SSN - applying the day after entry?

[simonschus 58]

Hi all,

If applying for an SSN, does one still have to wait two weeks before applying?

I've looked through various posts and there seems to be conflicting information as to whether you need to wait 2 weeks or whether you can apply straight away. I was hoping to apply the day after arriving in the US given that our wedding will be the day after that, but I'm just trying to see other's experiences on the matter. I can appreciate that it is one of those things that I'll just have to find out on the day but others' experiences might help set expectations

Simon.

P.S. K1.

[Anh map 2,098]

The 2 week suggestion is so that you will appear in the Social Security database after your POE. I doubt that you will be in the system the day after your arrival.

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

I believe the two week rule was for when an I-94 card was filled out on the plane. The time allowed CBP to get the collected card manually entered by a person into the database which would then load to be available to Social Security Admininstration. The I-94 is now generated from a scan of your passport and the info is uploaded to the database electronically. It is fully automated without waiting on a human to get around to it. So in theory, if you find your I-94 online, your entry should already be available to SSA. The only question I would have is when does USCIS update the SAVE database? I don't know if it is real time or a nightly refresh in a batch. If they can't find your record, say you will come back in a few days.

[tamcloud 92]

We applied for my wife's SSN 5 days after arrival (the day after our ceremony). She had a paper I-94 added in her passport near the K-1 visa. Never did see her electronic record updated for this entry online... Anyway, they saw her in the system at the SSA and the card was received the following week. However, I agree that day after arrival may not be enough time for the system to refresh for updates. You could still try - worst case, it's not updated and you'll have to go back a few days later.

Edited March 19, 2016 by tamcloud

[yuna628 9,712]

Hard to say... I'd first look yourself up in the I-94 database (you're going to need a printout of that to apply anyway), and see if you're there. If you're there that's great! But the question will be when it's updated in SAVE like Nich-Nick said. When we went to the SSA, the person did *ALOT* of typing, especially after I prompted her with the SSA printout of K1 eligibility. I've no idea what screens she was looking at, but she went over his passport and I-94 very carefully. I often see posters here talk about not being found in SAVE at the SSA or even when they go into the DMV... but not a one of these persons ever mentioned that database to us. We did go two weeks after his arrival. All was fine and card arrived within days.

You could give it a shot, sure. Not having an SSN won't impede you from getting married though, if there was a delay. Your K1 and I-94 also won't be close to expiring, so you could in theory try later on I suppose.

Edited March 19, 2016 by yuna628

[TomEn 90]

I went the day after my arrival and i was asked to come back after two weeks. I went back after two weeks and i still was not in the system. I think it would be best if you give the 15 working days before going there. I calculated two weeks as 10 working days!!!

[simonschus 58]

Thank you for your thoughts yuna628, tamcloud, Nick-Nick and TomEn It might be something I try on the day after sorting the marriage license, and popping back a week or two later if not.

Simon.

[simonschus 58]

Hi all,

I just wanted to update and let you know that I successfully applied for my SSN the day after POE (less than 16 hours later in fact).

I went back the next day to see if they had my SSN. The SSA Office were unable to provide me the SSN in person as they said that it was a matter of process to mail it out to me. They even pointed me to a sign on the wall where this was listed as policy too. They were able to look me up and tell me that everything looked fine and that there seemed like there were no problems.

Less than 4 days later, the SSN card arrived in the post.

So, it appears that the SSN can be done the day after entry as was my original question in this post. It should also be noted that my I94 Arrival record was updated within a matter of minutes after I went through the border at the POE (I checked whilst waiting for my bag!). This presumably helped.

Simon.

Edited June 5, 2016 by simonschus

[tamcloud 92]

That's great to know - thanks for following up.

[matteogb4 1]

hi, thank u Simon. But the day u went and the SSA office they give u a print out of the number or they just told u to wait?

[simonschus 58]

Hi matteogb4

In summary: they would not provide me with a card/the SSN in person as this is policy, but they sent the SSN on a card in the post and it arrived two days later. Saying that, I've changed my name yet and the new card with the same SSN but updated name hasn't arrived yet after 4 days.

The SSA office I went to told me on day of application that everything was fine - I had passed the SAVE check as it was on their screen as 'verified' or 'approved' (I forgot which they told me). They also told me that they were unable to provide me with a print out of my SSN because it was against policy to print it out for them and it'd take a little time for it to be generated in the system. The policy of not printing out SSN was clearly on posters in the office so it didn't seem specific to my case or visa category.

I went in the next working day and they told me that the card had been processed and left the office so it was a case of just waiting for it to arrive in the post which it did the next day!

I went back into the SSA Office earlier this week - my wife and I wanted to change surnames on our SSN cards. They checked and approved me on SAVE (under my old surname) and even told me that I was 'verified' or 'approved' (again, I cannot remember which wording). I specifically asked as I was wondering if it'd take longer for my wife to receive the card than me and the SSA gent told me not at all because I had already passed the security check on his screen, and I then asked him which surname he used for the check (and he used my old surname because that was on my I-94 Arrival record which I took along to the SSA for the name change in addition to our marriage certificate and my passport). The SSA gent told me that the SSA should issue my wife and my new cards at the same time - however, neither card have yet to arrive in the post after 4 days. The SSA gent did tell me that the change should be overnight though.

I hope that provides enough clarity to answer your question!

Simon.

[matteogb4 1]

Thank u so much. I have asked for the print out because i need the SSN number to apply for the driver license and fi need to do it right away because my foreign DL expires in 10 days. Any suggestions???

[simonschus 58]

I'm sorry. I don't have any suggestions.

Others might but I don't as I am not well versed. Good luck from me though!