Working in the US Immediately After Arrival on CR-1

[carmel34 3,621]

So my husband arrived in the US on a CR-1 visa on August 19th.  One reason we both agreed on the spousal visa over the K-1 was so that he could work right away after arrival.  In order to work he needs a Social Security number.  He checked the box on the DS-260 that we uploaded back in mid-April with an old address where we were going to live, but since then I bought a house and moved.  We gave the CBP officer at the POE (Miami) his new address in the US on August 19th and I also changed my mailing address online with USCIS, hoping that everything would be sent to the new address, green card and social security card.  The CBP officer recommended going to the nearest social security office within a few days to speed up the process of getting a social security card, so we did that on August 23, four days after POE.  The lady there said that she could not start the process in her office until 10 days after POE, and that if we filed a new application it would delay the issuance of the card because we had also checked the box on the DS-260 so a new application could confuse the system and cause a freeze for his number.  She said it would take three weeks after POE to get the card if we did nothing and just waited, and that if we came back and filed a new application ten days after POE it would be three or more weeks to get the number if there was no freeze.  So we left and decided to wait, disappointed that he would have to wait three weeks to work, obviously much less than what K-1 visa holders have to endure but still not able to work "right away."  Then on Monday, a pleasant surprise, his Social Security card arrived in the mail, only a week after POE!  So now he's looking at jobs and getting his resume ready to go.  Thankfully, it appears that our address correction was made in the USCIS system so hopefully his green card will arrive soon as well.

 

Just an update for others who may be going through a similar phase of their US immigration journey on a CR-1 or IR-1.  Good luck to you all!

Edited August 27, 2019 by carmel34

[Crazy Cat 41,833]

Thanks for that great report......I think that is the new record for getting a Social Security card....  My wife's card arrived 11 days after POE.......

[USS_Voyager 1,972]

21 minutes ago, carmel34 said:

In order to work he needs a Social Security number. 

Uhm, no he doesn't. All he needs is work authorization, which he has had all this time. On his immigrant visa, it states something similar: "Acts as an I-551 for one year upon endorsement". An I-551 is the official name of the green card. The "endorsement" is when CBP stamped it at the POE. So when he stepped foot out of that airport, he officially became a lawful permanent resident. The visa on his passport acts as his temporary green card which allows him both the right to work and stay in the US. He did not need the Social Security card to work. His work may need his SS number to put in their system for tax purposes and stuff, but that can be updated later when it comes. 

Edited August 27, 2019 by USS_Voyager

[carmel34 3,621]

16 minutes ago, USS_Voyager said:

Uhm, no he doesn't. All he needs is work authorization, which he has had all this time. On his immigrant visa, it states something similar: "Acts as an I-551 for one year upon endorsement". An I-551 is the official name of the green card. The "endorsement" is when CBP stamped it at the POE. So when he stepped foot out of that airport, he officially became a lawful permanent resident. The visa on his passport acts as his temporary green card which allows him both the right to work and stay in the US. He did not need the Social Security card to work. His work may need his SS number to put in their system for tax purposes and stuff, but that can be updated later when it comes. 

Thanks for this update!  We knew about the I-551 but all the employers we contacted said they needed the social security number to hire him.

[Francony 3]

10 hours ago, carmel34 said:

So my husband arrived in the US on a CR-1 visa on August 19th.  One reason we both agreed on the spousal visa over the K-1 was so that he could work right away after arrival.  In order to work he needs a Social Security number.  He checked the box on the DS-260 that we uploaded back in mid-April with an old address where we were going to live, but since then I bought a house and moved.  We gave the CBP officer at the POE (Miami) his new address in the US on August 19th and I also changed my mailing address online with USCIS, hoping that everything would be sent to the new address, green card and social security card.  The CBP officer recommended going to the nearest social security office within a few days to speed up the process of getting a social security card, so we did that on August 23, four days after POE.  The lady there said that she could not start the process in her office until 10 days after POE, and that if we filed a new application it would delay the issuance of the card because we had also checked the box on the DS-260 so a new application could confuse the system and cause a freeze for his number.  She said it would take three weeks after POE to get the card if we did nothing and just waited, and that if we came back and filed a new application ten days after POE it would be three or more weeks to get the number if there was no freeze.  So we left and decided to wait, disappointed that he would have to wait three weeks to work, obviously much less than what K-1 visa holders have to endure but still not able to work "right away."  Then on Monday, a pleasant surprise, his Social Security card arrived in the mail, only a week after POE!  So now he's looking at jobs and getting his resume ready to go.  Thankfully, it appears that our address correction was made in the USCIS system so hopefully his green card will arrive soon as well.

 

Just an update for others who may be going through a similar phase of their US immigration journey on a CR-1 or IR-1.  Good luck to you all!

Great 

I've got my SSN , seven days after I applied for it on July 5th, now I'm waiting on my GC to be mailed which is taking so  much time. 

[Just Paul 4,595]

9 hours ago, carmel34 said:

all the employers we contacted said they needed the social security number to hire him.

They need a SSN to pay him.  Not to hire him.  It depends if the payroll department / provider knows what they are doing.

Edited August 28, 2019 by Paul & Mary

[KhoaKim 47]

23 hours ago, carmel34 said:

So my husband arrived in the US on a CR-1 visa on August 19th.  One reason we both agreed on the spousal visa over the K-1 was so that he could work right away after arrival.  In order to work he needs a Social Security number.  He checked the box on the DS-260 that we uploaded back in mid-April with an old address where we were going to live, but since then I bought a house and moved.  We gave the CBP officer at the POE (Miami) his new address in the US on August 19th and I also changed my mailing address online with USCIS, hoping that everything would be sent to the new address, green card and social security card.  The CBP officer recommended going to the nearest social security office within a few days to speed up the process of getting a social security card, so we did that on August 23, four days after POE.  The lady there said that she could not start the process in her office until 10 days after POE, and that if we filed a new application it would delay the issuance of the card because we had also checked the box on the DS-260 so a new application could confuse the system and cause a freeze for his number.  She said it would take three weeks after POE to get the card if we did nothing and just waited, and that if we came back and filed a new application ten days after POE it would be three or more weeks to get the number if there was no freeze.  So we left and decided to wait, disappointed that he would have to wait three weeks to work, obviously much less than what K-1 visa holders have to endure but still not able to work "right away."  Then on Monday, a pleasant surprise, his Social Security card arrived in the mail, only a week after POE!  So now he's looking at jobs and getting his resume ready to go.  Thankfully, it appears that our address correction was made in the USCIS system so hopefully his green card will arrive soon as well.

 

Just an update for others who may be going through a similar phase of their US immigration journey on a CR-1 or IR-1.  Good luck to you all!

Congrats! We were in the same month filing in 2018 and both of our spouses are finally here! Time really flies by! 

 

He got his ssn but no green card yet. He arrived on 7/25. He is the process of getting his driver license.

 

My husband has limited English skills. We have been trying to find him a job but no luck. Do you have any advice where we could start? 

[carmel34 3,621]

1 hour ago, KhoaKim said:

Congrats! We were in the same month filing in 2018 and both of our spouses are finally here! Time really flies by! 

 

He got his ssn but no green card yet. He arrived on 7/25. He is the process of getting his driver license.

 

My husband has limited English skills. We have been trying to find him a job but no luck. Do you have any advice where we could start? 

Check out basic jobs like housekeeping at hotels, cleaning on university campuses or in hospitals.  There are lots of immigrants who get those jobs with very limited English.  Some are full-time, some part-time.  Keep working hard on the English!  Hopefully there are free adult English classes in your area.  Good luck!

[vince88 57]

6 hours ago, KhoaKim said:

Congrats! We were in the same month filing in 2018 and both of our spouses are finally here! Time really flies by! 

 

He got his ssn but no green card yet. He arrived on 7/25. He is the process of getting his driver license.

 

My husband has limited English skills. We have been trying to find him a job but no luck. Do you have any advice where we could start? 

vietnamese restaurants?

[twoworldsonelove 28]

My Husband arrived 08/27. Following thread for further updates.