Strange experience at Social Security... anyone?

[klester 0]

Went to apply for my K-1 fiancee's Social Security Card today. She has been in the USA for 15 days now. Here is what happened:

When we went up, the guy was really kind and asked for the documents he needed and started processing her application in front of us. After a little while he looked a little perplexed, printed something out and came back with it and was looking it over for a while. I could tell something was the matter so I started looking at the white sheet too as I could see it clearly through the glass, and immediately noticed that my fiancee's first name was spelled "CHIAKA" on there when it is really spelled "CHIAKI". I pointed this out to the man, who smiled and said that must have been the problem, and that "it was giving me an error saying it didn't match with our databases information, but that must have been the problem". He said he was going to retry it with the correct spelling.

A minute later he printed a new sheet, brought it out to us, handed it to me and said "please confirm that all of this information is correct". It was basically a printed version of the SSN Application, with her name, address, birthday, etc. I looked it over and it was correct this time, so I told him all the information was correct. He then took it back, and handed me another sheet, and explained it to me, saying "This doesn't mean you can't get a Social Security Card. K-1's are permitted to get a SSN. Just for some reason this information is giving me some kind of problem with the database, so we have to send it to our national center to double-check all the information. This usually takes 2-3 days, and then it should take another few days to process the card. If all goes well, you can expect it in a couple weeks. We will inform you by mail."

A little confused that there was some kind of mis-match problem in the database, we took the letter he handed us (which just says the same thing he verbally told us, that it needs to get checked at the national center) and left.

Now the stranger part: Because we were in the Social Security center, I had my phone on silent. I forgot about it for an hour or so. About an hour later, I remembered it and noticed I had 2 calls back to back from a local number about 5 minutes after we left the Social Security center, with no voicemail. I called it back and someone picked up and said "Social Security", and I explained to them that I was there about an hour previous and someone had called me. He was really gruff, and said "how did you get this number!?" and I told him it was on my caller ID. He then asked me which SSN office I went to, and I told him, and he said "Oh, I see. Well, we can't direct you to that office because I wouldn't know who to direct you to. You will just have to wait and see what has happened." I replied "Should I call back the real local number on the website for the Social Security office?" and he said "No, they won't be able to tell you anything, you will just need to wait."

That was the end of the call. So now I am left wondering why they called me and why our application had a problem.

I am wondering if maybe he called right away to say that he made a mistake and that our application will be processed normally without a problem?

The only thing about the SSN Application that might have been wrong was we checked the box "Legal Alien: Allowed to Work". I checked this because the guides on this website and the notices and on the forums I have read make it sound like K-1 falls under this category, not the "Not Allowed to Work" category. But I don't know if checking the wrong box here would have given us that problem anyway, as that seems like something he would have caught, because he seemed like he knew very well about K-1's being able to get SSNs.

Anyone who can piece this together at all? Nothing to do but wait and see.

[ACINLOVE 2]

Me too I checked the box allowed to work because I have my passport stamped with work authorization and I received my ss with "valid for work only with dhs authorization".

[klester 0]

My fiancee's passport isn't actually stamped with a work authorization, but from reading the memo and the long thing linked from VisaJourney on the SSN site, it sounds like K-1 visa holders should mark "Allowed to work" regardless.

[redglasses 1]

I had no experience on something like this, but my guess is that the immigration officer who entered her name on the immigration system made a mistake and therefore the SSA representative wasn't able to verify her name.

I am more curious how they got your number...

[Otto 83]

The only thing about the SSN Application that might have been wrong was we checked the box "Legal Alien: Allowed to Work".

This IS the correct answer.

Hopefully they'll clear up the name discrepancy and issue the card soon.

[klester 0]

I had no experience on something like this, but my guess is that the immigration officer who entered her name on the immigration system made a mistake and therefore the SSA representative wasn't able to verify her name.

I am more curious how they got your number...

I wrote it on the application

[klester 0]

By the way, I really hope they didn't screw up her name at POE...

How would I go about finding out if they spelled it wrong at POE, or if it was just the guy today who spelled it wrong?

If it is wrong, how do I even go about fixing it?

[James_n_Karen 0]

By the way, I really hope they didn't screw up her name at POE...

How would I go about finding out if they spelled it wrong at POE, or if it was just the guy today who spelled it wrong?

If it is wrong, how do I even go about fixing it?

They had my maiden name spelled wrongly at POE. I got to know about it only when the SSN officer said the database showed my maiden name didn't match with the ones in passport and I-94, so they couldn't issue me the SSN. I, too was advised to make an Infopass to clarify it. Infopass was made but still no go. I was told that they would fix it (misspelled name) when processing my AOS, and if I was no hurry to look for a job, SSN actually was not needed.

Now I have already had my green card and SSN with the correct name on it, married name though.

Good luck!