SSN

[Waza 0]

Hi Guys

When i move over to the States in a few weeksWith my K- 1 Visa , can i apply for my SSN before i get married or do i have to wait untill after

Cheers Guys

Waza

Edited July 26, 2010 by Waza

[Harsh_77 718]

I am assuming you would be traveling on K1, my thought would be you will have to wait until you are married.

[UKGirl123 24]

You can do it before you are married - I have just done it and I am not married yet. However you need to wait 15 days after arrival into the US so your are in the system.

My best advice is to check the guides as there is one dedicated to getting an SSN.

[Waza 0]

You can do it before you are married - I have just done it and I am not married yet. However you need to wait 15 days after arrival into the US so your are in the system.

My best advice is to check the guides as there is one dedicated to getting an SSN.

Cheers for your quick reply's guy's

Waza

[Waza 0]

You can do it before you are married - I have just done it and I am not married yet. However you need to wait 15 days after arrival into the US so your are in the system.

My best advice is to check the guides as there is one dedicated to getting an SSN.

Cheers for your quick reply's guy's

Waza

[Lioncub4 4]

You can do it before you are married - I have just done it and I am not married yet. However you need to wait 15 days after arrival into the US so your are in the system.

My best advice is to check the guides as there is one dedicated to getting an SSN.

Yep, I can confirm with Angel here - apply after a minimum of 14 days and a maximum of 72 days. I applied about 15 days after entering the US and even then, SSA couldn't verify I was on the system. I had to wait a further 4 weeks before I got my SSN. My advice is, if the SSA office say you aren't on the system, don't withdraw the application and wait the 4 weeks they state it takes to verify you and issue you a SSN.

[Waza 0]

Yep, I can confirm with Angel here - apply after a minimum of 14 days and a maximum of 72 days. I applied about 15 days after entering the US and even then, SSA couldn't verify I was on the system. I had to wait a further 4 weeks before I got my SSN. My advice is, if the SSA office say you aren't on the system, don't withdraw the application and wait the 4 weeks they state it takes to verify you and issue you a SSN.

Cheers Mate...

Warren

[jerbbiandsteve31 0]

hi i applied for my ssn last week and i was 17 days here already, luckily i'm already on there system so they gave me the receipt. on the receipt it says that i need to wait for 2weeks before i can receive the ssn card. i was at home the whole week and i'm happy to receive it just 4days after my application.

[adethony 2]

hi i applied for my ssn last week and i was 17 days here already, luckily i'm already on there system so they gave me the receipt. on the receipt it says that i need to wait for 2weeks before i can receive the ssn card. i was at home the whole week and i'm happy to receive it just 4days after my application.

Hi All,

I think SSN is a state dependent issue. i went to their office in baltimore which happens to be the Head Quaters and i was not issued the SSN. I've been there like 3ce now and i was told to wait until i receive my GC.

[VanessaTony 3,567]

Hi All,

I think SSN is a state dependent issue. i went to their office in baltimore which happens to be the Head Quaters and i was not issued the SSN. I've been there like 3ce now and i was told to wait until i receive my GC.

it's not a "state dependent" issue. It's a "people at some offices are morons" issue. It says quite clearly in THEIR rules that K1's are entitled to SSN's. Check the SSN guide where it shows the actual SSA rule.

** moved from "Adjustment of Status (Green Card) from Family Based Visas" to " Working & Traveling During US Immigration" as this is relating to getting a SSN**

[thongd4me 69]

Hi Guys

When i move over to the States in a few weeksWith my K- 1 Visa , can i apply for my SSN before i get married or do i have to wait untill after

Cheers Guys

Waza

The current wisdom is, if there is no hurry to get married (we were in a hurry to do it by the end of 2009),

get the SSN first, but after waiting 2 weeks after your POE for it (your visa status) to show up on the

SSA computers.

After you get married there should be no problem with name change as I believe you are the male

and have no plans to change your name after marriage.

If you were female and there was a name change, you could show them your marriage certificate

to effect the name change in your Social Security account & card.

If you get married first and then apply, the application will be rejected because you are

pending AOS, not a visa holder (in any case that's the story they gave us).

If you got married before your POE and you came on a spouse visa, I would still wait

2 weeks until applying for the SSN.

[I'm Gone 60]

Suggest that individuals that have entered the United States with non immigrant status wait at least 10 calendar days before submitting a Social Security number (SSN) application to allow the Department of Homeland Security time to record entry into their database, but individuals are not required to wait 10 days before applying.

An individual that entered the United States with K-1 status applying for a work authorized SSN must present evidence at an SSA office to establish his or her age, identity, and current lawful employment authorized status.

An individual needs to provide at least two documents as evidence to establish age, identity, and current lawful employment authorized status.

Example: If the immigration document, for example, Form I-94, Form I-551, Form I-766, is used to establish work authorization and identity, the alien must provide another document to establish age.

SSA will not assign an SSN or issue a card to an individual that is within 14 days of his or her alien status expiring. Until the 76th day after entry an individual with K-1 status only needs to provide an unexpired I-94 showing current K-1 status to establish employment authorized status for SSN purposes.

Once, an individual that entered the United States with K-1 status has been in the United States 76 days he or she will need another document, for example, Form I-551, Form I-766, to establish employment authorized status for SSN purposes.

RM 10211.420 Employment Authorization for Non-immigrants:

http://policy.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0110211420

RM 10211.025 Evidence of Lawful Permanent Resident (LPR) Status for an SSN Card:

http://policy.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0110211025

Note: Marriage does not affect an individual with K-1 status's eligibility to be assigned an SSN, or issued a card.

When requesting an SSN card, the documents presented, as evidence must be either originals or copies certified by the issuing agency. SSA cannot accept uncertified or notarized photocopies as evidence.

If a foreign-born person has the foreign birth certificate in his/her possession or can easily obtain a copy, he or she must submit it as proof of age. In some situations we can accept alternative evidence of age. The alternative evidence of age may be less than a year old, for example, foreign passport.

You can find detailed information regarding evidence that establishes age on the SSA Web site:

http://policy.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0100203110

The documents acceptable as evidence of identity are now based on three factors: (1) the applicant’s age, (2) the applicant’s citizenship/alien status, and (3) the relative value of documents.

Primary Identity Evidence for an alien:

-- Form I-551, Permanent Resident Card (includes temporary I-551

Stamp in combination with an unexpired foreign passport when the I-

551 Permanent Resident Card has not yet been issued)

-- Form I-94, Arrival/departure Record in combination with an unexpired

foreign passport

-- Form I-766, Employment Authorization card in combination with an

unexpired foreign passport

Note: Document must be unexpired

RM 10210.405 Evidence of Identity for an SSN Card:

http://policy.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0110210405

RM 10210.420 List of Documents in Priority of Acceptability for Use as Evidence of Identity:

http://policy.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0110210420

SSA cannot accept an application filing receipt or notice of action as evidence of an immigration document, or an immigration document with a “valid from” date in the future.

Exception: SSA can accept an expired I-551 card accompanied by a Form I-797C (Notice of Action) stating, “Your conditional resident status is extended for a period of one year as evidence of LPR status.

Take the required documents to the nearest Social Security office or Card Center. Individuals age 12 or older applying for an original SSN and card must apply in person.

You can obtain the address and directions to the nearest Social Security office from the Social Security Office Locator, which is available on the Internet:

http://www.ssa.gov/locator

Applicants who live or receive mail in the Brooklyn, NY, Queens, NY, Phoenix, AZ, Orlando, FL, Sacramento, CA, or Las Vegas, NV area should apply at their local Social Security Card Center.

Individuals residing in the Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN area should apply at the Twin Cities Card Center.

Card Center Information:

http://www.ssa.gov/cardcenters/cardcenterinfo.html

Normally, an SSN card should be received in the mail within two weeks after the application and required document(s) have been received and verified.

However, when an alien requests an SSN or replacement card, SSA must verify his or her documents/current status with the appropriate bureau of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). If the initial online verification is not possible through the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) system, SSA may need to send a Form G-845 to the appropriate DHS Status Verification Office (SVO) for manual verification.

Social Security field offices can submit an additional electronic online verification, which with the majority of applications eliminates the need to send a Form G-845 along with a copy of the applicant’s immigration documents.

However, some applications still require a copy of the immigration document(s) to be mailed to the appropriate DHS SVO along with Form G-845 for manual verification.

The 14 day status expiration limit for assigning an SSN and/or issuing a card applies even if an individual submitted his or her application before being within the 14 day period and entered the 14 day period while waiting for his or her status to be verified.

SSA offices can also assist applicants by issuing a notice acknowledging the SSN application while documents are being verified.

RM 10205.215 Acknowledgement Requested for an Application for an SSN Card:

http://policy.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0110205215

All cards are mailed from Social Security Headquarters in Baltimore, Maryland to the postal address provided on the Form SS-5.

If ineligible to be assigned an SSN, Social Security offices can provide written notice using Form SSA-L676 to explain that an SSN cannot be assigned due to your not having provided authorization to work in the United States for SSN purposes, or evidence of a valid nonwork reason for needing an SSN.

Needing an SSN for school aid or enrollment, tax purposes, private health insurance, banking, credit cards, loans, or to be issued a state professional or driver’s license are NOT valid non work reasons for needing an SSN.

RM 10211.610 Valid Reasons to Assign an SSN for Nonwork Purposes:

http://policy.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0110211610

RM 10211.615 Invalid Nonwork Reasons for SSN Assignment:

http://policy.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0110211615

The IRS assigns Individual Taxpayer Identification Numbers to aliens for tax purposes who are not eligible to be assigned an SSN. A Form W-7, “Application for an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number,” needs to be submitted to receive an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number.

You can download a form W-7 from the IRS Web site:

http://www.irs.gov/formspubs/index.html

You can contact the IRS ITIN office by calling 1-800-908-9982.

You can find additional information on the IRS Web site:

http://www.irs.gov/individuals/article/0,,id=96287,00.html

http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p1915.pdf

When am I legally required to provide my Social Security number:

http://ssa-custhelp.ssa.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/78

[iowaseabee 0]

Suggest that individuals that have entered the United States with non immigrant status wait at least 10 calendar days before submitting a Social Security number (SSN) application to allow the Department of Homeland Security time to record entry into their database, but individuals are not required to wait 10 days before applying.

An individual that entered the United States with K-1 status applying for a work authorized SSN must present evidence at an SSA office to establish his or her age, identity, and current lawful employment authorized status.

An individual needs to provide at least two documents as evidence to establish age, identity, and current lawful employment authorized status.

Example: If the immigration document, for example, Form I-94, Form I-551, Form I-766, is used to establish work authorization and identity, the alien must provide another document to establish age.

SSA will not assign an SSN or issue a card to an individual that is within 14 days of his or her alien status expiring. Until the 76th day after entry an individual with K-1 status only needs to provide an unexpired I-94 showing current K-1 status to establish employment authorized status for SSN purposes.

Once, an individual that entered the United States with K-1 status has been in the United States 76 days he or she will need another document, for example, Form I-551, Form I-766, to establish employment authorized status for SSN purposes.

RM 10211.420 Employment Authorization for Non-immigrants:

http://policy.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0110211420

RM 10211.025 Evidence of Lawful Permanent Resident (LPR) Status for an SSN Card:

http://policy.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0110211025

Note: Marriage does not affect an individual with K-1 status's eligibility to be assigned an SSN, or issued a card.

When requesting an SSN card, the documents presented, as evidence must be either originals or copies certified by the issuing agency. SSA cannot accept uncertified or notarized photocopies as evidence.

If a foreign-born person has the foreign birth certificate in his/her possession or can easily obtain a copy, he or she must submit it as proof of age. In some situations we can accept alternative evidence of age. The alternative evidence of age may be less than a year old, for example, foreign passport.

You can find detailed information regarding evidence that establishes age on the SSA Web site:

http://policy.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0100203110

The documents acceptable as evidence of identity are now based on three factors: (1) the applicant’s age, (2) the applicant’s citizenship/alien status, and (3) the relative value of documents.

Primary Identity Evidence for an alien:

-- Form I-551, Permanent Resident Card (includes temporary I-551

Stamp in combination with an unexpired foreign passport when the I-

551 Permanent Resident Card has not yet been issued)

-- Form I-94, Arrival/departure Record in combination with an unexpired

foreign passport

-- Form I-766, Employment Authorization card in combination with an

unexpired foreign passport

Note: Document must be unexpired

RM 10210.405 Evidence of Identity for an SSN Card:

http://policy.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0110210405

RM 10210.420 List of Documents in Priority of Acceptability for Use as Evidence of Identity:

http://policy.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0110210420

SSA cannot accept an application filing receipt or notice of action as evidence of an immigration document, or an immigration document with a “valid from” date in the future.

Exception: SSA can accept an expired I-551 card accompanied by a Form I-797C (Notice of Action) stating, “Your conditional resident status is extended for a period of one year as evidence of LPR status.

Take the required documents to the nearest Social Security office or Card Center. Individuals age 12 or older applying for an original SSN and card must apply in person.

You can obtain the address and directions to the nearest Social Security office from the Social Security Office Locator, which is available on the Internet:

http://www.ssa.gov/locator

Applicants who live or receive mail in the Brooklyn, NY, Queens, NY, Phoenix, AZ, Orlando, FL, Sacramento, CA, or Las Vegas, NV area should apply at their local Social Security Card Center.

Individuals residing in the Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN area should apply at the Twin Cities Card Center.

Card Center Information:

http://www.ssa.gov/cardcenters/cardcenterinfo.html

Normally, an SSN card should be received in the mail within two weeks after the application and required document(s) have been received and verified.

However, when an alien requests an SSN or replacement card, SSA must verify his or her documents/current status with the appropriate bureau of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). If the initial online verification is not possible through the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) system, SSA may need to send a Form G-845 to the appropriate DHS Status Verification Office (SVO) for manual verification.

Social Security field offices can submit an additional electronic online verification, which with the majority of applications eliminates the need to send a Form G-845 along with a copy of the applicant’s immigration documents.

However, some applications still require a copy of the immigration document(s) to be mailed to the appropriate DHS SVO along with Form G-845 for manual verification.

The 14 day status expiration limit for assigning an SSN and/or issuing a card applies even if an individual submitted his or her application before being within the 14 day period and entered the 14 day period while waiting for his or her status to be verified.

SSA offices can also assist applicants by issuing a notice acknowledging the SSN application while documents are being verified.

RM 10205.215 Acknowledgement Requested for an Application for an SSN Card:

http://policy.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0110205215

All cards are mailed from Social Security Headquarters in Baltimore, Maryland to the postal address provided on the Form SS-5.

If ineligible to be assigned an SSN, Social Security offices can provide written notice using Form SSA-L676 to explain that an SSN cannot be assigned due to your not having provided authorization to work in the United States for SSN purposes, or evidence of a valid nonwork reason for needing an SSN.

Needing an SSN for school aid or enrollment, tax purposes, private health insurance, banking, credit cards, loans, or to be issued a state professional or driver’s license are NOT valid non work reasons for needing an SSN.

RM 10211.610 Valid Reasons to Assign an SSN for Nonwork Purposes:

http://policy.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0110211610

RM 10211.615 Invalid Nonwork Reasons for SSN Assignment:

http://policy.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0110211615

The IRS assigns Individual Taxpayer Identification Numbers to aliens for tax purposes who are not eligible to be assigned an SSN. A Form W-7, “Application for an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number,” needs to be submitted to receive an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number.

You can download a form W-7 from the IRS Web site:

http://www.irs.gov/formspubs/index.html

You can contact the IRS ITIN office by calling 1-800-908-9982 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              1-800-908-9982      end_of_the_skype_highlighting begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              1-800-908-9982      end_of_the_skype_highlighting begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              1-800-908-9982      end_of_the_skype_highlighting begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              1-800-908-9982      end_of_the_skype_highlighting.

You can find additional information on the IRS Web site:

http://www.irs.gov/individuals/article/0,,id=96287,00.html

http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p1915.pdf

When am I legally required to provide my Social Security number:

http://ssa-custhelp.ssa.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/78

My wife applied for her SSN after being here about a month and was issued a number without problem. Now the problem is that after we were married we went back to the local office to change her name and was told we would have to wait for her green card. When we went for her biometrics we tried a different office and they were happy to do it but found out we couldn't because it past the date on her I94. Make sure if you try to change your name after marriage it has to be more than 14 days before the date on your I94 or you will have to wait.

[iowaseabee 0]

it's not a "state dependent" issue. It's a "people at some offices are morons" issue. It says quite clearly in THEIR rules that K1's are entitled to SSN's. Check the SSN guide where it shows the actual SSA rule.

** moved from "Adjustment of Status (Green Card) from Family Based Visas" to " Working & Traveling During US Immigration" as this is relating to getting a SSN**

I see you have been to the Davenport office too.

Edited July 28, 2010 by iowaseabee

[thongd4me 69]

This should be printed out and after you think you understand it,

take it with you to the SSA office when you apply.

The supervisor gave us the BS about the marriage invalidating the application

and I knew that was probably bogus but nothing they do surprises me.

The clerk that processed her application yesterday didn't have a clue

what the I-551 stamp in her passport was. My boss summed it up

very nicely when I told that story: "you effectively have to do their job for them."

After a few minutes, the system accepted her I-551 stamp after he said

it probably wouldn't go through without the "special number" found only

on the GC.

Edited July 28, 2010 by thongd4me