SSN Applied For Too Early Uopon Arriving USA?

[Joan >3 Bob 20]

I took my fiancee 2 days after her arrival to the local SSN office to apply for her SSN. She did not show up in the "system" as the SSN person said and told us to wait 2 weeks. It has been 7 weeks so we went back today and we had the same lady and she said the SSN office had to send the Dept. Of Homeland Security a zerox copy of her visa, passport, and I-94 for them to verify she is eligable to receive a SSN. The lady was very unhelpful both visits. I asked her to query the syetem again and see if she is now in the system but she cut me off and said she has been working in the SSN office many years and knows her job! She suggested we just wait or we can contact the Dept. of Homeland Security Ourselves! So My fiancee and I immediately went to the local USCIS Office but they had closed at 2pm. There hours are 8am to 2 pm Monday through Friday! I do not know what to do next.

I am thinking of making an appointment with the dept of homeland security/ USCIS office and explain the situation. I am also thinking of going back to the SSN office and demanding to speak to a supervisor of the offiice.

has anyone else applied very soon for their fiancee's SSN and experience the same or similiar thing??????

[Elbereth 0]

I thought you needed an EAD to get the SSN. That's why I haven't tried to apply to one yet.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

I took my fiancee 2 days after her arrival to the local SSN office to apply for her SSN. She did not show up in the "system" as the SSN person said and told us to wait 2 weeks. It has been 7 weeks so we went back today and we had the same lady and she said the SSN office had to send the Dept. Of Homeland Security a zerox copy of her visa, passport, and I-94 for them to verify she is eligable to receive a SSN. The lady was very unhelpful both visits. I asked her to query the syetem again and see if she is now in the system but she cut me off and said she has been working in the SSN office many years and knows her job! She suggested we just wait or we can contact the Dept. of Homeland Security Ourselves! So My fiancee and I immediately went to the local USCIS Office but they had closed at 2pm. There hours are 8am to 2 pm Monday through Friday! I do not know what to do next.

I am thinking of making an appointment with the dept of homeland security/ USCIS office and explain the situation. I am also thinking of going back to the SSN office and demanding to speak to a supervisor of the offiice.

has anyone else applied very soon for their fiancee's SSN and experience the same or similiar thing??????

WHAT? Where does this come from? Is she applying in her name exactly as on the passport? My wife arrived at 4pm on a Thursday, we were in the SS office the next morning at 9. 16 hours from arrival. She had her card in hand in less than a week.

Seems like some SS offices don't know a K-1 IS eligible for an SSN. Ask for a supervisor.

[Old Dominion 26]

Unless they deal with a lot of immigrant applicants, the otherwise helpful clerks at Social Security seem to be overly cautious and a bit defensive. On the other hand, having the SSN is not particulary important as it doesn't allow someone to be employed, for example. Have you applied already for the EAD and AOS? Once the EAD arrives, no longer than 90 days after applying, the SSN will be issued immediately.

[Marc & Solika 1]

I took my fiancee 2 days after her arrival to the local SSN office to apply for her SSN. She did not show up in the "system" as the SSN person said and told us to wait 2 weeks. It has been 7 weeks so we went back today and we had the same lady and she said the SSN office had to send the Dept. Of Homeland Security a zerox copy of her visa, passport, and I-94 for them to verify she is eligable to receive a SSN. The lady was very unhelpful both visits. I asked her to query the syetem again and see if she is now in the system but she cut me off and said she has been working in the SSN office many years and knows her job! She suggested we just wait or we can contact the Dept. of Homeland Security Ourselves! So My fiancee and I immediately went to the local USCIS Office but they had closed at 2pm. There hours are 8am to 2 pm Monday through Friday! I do not know what to do next.

I am thinking of making an appointment with the dept of homeland security/ USCIS office and explain the situation. I am also thinking of going back to the SSN office and demanding to speak to a supervisor of the offiice.

has anyone else applied very soon for their fiancee's SSN and experience the same or similiar thing??????

Yes, we had a similar situation but, we only had to wait for about 2 weeks and my fiancee finally got the SS card in the mail recently. They did tell us that going to the office too early after her arrival could cause some delay, but 7 weeks seems a little excessive. I would schedule an info pass appointment on the USCIS web site.

Edited April 10, 2009 by Marc & Solika

[Elbereth 0]

Can someone clarify for me, is the EAD a requirement for the SSN, or is a K3 nonimmigrant elligible prior to receiving EAD?

[miss_jane 0]

I took my fiancee 2 days after her arrival to the local SSN office to apply for her SSN. She did not show up in the "system" as the SSN person said and told us to wait 2 weeks. It has been 7 weeks so we went back today and we had the same lady and she said the SSN office had to send the Dept. Of Homeland Security a zerox copy of her visa, passport, and I-94 for them to verify she is eligable to receive a SSN. The lady was very unhelpful both visits. I asked her to query the syetem again and see if she is now in the system but she cut me off and said she has been working in the SSN office many years and knows her job! She suggested we just wait or we can contact the Dept. of Homeland Security Ourselves! So My fiancee and I immediately went to the local USCIS Office but they had closed at 2pm. There hours are 8am to 2 pm Monday through Friday! I do not know what to do next.

I am thinking of making an appointment with the dept of homeland security/ USCIS office and explain the situation. I am also thinking of going back to the SSN office and demanding to speak to a supervisor of the offiice.

has anyone else applied very soon for their fiancee's SSN and experience the same or similiar thing??????

[miss_jane 0]

I took my fiancee 2 days after her arrival to the local SSN office to apply for her SSN. She did not show up in the "system" as the SSN person said and told us to wait 2 weeks. It has been 7 weeks so we went back today and we had the same lady and she said the SSN office had to send the Dept. Of Homeland Security a zerox copy of her visa, passport, and I-94 for them to verify she is eligable to receive a SSN. The lady was very unhelpful both visits. I asked her to query the syetem again and see if she is now in the system but she cut me off and said she has been working in the SSN office many years and knows her job! She suggested we just wait or we can contact the Dept. of Homeland Security Ourselves! So My fiancee and I immediately went to the local USCIS Office but they had closed at 2pm. There hours are 8am to 2 pm Monday through Friday! I do not know what to do next.

I am thinking of making an appointment with the dept of homeland security/ USCIS office and explain the situation. I am also thinking of going back to the SSN office and demanding to speak to a supervisor of the offiice.

has anyone else applied very soon for their fiancee's SSN and experience the same or similiar thing??????

I applied an SSN two weeks after i arrived here in Las Vegas and there was no problem at all. The lady who entertained me was very nice and she only asked my passport and my state id . I received my SSN four days after i apply.

Edited April 10, 2009 by miss_jane

[angel0482 0]

Hi! How are you guys?

I just want to share my experience to you and I hope it will help with your situation.

I arrived here in US last November 2008 and I think 4 or 8 days after, I applied for SSN and too my surprise I was approved for that. All I did was filled out the form at the SSN Office, took a priority number until I was called. They asked for my passport with my I-94 and visa attached to it. Then I think I paid something but not that much. I think that was only $25 then the lady gave me a receipt and informed me to wait for my SSN card in the mail. After a week, my SSN card arrived on the mail. And so far I haven't got any problem applying one.

With regards to other situations, I think the problem is with them. I think they made an error and they didn't realized it until you complained. They always covered it up some some bullshit reasons and made us think like we're buying it. Some of them are such an ####### for making us look like we're dumb enough.

But what I can advice you right now. Please don't stop maing follow-ups to your wife's SSN. If they find you guys annoying then so be it. If you want to write a letter then go on. Because most of my friends who applied for SSN doesn't seem to encounter such problems like this. So annoy them more if you could until they will provide what you want. That's their job.

[felb 0]

I took my fiancee 2 days after her arrival to the local SSN office to apply for her SSN. She did not show up in the "system" as the SSN person said and told us to wait 2 weeks. It has been 7 weeks so we went back today and we had the same lady and she said the SSN office had to send the Dept. Of Homeland Security a zerox copy of her visa, passport, and I-94 for them to verify she is eligable to receive a SSN. The lady was very unhelpful both visits. I asked her to query the syetem again and see if she is now in the system but she cut me off and said she has been working in the SSN office many years and knows her job! She suggested we just wait or we can contact the Dept. of Homeland Security Ourselves! So My fiancee and I immediately went to the local USCIS Office but they had closed at 2pm. There hours are 8am to 2 pm Monday through Friday! I do not know what to do next.

I am thinking of making an appointment with the dept of homeland security/ USCIS office and explain the situation. I am also thinking of going back to the SSN office and demanding to speak to a supervisor of the offiice.

has anyone else applied very soon for their fiancee's SSN and experience the same or similiar thing??????

i did have a similar problem. although the ssn staff were polite, they told me there was something wrong with my info and their system won't allow me to get my ssn. they said that the two-week allowance was over so i should be able to get it right away. they also told me that it was dhs who screwed up and they'll be the ones to follow it up. they even gave me a letter saying they just need to verify with the dhs. so after 1 1/2 month, i did receive my ssn.

i do believe with your case, it's also dhs' fault. i say contact them and don't stop bugging them until you get a satisfying answer.

[rickynlucy 0]

We had a similar experience. We went to one social security office and they told us that we could not apply until my fiance had been here for 4 weeks. We left and went to another office. They allowed us to apply but he was not in the system. They said that they would send an inquiry to DHS. I called the 800 # six weeks later and they said that there was no record of us having applied for the card. We went back and filled out yet another application and received the card about 2 weeks later.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Unless they deal with a lot of immigrant applicants, the otherwise helpful clerks at Social Security seem to be overly cautious and a bit defensive. On the other hand, having the SSN is not particulary important as it doesn't allow someone to be employed, for example. Have you applied already for the EAD and AOS? Once the EAD arrives, no longer than 90 days after applying, the SSN will be issued immediately.

The SSN is VERY important. It allows the fiancee to be added to the bank accounts, get a drivers lisence (in our state anyway) be added to other joint accounts, all of these things are necessary for the AOS interview.

If the clerks at SS don't know the rules, they need to get informed and I will be glad to inform them. In my opinion the K-1 holder should apply for an SSN before she unpacks her/his suitcase in their maiden name and change the name later if they so choose. If you do not, you will, at some point be shoveling ####### in the tide. And it will delay something you want to do. You do not need an SSn to file for AOS, it is true. Then you will go to your interview without joint bank accounts, joint utility accounts, joint tax returns and all the other theings they want but you can't do without an SSN

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Can someone clarify for me, is the EAD a requirement for the SSN, or is a K3 nonimmigrant elligible prior to receiving EAD?

K-3 must have EAD or AOS. K-1 can apply immediately. There is nothing about "being in the system" you do not need to be in any "system" as a K-1. Prior to going to the SS office, go to the SS website and download their rules and take them with you. It is often necessary to train government employees.

If the response you get at the SS office is anything but "Great, you will have your card in 1 week" then ask for a superviosr and do not leave until you get someone that knows the rules and follows them. DO NOT allow yourselves to be harrassed and denied because of a untrained, paid-by-the-pound government clerk who makes up rules instead of calling a supervisor when they don't know what to do.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Unless they deal with a lot of immigrant applicants, the otherwise helpful clerks at Social Security seem to be overly cautious and a bit defensive. On the other hand, having the SSN is not particulary important as it doesn't allow someone to be employed, for example. Have you applied already for the EAD and AOS? Once the EAD arrives, no longer than 90 days after applying, the SSN will be issued immediately. learners permit the Monday after we were married.

Again, for those who have been ignorantly told there is some "waiting period", I took my fiancee (now wife) to the SS office exactly 16 HOURS after she arrived and it only took that long because she arrived late in the day and they were closed before we could get away from the airport. She arrived on Thursday afternnoon, applied for her number Friday morning, called the SS office and had her number Monday morning, she was added to my bank account Monday morning using the number, she enrolled in college using that number on Tuesday, 5 days after arriving. She had her SS card in hand on Wednesday, 6 days after arriving, we were married on the next Friday and she had a drivers permit the Monday after getting married.

While it is possible to get approved for the AOS without an SSN, why should the clerk at the window be allowed to throw hurdles into your path because they are untrained and don't care to check the rules so they make up some of their own? While someone else may accept that for themselves I do not. Study the rules, the LAWS, and demand that they follow the laws also, just as you did to get your fiancee standing at their window in this country! That SSN is used for everything in this country, credit, bank accounts, insurance, drivers licenses, student enrollment, everything and you are allowing an ignorant clerk to delay these things to your fiancee/spouse for, possibly, many months. For me, that is unacceptable.

[Linkin 0]

I took my fiancee 2 days after her arrival to the local SSN office to apply for her SSN. She did not show up in the "system" as the SSN person said and told us to wait 2 weeks. It has been 7 weeks so we went back today and we had the same lady and she said the SSN office had to send the Dept. Of Homeland Security a zerox copy of her visa, passport, and I-94 for them to verify she is eligable to receive a SSN. The lady was very unhelpful both visits. I asked her to query the syetem again and see if she is now in the system but she cut me off and said she has been working in the SSN office many years and knows her job! She suggested we just wait or we can contact the Dept. of Homeland Security Ourselves! So My fiancee and I immediately went to the local USCIS Office but they had closed at 2pm. There hours are 8am to 2 pm Monday through Friday! I do not know what to do next.

I am thinking of making an appointment with the dept of homeland security/ USCIS office and explain the situation. I am also thinking of going back to the SSN office and demanding to speak to a supervisor of the offiice.

has anyone else applied very soon for their fiancee's SSN and experience the same or similiar thing??????

I came into US on K1 Visa. I applied for SSN right after my first week of arrival and got the SSN after 5 weeks. there is a thing on my SSN that ONLY FOR WORK WITH DHS AUTHORIZATION. so technically K1 visa holder can work but only with DHS autho which is EAD. your fiancee should be receiving her SSN in any day...if it doesn't then you better contact local SSN office...