SSN

[Gurney 0]

I have been waiting for SSN for 3 weeks. I activated a CR1 Visa with the included request for SSN issuance. I have a job waiting for me that I HAVE to start in 10 days. I went to the SSA office today and after the woman was nasty accusing me of being illegal, she took a copy of my visa and told me she was forwarding it to INS to check it. My husband and kids came into the office soon after to see what was keeping me and she changed her attitude fairly fast, but still insisted she needed to contact INS (which will take another two weeks). I was not given an I 94 at the border but was given an I551 stamp on the visa. It says on the visa that it is my green card for up to one year and the official card should be issued by then. The immigration officer at the border commented on this and said procedures changed two weeks ago. How do I find out what my "A" number is? The clerk said it might speed things up.

[I'm Gone 60]

What procedure changed two weeks ago? They have been using the MRIV with I-551 langauge since June 28, 2004.

RM 00202.315 Enumeration At Entry

http://policy.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0100202315

Answer "Yes" to Questions 33a. and 33b.on Form DS-230

You will then need to allow at least 3 weeks to see if the Enumeration

At Entry process works. If you don't receive your SSN card within 3

weeks it's time to head on down to your friendly neighborhood

SSA office.

Find office:

http://www.ssa.gov/locator

If you have been assigned an SSN the office can provide you with the

number. However, it is has been over 14 days from the day the SSN was

assigned and you haven't received the card you will probably need to

apply for a replacement card.

Take proof of age, identity and work authorized alien status. Proof of

age is not needed for a replacement card.

Birth certificate, passport and I-551 card or MRIV with temporary I-551

language should be enough to take into the SSA office.

http://policy.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0100203410

RM 00203.410 Evidence of Alien Status for an SSN Card for an Alien

Lawfully Admitted for Permanent Residence

B. KINDS OF EVIDENCE ESTABLISHING LAPR STATUS

-- I-551, Permanent Resident Card

-- Machine Readable Immigrant Visa with Temporary I-551 Language

Note: The MRIV shows the alien's identification number ("A" number) as

the "Registration Number" in the upper right-hand corner of the MRIV.

If you apply in the SSA office for an original SSN or replacement card

the SSA office will try to verify your status through the SAVE system

while your are in the office. If they can't, they will send a form G-845

to immigration for manual verification. This could delay the assigning

of an SSN and/or issuing a card for weeks and some times months.

.If the SSA office does send the G-845, I suggest that you go back to the

SSA office every couple weeks with your documents to (1) ask them to

check SAVE again (2) ask if they sent a G-845 (3) if yes, did it come

back (4) after 30 days ask if they have followed up on the G-845 by

calling or sending another mark "second request."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

http://policy.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0100203720

RM 00203.720 Verifying Immigration Documents

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

http://policy.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0100203735

RM 00203.735 Requesting Online (Primary) Verification By SAVE

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

After having waited at least 30 days and your local SSA office doesn't

seem too concerned you can try contacting the SSA Regional Office (RO)

responsible for your state:

http://www.ssa.gov/pressoffice/natlpocontacts.html

Refer them to this:

http://policy.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0100203740

RM 00203.740 Requesting Additional (Manual) Verification By DHS

B. PROCEDURE – HOW TO REQUEST MANUAL VERIFICATION

STEP 6

DHS should respond to SSA within 15 federal work days after receiving

the Form G-845. If DHS does not respond within 15 federal work days from

the receipt of the G-845 from SSA, follow-up with the DHS, USCIS

Immigration Status office. (Allow 15 days plus five additional federal work days of

mail time for the G-845 to be received at and returned from DHS.

Follow local practice to follow-up with DHS. Some SSA offices have an

arrangement with the DHS, USCIS office to telephone for the follow-up

contact; other SSA offices send a copy of the original G-845 annotated

“second request.”) If the DHS response is still not received within 15

federal work days after the follow-up contact (if the follow-up is by

mail allow five additional federal work days of mail time for the G-845

to be received at and returned from DHS), make a second follow-up

contact. If the DHS response is not received within 15 federal workdays

(again, if the follow-up is by mail, allow five additional federal work

days of mail time for the G-845 to be received at and returned from

DHS), after two follow-ups, contact the RO. Also report to the RO any

trend that shows a serious deviation by DHS from the above time frames.

The RO will consult with central office.

[Married_my_love 0]

I went to the SSA office today and after the woman was nasty accusing me of being illegal, she took a copy of my visa and told me she was forwarding it to INS to check it.

This just ticks me off. Sorry that happened to you. Why would she jump straight to making allegations? what a beeatch.

After reading this I'm just curious, is it better to NOT check that you want to get the SSN on the DS-230 and just apply on your own? is there more success in that procedure, or is it even allowed? ie, after arrival in US you go into office and apply?

[I'm Gone 60]

I went to the SSA office today and after the woman was nasty accusing me of being illegal, she took a copy of my visa and told me she was forwarding it to INS to check it.

This just ticks me off. Sorry that happened to you. Why would she jump straight to making allegations? what a beeatch.

After reading this I'm just curious, is it better to NOT check that you want to get the SSN on the DS-230 and just apply on your own? is there more success in that procedure, or is it even allowed? ie, after arrival in US you go into office and apply?

Obviously, the woman doesn't know her rectal cavity from a hole in the ground, since the MRIV with the I-551 langauge proves her legal status, but this is what she thought:

https://s044a90.ssa.gov/apps10/poms.nsf/lnx/0100203560

RM 00203.560 Evidence for an SSN Card for an Illegal Alien

1. General

Presume an alien to be illegally in the U.S. if he/she cannot submit evidence of the lawful alien status or DHS-granted work authorization...

[I'm Gone 60]

The immigration officer at the border commented on this and said procedures changed two weeks ago.

This might be what the officer was referring, "On August 1, 2006, DHS USCIS introduced a new "Temporary I-551 ADIT" stamp."

[Gurney 0]

Update: Still waiting for SSN (now 6 weeks). Wrote to Olympia Snow hoping for help from government officials. I am working as a teaching being paid as a sub (at 1/4 normal pay) since I cannot sign a contract without a SSN . Also have no health insurance... it comes with contract and we signed a waiver saying we cannot get social assistance including health care.... I better not get sick. I cannot open a bank account so cannot cash my pay checks myself, I have to endorse them to my husband. I cannot be added to his account. This really sucks! Waiting ... waiting .... waiting

[Marilyn. 340]

I went to the SSA office today and after the woman was nasty accusing me of being illegal, she took a copy of my visa and told me she was forwarding it to INS to check it.

This just ticks me off. Sorry that happened to you. Why would she jump straight to making allegations? what a beeatch.

After reading this I'm just curious, is it better to NOT check that you want to get the SSN on the DS-230 and just apply on your own? is there more success in that procedure, or is it even allowed? ie, after arrival in US you go into office and apply?

I checked the box but I eneded up going into the SSN office about a month after moving to the US... I got my SSN card about a week later....