Trying to get a SSN while overseas. What a disaster.

[buck1ea 0]

I live in Korea working for the US government as a contractor. I haven't been to the USA in 10 years. I have a SOFA visa in Korea on US government orders.

 

My wife is Korean and a green card holder. For some reason, when doing her paperwork, I forgot to check 'include SSN' so I'm trying to get it now.

 

I filled out all of the SSN paperwork, I sent it to the Manila Embassy. The US Embassy in Seoul does not process SSN, they say use Manila.

 

Guess what? A month later I got all of the paperwork back from Manila with a letter saying, make and appointment at 'the Embassy'. 

 

I sent the paperwork back with a letter explaining that the Seoul Embassy does not process SSN. They told me to use the Manila Embassy. 

 

Six months later. Nothing. They don't respond to emails. The closest physical SSN office is in Guam. It is the only option I can think of. Taking time off of work and buying a plane ticket just to visit the SSN office to hand in one sheet of paper.

 

ARggh!!!!

[millefleur 5,046]

A little confused by your situation, so you filed for your wife's SSN where? On which paperwork, was it US immigration related? Was this an application for a replacement card or to actually apply for a totally new card/number?

 

Edited February 14, 2019 by millefleur

[buck1ea 0]

1 minute ago, millefleur said:

A little confused by your situation, so you filed for your wife's SSN where? On which paperwork? Was this an application for a replacement card or to actually apply for a totally new card/number?

 

Brand new card. Form SS-5. Mailed to Manila from Korea.

[millefleur 5,046]

Just now, buck1ea said:

Brand new card. Form SS-5. Mailed to Manila from Korea.

I see. That does sound tricky then...and what was the aim of applying for the card? Does your wife intend to immigrate to the US eventually? It seems like it is extremely difficult to obtain where you are now, so just wondering what the reason you need it for is since you live in Korea.

[buck1ea 0]

Just now, millefleur said:

I see. That does sound tricky then...and what was the aim of applying for the card? Does your wife intend to immigrate to the US eventually? It seems like it is extremely difficult to obtain where you are now, so just wondering what the reason you need it for is since you live in Korea.

So she can get a job on the Army base where I work, and I can't put her on my work health insurance without an SSN.

[millefleur 5,046]

4 minutes ago, buck1ea said:

So she can get a job on the Army base where I work, and I can't put her on my work health insurance without an SSN.

Ohhh ok. Thank you for clarifying. I'm going to move your thread to Military Immigration-Related Discussion because it's more specific to that situation (US citizen living abroad, working for government, etc.) whereas this forum is more about SSN's inside the US.

[millefleur 5,046]

**Moved from general Social Security Numbers subforum to Military Immigration-Related Discussion; OP's non-US spouse needs to obtain SSN in order to apply for job at US military base abroad**