IR1 VISA acting as temporary I-551

[phoenixfire 0]

Does anyone have any insight on the requirements for obtaining a Social Security card? I went to the local office and they told me I can't apply until I receive my physical Green Card. After looking around on both the USCIS and SS websites they both showed the same thing: 2 pieces of information were required, a birth certificate and an i-551 in the form of a permanent resident card OR a machine readable immigrant visa. Is it possible the agent at the SS office wasn't aware of this? Or have things recently changed. It seems bizarre that I could potentially wait up to 6 months for my green card and not be able to work. My POE was last Wednesday the 23rd of November. I realise I haven't been here very long but I thought I would get a jump on this.

[at long last 58]

Does anyone have any insight on the requirements for obtaining a Social Security card? I went to the local office and they told me I can't apply until I receive my physical Green Card. After looking around on both the USCIS and SS websites they both showed the same thing: 2 pieces of information were required, a birth certificate and an i-551 in the form of a permanent resident card OR a machine readable immigrant visa. Is it possible the agent at the SS office wasn't aware of this? Or have things recently changed. It seems bizarre that I could potentially wait up to 6 months for my green card and not be able to work. My POE was last Wednesday the 23rd of November. I realise I haven't been here very long but I thought I would get a jump on this.

Edited December 3, 2011 by at long last

[Kathryn41 3,205]

Look in your passport where the IR-1 visa is attached. You should find close to it a stamp that has the number I-551 on it. This stamp will state that it is valid for a certain time period and is basically the proof of your legal status to live in the US. When you used your visa to enter the US that triggered the activation of your permanent residency status. The border stamps your passport with the I-551 stamp to show that you are a permanent resident of the US. The stamp is valid proof of your status and you can use it in exactly the same ways as the physical card. The 'green card' is actually the I-551 card. So either the stamp in your passport or the physical card in hand both serve the exact same purpose.

Yes, it is very possible that the SSA agent was not aware of the regulations. That, unfortunately, proves itself time and time again on these forums. Print out a copy of what is required, bring that with you when you go to the SSA office; bring your passport with the visa and the I-551 stamp and your birth certificate which is used to prove your age. If you run into problems with the agent, ask to speak with a supervisor.

SSA will 'verify' your status with USCIS. Generally they suggest it takes a week to ten days to update their records so even if you aren't in the files yet, they can take the information and issue your SSN and card when the system finds you. You should not have to wait any longer and you are eligible for a SSN.

Good luck :-).

[phoenixfire 0]

Thanks very much for the reply. I will do exactly as you said. Hopefully I have some luck