Got my visa... what happens next

[graham_ni 0]

I had my (successful) interview last Friday in London (for a CR-1). The Embassy have my passport and it should hopefully be returned this week... the thing is, I'm at a loss to what happens next.

My current employers are transferring me to Chicago but that is all dependent on my obtaining an SSN. I know this is part of the visa process (I ticked all the boxes etc), but does this get kicked off once I've entered the US, or is that process already in motion?

Once I'm there are there any restrictions on leaving and re-entering in the first few weeks? Will they take my passport when I arrive for any length of time?

Planning... needs doing.

ga

PS Good luck to everyone waiting, I know your pain. It took us a year to get from submission to interview/acceptance...

[hhk28 0]

I had my (successful) interview last Friday in London (for a CR-1). The Embassy have my passport and it should hopefully be returned this week... the thing is, I'm at a loss to what happens next.

My current employers are transferring me to Chicago but that is all dependent on my obtaining an SSN. I know this is part of the visa process (I ticked all the boxes etc), but does this get kicked off once I've entered the US, or is that process already in motion?

Once I'm there are there any restrictions on leaving and re-entering in the first few weeks? Will they take my passport when I arrive for any length of time?

Planning... needs doing.

ga

PS Good luck to everyone waiting, I know your pain. It took us a year to get from submission to interview/acceptance...

[imaisha 1]

Congratulations Graham ni!

Yes, if you ticked the box requesting a social security number that part should get moving on its own once you get there. Unfortunately many people have waited and waited and it never came, so it might not be a bad idea to stop by the social security office a few days or maybe a week after you arrive. If the number has already been assigned they can give it to you, or you can fill out the paperwork and they'll start the process then.

Your passport won't be held for any amount of time once you're through POE and you'll have an I-551 stamp which will stand in for your green card until it arrives. You can travel with that stamp immediately.

And lastly, we've got a little thread going for UK CR-1 filers. If you felt like stopping by and maybe telling us a little bit about how your interview went we'd love to hear it. There are quite a few of us coming up to that step this summer so we're eager for any information you've got since there are so few immigrant filers in the UK forums. You can find the thread here: http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.ph...98808&st=80

Congrats again and best of luck

[100% Al Ahly Fan 53]

Congrats on your visa!

[graham_ni 0]

Congratulations Graham ni!

Yes, if you ticked the box requesting a social security number that part should get moving on its own once you get there. Unfortunately many people have waited and waited and it never came, so it might not be a bad idea to stop by the social security office a few days or maybe a week after you arrive. If the number has already been assigned they can give it to you, or you can fill out the paperwork and they'll start the process then.

Your passport won't be held for any amount of time once you're through POE and you'll have an I-551 stamp which will stand in for your green card until it arrives. You can travel with that stamp immediately.

And lastly, we've got a little thread going for UK CR-1 filers. If you felt like stopping by and maybe telling us a little bit about how your interview went we'd love to hear it. There are quite a few of us coming up to that step this summer so we're eager for any information you've got since there are so few immigrant filers in the UK forums. You can find the thread here: http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.ph...98808&st=80

Congrats again and best of luck

Thanks for that, very useful. I stopped by and added our experiences from the interview.

[kaffy 2]

Procedure for obtaining your SSN, regardless of whether you have checked the box on the DS-230:

- Wait 10 working days after POE then visit your local social security office. Your passport is really all that is needed but bring your birth certificate and marriage certificate too just in case they need you to verify your identity with a secondary document.

- Choose the option "Apply for a SSN" on the machine, take your number and grab a S-5S form to fill in while you are waiting (you may or may not need this, but do it just in case)

- When you get called to the window present your passport to the officer with your visa page open. Explain that you are a new immigrant and you arrived on such and such a date and ask them to check whether you have been assigned a SS number yet.

- They will enter your Alien number into their computer system and check firstly whether your details have been updated into the system, and secondly whether a SSN has been assigned. One of the following will occur-

1. You are in the system and a number has been assigned. Ask them to give you a print out of your number and confirm the mailing address where the card will be sent to. The card should arrive within a week but in the mean time you have your number so you can get your drivers license, open a bank account, etc. You don't need to wait for the physical card to arrive to do any of this.

2. You are in the system but a number has not been assigned. Pass the completed S-5S form to the officer and ask them to process an application for you.

3. You are not in the system. Unfortunately you will have to wait for DHS/USCIS to get their act together as an application cannot be processed until you are in the system. I'd wait another week before going back to the social security office and repeating the above steps

Hope this helps.. it's what I learned through my own experience and it helped me get my SSN very soon after my arrival

Edited June 15, 2009 by kaffy

[graham_ni 0]

Hope this helps.. it's what I learned through my own experience and it helped me get my SSN very soon after my arrival

Thanks Kaffy, sounds like good advice.