Social Security App Question

[ryna 132]

Hello all,

My fiancee arrived about 3 weeks ago on her K-1. We went to the local SS office to apply for her card and all seemed to go well, but...

The agent told us that he had to, by law, issue the card with the name shown on her I-94 Departure record (stapled into her passport). No problem with that but it differs from her I-94 Arrival record (the top half). That half used her full, legal name - first, middle, and her two last (family) names. The CBP agent only wrote her first name and first family name on the I-94 Departure record part when we arrived. That's my fault because we didn't fill it out ourselves on the plane because I, the immigration rookie, figured "There will be no departure before receiving LPR, therefore no departure record will be needed at this time."

I just called to verify that the application is in process (that the application matched the SAVE database correctly) but they wouldn't tell me anything because I'm not her. She called the local office and was told no one there speaks Spanish. I don't believe that as there's a option to choose Spanish on the call menu. Also, the person there that I spoke to in English says there are Spanish speaking people available. She then called the national SS info line which, just like USCIS, is useless (although they spoke Spanish to her) and will only say to call back after 4 weeks.

If they entered the full arrival record info into the SAVE database and then applied for the SS card using the departure record info, the names won't be a 100% match and I want to correct it before it goes on too long, especially if it involves getting a new I-94 via deferred/secondary inspection.

Does anyone know which half of the I-94 they use for the SAVE database?

[YuAndDan 153]

I would go with what SSA want to put on it, you can always get it changed after marriage or wait until after getting EAD, or Green-Card and get the SSN updated to what ever name you have on the EAD or Green-card.

[ryna 132]

OK, situation update....

She was able to speak with the local office and they said it has NOT been processed. The problem has nothing to do with the name(s), but that there is a problem with the visa (WTH???) and they are waiting on a response from DHS before proceeding???

She's in tears, I'm 60 miles away at the office and I have no idea who I call to find out what is going on with the supposed "visa" problem. Do I call USCIS, DOS, the Embassy in Colombia that issued it???

We're getting married in two days and don't need any immigration problems hanging over our heads when we've done everything by the book.

[YuAndDan 153]

OK, situation update....

She was able to speak with the local office and they said it has NOT been processed. The problem has nothing to do with the name(s), but that there is a problem with the visa (WTH???) and they are waiting on a response from DHS before proceeding???

She's in tears, I'm 60 miles away at the office and I have no idea who I call to find out what is going on with the supposed "visa" problem. Do I call USCIS, DOS, the Embassy in Colombia that issued it???

We're getting married in two days and don't need any immigration problems hanging over our heads when we've done everything by the book.

This should be no issue, simply get married and move on with AOS. SSN is not needed to file AOS.

Note: DHS has to do with immigrations, they have nothing to do with Visas, Visas are a DOS thing, and only has to do with being allowed to enter the USA, nothing more.

I see so many posts about confusion at the SSA office, they are simply telling you that they just need to confirm status with USCIS before issuing the number. They WILL issue a number.

[ryna 132]

This should be no issue, simply get married and move on with AOS. SSN is not needed to file AOS.

Note: DHS has to do with immigrations, they have nothing to do with Visas, Visas are a DOS thing, and only has to do with being allowed to enter the USA, nothing more.

I see so many posts about confusion at the SSA office, they are simply telling you that they just need to confirm status with USCIS before issuing the number. They WILL issue a number.

Thank a bunch!

I was so focused on the words "visa" problem that I forgot that, no matter what, she's eligible to AOS after we get married! This is a non-issue!

Could it be a case of "applied before she was in the SAVE database and awaiting a manual verification?" We waited 10 business days after POE. The only reason we went that day was because I have every other Friday off and we didn't want to wait almost an entire month after POE for the next one. That and we didn't want to go there on our wedding day!

[YuAndDan 153]

Thank a bunch!

I was so focused on the words "visa" problem that I forgot that, no matter what, she's eligible to AOS after we get married! This is a non-issue!

Could it be a case of "applied before she was in the SAVE database and awaiting a manual verification?" We waited 10 business days after POE. The only reason we went that day was because I have every other Friday off and we didn't want to wait almost an entire month after POE for the next one. That and we didn't want to go there on our wedding day!

Yep, you attempted to apply before in SAVE so manual verification.

Note, the primary reason a K-1 is able to get SSN and the other K-Visas cannot, has to do with a federal law requiring SSN to apply for any type of "License" this has to do with "dead-beat" parents, and "License" is Hunting license, driving license, business license, marriage License. Some states enforce this on application for marriage license, but most do not.

If you have a marriage license, then move on get married and worry about SSN later.

Edited January 26, 2011 by YuAndDan

[ryna 132]

Yep, you attempted to apply before in SAVE so manual verification.

Note, the primary reason a K-1 is able to get SSN and the other K-Visas cannot, has to do with a federal law requiring SSN to apply for any type of "License" this has to do with "dead-beat" parents, and "License" is Hunting license, driving license, business license, marriage License. Some states enforce this on application for marriage license, but most do not.

If you have a marriage license, then move on get married and worry about SSN later.

We do and we will!

I'll admit that, after 8 months of waiting to get/use the visa, it's hard to remember that we're on the other side of that fence now and the words "visa" problem don't mean much these days, especially when used incorrectly.

Thanks again!

[Darnell 8,478]

whew.

to fix SAVE database problems,

go in person to a CBP secondary inspection / deferred inspection office.

Day after, get back to SSA office,

and apply again. Disregard the first application - get the big boss involved, remind him/her name was fixed in SAVE (and show the printout from the CBP office as well).

---

it does sound like, though, you applied too early -

so go again. soonish.

Edited January 26, 2011 by Darnell

[I'm Gone 60]

Yep, you attempted to apply before in SAVE so manual verification.

They waited long enough, it's ten calendar days. So if they waited ten business days, that's 14 calendar days.

RM 10213.305 Procedure when an SSN Applicant Files for an SSN within 10 Days of Arriving in the U.S or being Granted a New Status:

https://secure.ssa.gov/apps10/poms.nsf/lnx/0110213305

[I'm Gone 60]

OK, situation update....

She was able to speak with the local office and they said it has NOT been processed. The problem has nothing to do with the name(s), but that there is a problem with the visa (WTH???) and they are waiting on a response from DHS before proceeding???

Hard to tell what the problem might be, if any without looking at the application, and SAVE. If they are telling you the correct thing it's more than likely her status didn't come up in SAVE as K-1. Need to go back to the office to find out what exactly is the problem with the SAVE verification, and at what step of the process they are at. Ask why the initial verification failed, and have they submitted the secondary electronic verification request. If they did submit a secondary electronic verification request, has it come back. If immigration responded that they needed to see a copy of her I-94, has a G-845 been submitted. If the G-845 was submitted, has the third level verification been received.

[ryna 132]

Hard to tell what the problem might be, if any without looking at the application, and SAVE. If they are telling you the correct thing it's more than likely her status didn't come up in SAVE as K-1. Need to go back to the office to find out what exactly is the problem with the SAVE verification, and at what step of the process they are at. Ask why the initial verification failed, and have they submitted the secondary electronic verification request. If they did submit a secondary electronic verification request, has it come back. If immigration responded that they needed to see a copy of her I-94, has a G-845 been submitted. If the G-845 was submitted, has the third level verification been received.

I have a feeling I'll be taking a day off next week to visit the deferred inspection office and then a second trip to the SS office.

We're getting married tomorrow. They (CBP) won't have a problem correcting the name on her I-94 based on the K-1 because of that, will they? Logically, I'd say 'no' because we were not married on the date that she entered, but nothing surprises me in the world of US Immigration any longer.

[ryna 132]

Just got back from SSA office. G-845 has been submitted. No response (from DHS) to third submission is what we were told.

There has to be a problem. She's been here one month as of today. She should be in the system by now.

I guess were off to a CBP deferred inspection site to correct the name on the I-94 Departure Record as I can see that being a problem at AOS. If it were just the SSN, we wouldn't worry about it too much because she can go with a Green Card but if USCIS can't match her I-94 w/ the abbreviated name to everything else with her full name, there will be a problem...

The sad part is that anyone with half a brain could tell she's the same person and that it is a shortened name (written by the CBP agent, no less!) Then, there's the US Gov't....

[I'm Gone 60]

Just got back from SSA office. G-845 has been submitted. No response (from DHS) to third submission is what we were told.

Well if the G-845 was sent because immigration wanted to see a copy of the I-94, and office does things right, it shouldn't take too long to verify her status. They now have third level verification that allows SSA to pull the G-845 verification into the SSN issuing system (SSNAP) without waiting for the paper G-845 to come back to the SSA office in the mail. I would check back at the SSA office in a couple weeks

[ryna 132]

Well if the G-845 was sent because immigration wanted to see a copy of the I-94, and office does things right, it shouldn't take too long to verify her status. They now have third level verification that allows SSA to pull the G-845 verification into the SSN issuing system (SSNAP) without waiting for the paper G-845 to come back to the SSA office in the mail. I would check back at the SSA office in a couple weeks

After this trip, we went to CBP and corrected her I-94, then went back to SSA and they updated her app based on the new I-94. So, either DHS will finally approve the original one based on the I-94 with the abbreviated name or will match it (hopefully electronically via SAVE) to the now corrected one. Either way, I think she should have her card in a week or two..

Thanks for your help. It helped me to know what to ask when we went there today.

[Hamburger Man 3]

Dear god,

This sounds like the issues my wife had with K1 / SSN then later SSN after AoS was approved. I am sending off a G-639/Privacy Act Request tomorrow to find out EXACTLY what is in that SAVE database which is causing all the problems.