When can you change the SS card?

[Yaads 0]

My husband just got his EAD card in the mail and we have our AOS interview on 4/27. I have the day off tomorrow and I am wondering if we should make a trip down to our local Social Security office to get that "not valid for work" saying off his SS card. Can you do that with the EAD card or do we have to wait for the greencard?

Thanks,

Jamie

[vamsi 0]

I think you have to wait until you get your Green Card. Looks like it shouldn't be much longer for you.

[Peggy 1]

I dont think it changes with the EAD card.

I just went and looked at my sons SSN card, and it says.........Valid only with DHS authorization.

He just received his yesterday. He couldnt get a SSN without EAD.

[RichardS 0]

REQUIRES your Green Card to make this change NOT the EAD card!

[Yaads 0]

Thanks everyone! Just trying to avoid taking a day off work to go to the SS office...but you can never kill 2 birds with one stone when working with the government

[den_y2005 0]

you have to wait for the green card.

[Autumnal 25]

Green card is needed, but looks like you'll be interviewing the same day I do! Good luck with that.

[mawilson 2,133]

There are 3 types of Social Security cards:

1- Not valid for work

2- Valid with DHS Authorization only

3- Unrestricted

If you have an EAD and a SS card marked "not valid for work", you can exchange it

for one that says "Valid with DHS Authorization".

You cannot get an unrestricted card until you become a permanent resident (i.e. green card)

[Jasman0717 9]

Oh darn, I was hoping MDYoung had responded to this!

[kc456 0]

After you get the GC, you can change your SSN card to unrestricted, but you don’t *have* to. The number is what’s important, not the card itself, at least in my experience. In two jobs, I was never asked for the card, just the number. In fact, I never used the card itself as far as I remember.

As long as you have the number and the work authorization (EAD or GC) you are all set. Unless someone has a compelling reason to get an unrestricted card, I’d save myself a trip to the SSA office.

[I'm Gone 60]

Oh darn, I was hoping MDYoung had responded to this!

Nothing anyone posted needed to be corrected. No unrestricted without I-551 stamp or card. It's that simple.

[kc456 0]

MDYoung, is there a compelling reason to change the card though, after you get the GC?

[I'm Gone 60]

After you get the GC, you can change your SSN card to unrestricted, but you don’t *have* to. The number is what’s important, not the card itself, at least in my experience. In two jobs, I was never asked for the card, just the number. In fact, I never used the card itself as far as I remember.

As long as you have the number and the work authorization (EAD or GC) you are all set. Unless someone has a compelling reason to get an unrestricted card, I’d save myself a trip to the SSA office.

Well my wife applied for a job last Summer and the guy doing her paperwork insisted he needed to see her SSN card even though she had her I-551 card with her, so it can happen.

The reason I say to get the unrestricted SSN card is that you then have a work authorization document that never expires. If you have the 2 year I-551 card at some point during the removal of conditions your 2 year I-551 card will have expired and you have restricted SSN card.

Edited March 17, 2006 by mdyoung

[kc456 0]

The reason I say to get the unrestricted SSN card is that you then have a work authorization document that never expires. If you have the 2 year I-551 card at some point during the removal of conditions your 2 year I-551 card will have expired and you have restricted SSN card.

I see... This makes sense. I guess it's not urgent but I should get the card changed within a year.

[JubJub 0]

Wouldn't there be possible complications if you have an SSN with "Not valid for work" on it? It would seem to be a conflict between that and your greencard. A harried HR person may give you a hard time. Personally, I would get it changed so it said "Valid with DHS Authorization only".