED TO GO TO SSN OFFICE BY MONDAY AND SEE IF THERE IS ANY INFORMATION FOR ME FROM THERE. PLS ANYBODY WITH ANY USEFUL INFORMATION WILL BE HIGHLY APPERCIATED.... SO GET BACK TO ME AND ADVISE.

[kaffy 2]

So, this "A" number is given by the visa issuing embassy or at the POE? Also, I already have a SSN number, can I start working eventhough i dont get welcome letter or a physical green card?

A-number should have been issued to you when your visa was issued. Check the visa in your passport, it should be on the right hand side under 'Registration Number'. They should have also written it in the stamp in your passport.

And yes you can start working once you have a SSN and before you receive your welcome letter or green card. The visa & stamp in your passport will serve as a temporary green card and can be used to satisfy the I-9 employment verification requirements (it would be option #3 Unexpired foreign passport with temporary I-551 stamp)

Link to I-9 form http://www.uscis.gov/files/form/I-9.pdf

[LA80 3]

in my understanding, your visa (if you entered on an immigrant visa) should serve as a "temporary I-551 evidencing permanent residence for 1 year." this is what i am reading on my husband's visa that is stamped in his passport. also, the immigration officer at the POE stamped his passport with the arrival date, class of CR1 and the date of when his conditional residence would expire. the officer also wrote down his "A" number on the passport.

so, since you already have your SSN, go ahead and apply for jobs, open a bank account, etc. you don't need a welcome letter or the physical green card right now as the I-551 is valid for 1 year from the date of your entry..

somebody pls correct me if i'm wrong.. but this is how i understand it..

YEAH,

YOU ARE RIGHT AND I AM VERY MUCH CONCERN ABOUT MY CASE NOW COS IT IS GETTING TO A MONTH NOW WHEN I ARRIVED THE STATES AND I HAVE RECEIVED MY WELLCOME LETTER BUT I HAVE NOT HAD ANYTHIN FROM SSN....I WANTED TO GO TO SSN OFFICE BY MONDAY AND SEE IF THERE IS ANY INFORMATION FOR ME FROM THERE. PLS ANYBODY WITH ANY USEFUL INFORMATION WILL BE HIGHLY APPERCIATED.... SO GET BACK TO ME AND ADVISE.

galaxy, if you applied for SSN through visa application (DS-230) and you do not get your SS card within three weeks after your POE, go to your local office, and check face to face what is going on. I do not think it is possible to check your SSN online via home computer. If they do not find you in the system (my case, but now I am thinking if they even typed my last name correctly cos I have 2), you can apply for SSN there, but make sure you have your immigrant visa and your birth certificate with you, preferably in English.

Good luck!

[galaxy_2008 0]

in my understanding, your visa (if you entered on an immigrant visa) should serve as a "temporary I-551 evidencing permanent residence for 1 year." this is what i am reading on my husband's visa that is stamped in his passport. also, the immigration officer at the POE stamped his passport with the arrival date, class of CR1 and the date of when his conditional residence would expire. the officer also wrote down his "A" number on the passport.

so, since you already have your SSN, go ahead and apply for jobs, open a bank account, etc. you don't need a welcome letter or the physical green card right now as the I-551 is valid for 1 year from the date of your entry..

somebody pls correct me if i'm wrong.. but this is how i understand it..

YEAH,

YOU ARE RIGHT AND I AM VERY MUCH CONCERN ABOUT MY CASE NOW COS IT IS GETTING TO A MONTH NOW WHEN I ARRIVED THE STATES AND I HAVE RECEIVED MY WELLCOME LETTER BUT I HAVE NOT HAD ANYTHIN FROM SSN....I WANTED TO GO TO SSN OFFICE BY MONDAY AND SEE IF THERE IS ANY INFORMATION FOR ME FROM THERE. PLS ANYBODY WITH ANY USEFUL INFORMATION WILL BE HIGHLY APPERCIATED.... SO GET BACK TO ME AND ADVISE.

galaxy, if you applied for SSN through visa application (DS-230) and you do not get your SS card within three weeks after your POE, go to your local office, and check face to face what is going on. I do not think it is possible to check your SSN online via home computer. If they do not find you in the system (my case, but now I am thinking if they even typed my last name correctly cos I have 2), you can apply for SSN there, but make sure you have your immigrant visa and your birth certificate with you, preferably in English.

Good luck!

HELLO,

TKS FOR THE GOOD ADVISED I ARRIVED THE UNITED STATES ON 18TH OF NOV, YET I AM STILL LOOKING OUT TO HAVE MY SSN. SO I WILL DISCUSS IT WITH MY WIFE AND I WILL NEED TO VISIT SSN OFFICE ON MONDAY. PLS TELL ANY OTHER THINGS THAT I MAY NEED TO TAKE ALONG WITH ME AGAIN SO THAT I DONT MISS ANYTHING WHILE GOING THERE.

[thirdsjen 0]

I entered on Nov 19th, and no signs of welcome letter, SSN card, and green card I do not even expect. Today I went to the local SS office, and they could not even find my name in the system. I applied for a new one at the spot.

As I could understand, POE sends the content of yellow envelope to USCIS, and then USCIS sends the welcome letter once they get the documents? Does the welcome letter also contain the case number with which I could check my green card status?

are you serious? you should at LEAST get a welcome letter.. yeah, the POE sends the envelope to USCIS then USCIS send the welcome letter. it's a NOA with a receipt number which you could check your case on the USCIS website. my husband's status says this:

Application Type: OS155A, IMMIGRANT VISA AND ALIEN REGISTRATION

Current Status: Approval notice sent.

On December 9, 2008, we mailed you a notice that we have approved this OS155A IMMIGRANT VISA AND ALIEN REGISTRATION. Please follow any instructions on the notice. If you move before you receive the notice, call customer service.

How did you check your case status online for SSN? I mean which number did you put. Did you put the same number as you did in like WAC2008****** or is it some other number?

When I put the WAC one which we got with our NOA-1 while filling i-130, it shows me the old message of approving our case.

I haven't yet been to social security office mainly because I don't know the road directions out here and by the time my husband gets back from work its past 5 pm, so SS office is closed by that time, I am not in that much of hurry but still getting my SSN would achieve at least something and I can at least do some volunteer work, or get a DL rather than sitting at home all day.

you can't check your SSN online.. but you can track your IMMIGRANT VISA AND ALIEN REGISTRATION CASE online with a WAC number that is on the welcome letter. i think this is to track the green card? all i know is, my husband's was approved and they have sent an approval letter which up till now, we have not received.

try a cab/taxi.. just tell them the social security office. we're just lucky that our SS office is very near our house and since i am on medical leave at this time, i can take him anywhere close by.

i think what you need to bring is the completed application, your passport with the visa stamp and the "A" number.. that's about it. maybe your birth certificate and your marriage license? that i'm not sure of

[thirdsjen 0]

this is 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:

o Immigration status;

o Work eligibility;

o Age; and

o 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).

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.

[thirdsjen 0]

I entered on Nov 19th, and no signs of welcome letter, SSN card, and green card I do not even expect. Today I went to the local SS office, and they could not even find my name in the system. I applied for a new one at the spot.

As I could understand, POE sends the content of yellow envelope to USCIS, and then USCIS sends the welcome letter once they get the documents? Does the welcome letter also contain the case number with which I could check my green card status?

Yep, I am totally serious. I will probably move my bed to the mailbox soon, so I do not miss something. This might sound stupid but I never got the number, and maybe it has something to do with DCF? I asked this because I am preparing myself to go to infopass because they messed up my status (to change CR1 to IR1 since two years of marriage at the POE have passed), and if they ask me for my case number, i only have the case number in my visa, but that is not what they want.

Also, about the passport thing and what they wrote... In my case it is not the date when my conditional residence would expire, but when the passport thing would expire, and that is exactly one year.

Anyway, it's time to check my mailbox again.

hmm.. i don't know anything about DCF's..

but at POE you should have your passport stamped with the visa class and an "A" number. my husband's temporary I-551 will also expire in a year. this takes the place of the physical green card so they have a year to send him his card and he can use his passport with the visa in it as his "green card" for the meantime.

as for the CR1 status of my husband, the guy wrote down Nov 29, 2010 as a reminder maybe.. but not every officer does this, i guess

[thirdsjen 0]

hey all, guess what? my husband's SS card AND green card arrived in the mail today!

and of course, just as i feared, the middle initial is wrong!!! now what.. i guess i'm gonna have to call USCIS again monday..

question: on his SSC, it didn't have his middle name or his suffix of the third (III). is this going to make a difference? should we correct this? but then everything should match, shouldn't it?