Social Security can't find my information...

[Laure&Colin 558]

So I've followed all the "rules" and waited 3 full weeks after POE with a CR1 visa, hoping my SSN card would come in the mail like it was supposed to. It didn't come.

Today I called the social security, who told me to go to the local office, which I did. It was a complete nightmare, and the outcome is that they could find no trace of me in the database they share with USCIS (I suppose), thus they cannot assign me an SSN.

They gave me a letter (I should say: through a letter in my face) which said that they need to verify my information before they can assign a number to me, and it can take up to 4 weeks.

The agent who "served" me didn't say a single word until he came back with that letter, and when I asked what the problem was, he kept saying that I had too many names, and the USCIS didn't enter me in the database....

Other than banging my head on the wall, what should I do?? Get an infopass and check with the USCIS why my information was not entered after over 3 weeks? What's going on here?

I badly need my SSN so I can finally get my driving license, be added to my husband's bank account and credit cards (all refused to do it without an SSN).

We decided to go the CR1 route because the whole process was supposedly done after POE but nothing seems to be happening the way it should!

[*Snowdrop* 604]

I had exactly the same experience - they gave me the same letter. I decided to wait the 4 weeks and see if anything happened - I was in no rush for my SSN at the time, and it arrived in the post a couple of weeks later.

You could try another SS office - sometimes you just get someone who is looking in the wrong database or can't be bothered to really check.

I would try another office or the same one and ask to see a supervisor.

Which bank are you with? Bank of America will add you to an existing account with no SSN - they just mark your account as a non-resident alien. You have to back later and change your status of course which is annoying but it means you can get your own cards etc. Again with the banks it sometimes just takes another visit and a different person who knows what they are doing.

[jaycali 415]

I second Lynne on BoA. I had them when I was a student before I got my SSN and it was no problem at all as long as I had a co-signer.

[Laure&Colin 558]

My husband's accounts are with BoA but they told him no... I guess he didn't insist too much, that was before I arrived. I think we'll have to go together. I know he's also run into problems before because his accounts were open in Washington state and he doesn't have access to some services here in California.

This SS experience got me really upset, it was hell in there, as soon as I got in, this crazy guy decided to spend his time with me and tell me everything he knew about archangels...

Anyway, we have an infopass with USCIS to check if/why my information wasn't entered in the database yet, that's tomorrow first thing in the morning, and it's 5 blocks from the SS office so I can go back afterwards, although I'd rather have the flu than go back there... There is unfortunately no other SS office I can go to by public transport, since I'm supposedly not allowed to drive with my French license now.

[*Snowdrop* 604]

Well you can definitely be added by Bank of America.

They added me as a non-resident alien because I had no SSN at the time. I had to give them a foreign address for their records - I used my parents address back in the UK.

I immediately got my own online login for online banking and a debit card. And I was added as an extra person on the BoA credit card too.

Take your passport and a credit card of your own (VISA etc) as proof of your identity.

[Laure&Colin 558]

Thanks, I'll do that. I'm really eager to start my life here and not feel like a visitor anymore!

[TimeTravel 78]

You may consider to open an account with Wells Fargo. They are good people, allow to open an account without SSN.

[Laure&Colin 558]

OK, so we're just out of Bank of America and I was added to the account, I also got a debit card.

Now for the immigration part, it's a mess: we went to our Infopass appointment at USCIS this morning, and were told that the data input made by CBP after POE is incorrect, and only they can fix it. We probably stayed in the USCIS office for like, 4 min?

So I went to CBP (only a few blocks away), and then met 2 nice agents who had absolutely no idea what they were supposed to do... They told me to come back later today when the rest of the crew is back from field work, and there will be someone who has access to the shared USCIS database then.

So I guess as long as the data is not corrected/completed, nothing's going on, Social Security cannot see my file, and USCIS is not gonna work on it...

My biggest fear right now is that when I go back to CBP, they'll tell me they can't do anything and send me back to USCIS, who'll tell me they can't do anything and send me to CBP, etc...

[Laure&Colin 558]

Last update: went back to the CBP and talked to a seemingly reliable agent who confirmed that my name is wrong on the arrival record (according to them, it originally comes from the airline information). I have a hyphenated last name and they messed up with it: say my name is Smith-Jones, it is now in the arrival database as "Smithj"...

Agent told me she could not correct it herself, but called her supervisor, who will try to fix it tomorrow or get in touch with the people who can fix it. She said they've never had such an issue before so she can't say how it's gonna work exactly. They're supposed to call me tomorrow, but also she also gave me her direct phone number which I really appreciated.

I'm beyond pissed, but there's nothing I can do right now except wait for the CBP to do their job and correct the mistake. Hopefully, then, social security will give me a bloody ssn... At least the CBP officer I met seemed to be aware that this mess is keeping me in limbo and it HAS to be fixed asap.

[Darnell 8,478]

you went to CBP and they couldn't fix it? oh my

did you go to secondary inspection office / deferred inspection office?

those fellas CAN fix it. Right now, they are the only fellas that CAN fix it. Stay adamant, keep asking for the supervisor when yer there again, face to face.

Edited May 9, 2012 by Darnell

[Moomin 292]

This happened to me also. I don't think it's the first time they spell the name wrong however probably not that common to have someone come back and correct it. SSA can't correct it however they can send a request to fix it. Like Darnell says, they(DHS/CBP) have the authority to change it but it depends on who you speak to.

It can take up to 4 weeks. My last name was spelled all wrong(hooray for non-English letters) and it took less than a week from applying for SSN to getting the card in mail - including the time it took to correct last name. They did advise me to check any future letters to make sure my name was correct.

There's no guarantee that going to a different office will help you - the name is still not spelled right and they have to check your eligibility through that database. However, they run each office different from the other so it might be worth a shot.

Edited May 9, 2012 by moomin

[Darnell 8,478]

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/348798-havent-got-green-card-can-i-apply-for-ssn-now/page__view__findpost__p__5120183

[Laure&Colin 558]

Thanks for your answers guys, I'm feeling a little less lonely...

Darnell: yes it was a deferred inspection office, and the agent there told me she didn't know how to do it, neither did her supervisor, but they were gonna look into it. At least they didn't turn me away. If they can fix it easily, then it should be ok. I'll take a look at that thread you sent me now.

Moomin: the stupid guy I ran into at SS didn't even find my misspelled name, he didn't find me at all, so they didn't send any request to fix it. They just said they were going to verify my status.

To make sure I'm on the right track here, what the SS is looking at is the database of arrival records, right? Cause this is where my name is wrong for certain.

[Laure&Colin 558]

Darnell, I read your post on that thread. Bummer: they already sent the USCIS verification... The SS agent didn't ask me or tell me anything, he just gave me that letter after playing with his computer for a while. Can I withdraw my request for an SSN??

[Laure&Colin 558]

Answering my own question: I just called the local SS office, and they told me they can't cancel a verification already sent. Looks like I'm gonna walk instead of driving for a few more weeks

I'll try to go after I hear from the CBP and make sure the correction was made. But it doesn't sound good...