Social Security Nightmare!!!

[jaffers 2]

Hi Everyone,

hopefully someone has an insight what i can do next in my predicament.

I applied for my Social Security Number on the 23rd of November at my local SSA Office. I was 1 day shy of the 2 week waiting period for me to be entered onto the SAVE system. Not a problem tho the person i was dealing with said he would hold onto the application and submit it after thanksgiving. By December 6th no reply from the SSA either way of what happened, I return again to clarify any issues. They tell me that there is an issue on the DHS side of things and that I need to contact them to find out the issue.

So i did, tried to call but got lost in their maze of endless phone options. SO i email the the SAVE team directly, 2 days later they reply that the case has been resolved on the 2nd of december and to contact the SSA again. Today i went back in to the SSA and told them what i had been told, showed them the email, they replied that they had sent in a form to get more information. They expressed that they WOULDNT call homeland security to clarify or fasttrack the problem. and gave me no indication of what to do next.

Pretty furious at this I called the SAVE section of DHS and they explained that they couldnt discuss any details with me directly and only with the SSA. they also advised that the correct procedure is for the SSA to call them and rectify the problem and that on there end of things there is no problem

I would like to get this behind me so i can open a bank ac and get a drivers licence etc

any help would be appreciated

[ryna 132]

I don't have any specific advice but can attest to the fact that the process can be a nightmare for something as simple as a typo (on THEIR part!) It's only made worse because they won't tell you what the specific problem is and DHS and SSA keep kicking it back and forth between the two. My wife's SSN took about 6 weeks, first due to an incomplete name in one of their databases, then a typo in the "corrected" name, so prepare yourself.

I haven't seen him in a while, but look for a poster named "I Quit" here on VJ. Very helpful on SSN issues.

Best of luck and hope your issue is resolved quickly..

[jaffers 2]

I don't have any specific advice but can attest to the fact that the process can be a nightmare for something as simple as a typo (on THEIR part!) It's only made worse because they won't tell you what the specific problem is and DHS and SSA keep kicking it back and forth between the two. My wife's SSN took about 6 weeks, first due to an incomplete name in one of their databases, then a typo in the "corrected" name, so prepare yourself.

I haven't seen him in a while, but look for a poster named "I Quit" here on VJ. Very helpful on SSN issues.

Best of luck and hope your issue is resolved quickly..

Cheers Ryna

It is frustration when you get pencil pushers who just dont really care either way

[Dave&Roza 748]

I would go to the SSA webpage and e-mail them and detail your whole story with names and dates (as best you can remember) and send them a copy of the e-mail about the SAVE problem and see if they can shake things loose. It has been shown that the main SSA office is pretty customer friendly and the local offices need to be reminded by them just what their job is. It has worked for others here on VJ so it might be worth a try.

Good luck,

Dave

[missicy 87]

I would go to the SSA webpage and e-mail them and detail your whole story with names and dates (as best you can remember) and send them a copy of the e-mail about the SAVE problem and see if they can shake things loose. It has been shown that the main SSA office is pretty customer friendly and the local offices need to be reminded by them just what their job is. It has worked for others here on VJ so it might be worth a try.

Good luck,

Dave

Agreed. Email them and leave your phone number. They will call you back in a day or two.

[Moomin 292]

Yes, email,and keep the emails. I didn't have any problems getting the SSN however the CBP entered my last name with a typo - something I couldn't check on the i-94. Anyways, they actually told me this as the SSA and cleared it up within minutes. If the mail thing doesn't work then try going to a different SSA. Sometimes it's a matter of them not knowing the procedures and simply saying no before they check.

[ryna 132]

Yes, email,and keep the emails. I didn't have any problems getting the SSN however the CBP entered my last name with a typo - something I couldn't check on the i-94. Anyways, they actually told me this as the SSA and cleared it up within minutes. If the mail thing doesn't work then try going to a different SSA. Sometimes it's a matter of them not knowing the procedures and simply saying no before they check.

Something they (SSA) told us, and I'm not sure how true it is, is that they have the authority to override a 1-letter typo with proof of correct spelling, but anything more than that needs DHS verification (even if you have your correctly spelled docs with you - passport, visa, birth cert, etc.)

[jaffers 2]

SO do you reckon i should bother going back in there and annoying them further? I am going to email SSA directly if i can find the correct address.

Anyone have an idea how long (ball park) DHS verification normally take?

[Moomin 292]

Something they (SSA) told us, and I'm not sure how true it is, is that they have the authority to override a 1-letter typo with proof of correct spelling, but anything more than that needs DHS verification (even if you have your correctly spelled docs with you - passport, visa, birth cert, etc.)

They're anything but transparent with those procedures however I don't doubt that DoS has the higher standing in it.

Anyways, to the OP; it wouldn't hurt going to a different SSA if you have the time and there's one around. Some K1'ers have had problems one place and at a different place none. The mail is found by typing in your zip code here; https://secure.ssa.gov/apps6z/FOLO/fo001.jsp

I don't know if it'll help you but here's a timeframe; http://ssa-custhelp.ssa.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/1669 - it says 7-10 days.

[ryna 132]

They're anything but transparent with those procedures however I don't doubt that DoS has the higher standing in it.

Anyways, to the OP; it wouldn't hurt going to a different SSA if you have the time and there's one around. Some K1'ers have had problems one place and at a different place none. The mail is found by typing in your zip code here; https://secure.ssa.g.../FOLO/fo001.jsp

I don't know if it'll help you but here's a timeframe; http://ssa-custhelp....etail/a_id/1669 - it says 7-10 days.

Hopefully, you don't live in a place that requires you to go to only one particular location. There are several regions like that (and we live in one of them so that option wasn't available to us). They are on the list on the SSA website where you enter your zip code.

As for DHS verification, they usually give themselves 30 days when the problem is a name mismatch. It's not much time but, when you're up against a 75-day limit (90 - 15 days of remaining I-94 validity needed to issue the card), it can really cut it close.

[jaffers 2]

UPDATE!!!

Guys everyone will be happy to know after 1 email, sent on Friday giving info and requesting a return call, today Monday got a call from head office to say that the issue has been resolved and that i can return in tomorrow to receive the number assigned to me

Its a Christmas Miracle!!!!!

[Moomin 292]

Great! Glad it got solved quickly : )