Does SSA require original docs?

[SusieQQQ 11,586]

28 minutes ago, xyz12345 said:

The best time for me was arriving 1 hr before closing time. No more people! My first attempt was arriving at 930 am and the waiting room was already full. They say people line up outside even before opening hours.

 

They also sent me a new card even though I didn't ask for one.

1 hour before closing generally doesn’t work for me because of kids coming out of school.

[Mike E 11,739]

On 1/31/2020 at 1:13 PM, SusieQQQ said:

Why do you need a new card? I don’t have any restrictions listed on mine. Or did you change your name?

At the oath ceremony we were told get a new SS card at least two weeks later regardless what our current card said.  
 

I imagine this is for three reasons:

 

* synchronize USCIS and SS records so that e-verify works.  
 

* update SS records so that someone collecting SS benefits to collect it in more countries than an alien can.  

* update tax records so that a surviving Spouse can inherit without paying inheritance tax (years ago this was a real pain given the estate tax exemption was just $600K) and can be a trustee on a loving trust.  

 

Edited February 2, 2020 by Mike E

[SusieQQQ 11,586]

10 minutes ago, Mike E said:

At the oath ceremony we were told get a new SS card at least two weeks later regardless what our current card said.  
 

I imagine this is for three reasons:

 

* synchronize USCIS and SS records so that e-verify works.  
 

* update SS records so that someone collecting SS benefits to collect it in more countries than an alien can.  

* update tax records so that a surviving Spouse can inherit without paying inheritance tax (years ago this was a real pain given the estate tax exemption was just $600K) and can be a trustee on a loving trust.  

 

We were just told to update our details with SS - they didn’t specifically mention getting new cards.  (None of what you have above actually requires a new card being issued, just their records being updated...)

I can see so many avenues for efficiency and cost cutting in this process....

Edited February 2, 2020 by SusieQQQ

[Mike E 11,739]

2 minutes ago, SusieQQQ said:

We were just told to update our details with SS - they didn’t specifically mention getting new cards. 

Well its a free card (doesn’t count against the lifetime limit) so took the opportunity whether the people running the oath ceremony were right or not.  
 

There is an American in expression regarding gift horses and mouths.  

Edited February 2, 2020 by Mike E

[SusieQQQ 11,586]

I mean, think about it logically. You get a SS card in the first place (if you enter on an immigrant visa) just from ticking a box on the DS260. You don’t need to visit an office to prove you came in, or fill in a form, or do anything more than tick that box, so clearly USCIS and SSA are able to synchronize records and update. Why on earth they can’t just do the same with something automatic being triggered on issuance of a naturalization certificate is beyond me. (Obviously in the case of a kid under 18 who naturalizes automatically and doesn’t get a certificate a visit will be necessary.)

the waste in time for everyone to go in, and in time and money printing and sending unnecessary new cards, seems ridiculous. 

[Mounat02 63]

30 minutes ago, SusieQQQ said:

I mean, think about it logically. You get a SS card in the first place (if you enter on an immigrant visa) just from ticking a box on the DS260. You don’t need to visit an office to prove you came in, or fill in a form, or do anything more than tick that box, so clearly USCIS and SSA are able to synchronize records and update. Why on earth they can’t just do the same with something automatic being triggered on issuance of a naturalization certificate is beyond me. (Obviously in the case of a kid under 18 who naturalizes automatically and doesn’t get a certificate a visit will be necessary.)

the waste in time for everyone to go in, and in time and money printing and sending unnecessary new cards, seems ridiculous. 

I wondered the same thing when I had to go in to the SSA and "update" my status because my DL was still showing LPR.

 

But going further, why even have a naturalization certificate? You can't use it for travel (maybe land crossings?). Not a good identification (tried at a credit union and they still asked me for a DL lol). It doesn't fit in a wallet because folding it would probably ruin it. And, most of all, you can't afford to lose it so it must be safeguarded forever or pay another $$$$.

 

Naturalization is a status that can be checked against a database somewhere once identity is confirmed. All other gobement databases should do a lookup or sync if and when needed.

 

Grrr. Soon enough all these documents will be a thing of the past.

[SusieQQQ 11,586]

A naturalization certificate is, um, proof of naturalization. You need it to get a passport, and it’s useful to have in case something goes awry with the passport (same reason I am applying a CoC for my kid who technically doesn’t need it as she has a passprt). Anyway it’s a nice memento. I know a few people who have theirs framed. (I’m not arguing with the idea of “a document”, or a need for a SS card, I’m arguing with the need for a new one that does not differ in any way other than issue date from the old one, or the schlep to go in and show something that their systems are already set up for.)
 

Your DL shows LPR? Really? 

Edited February 2, 2020 by SusieQQQ

[Mounat02 63]

On 2/1/2020 at 9:22 PM, SusieQQQ said:

Your DL shows LPR? Really? 

Non-immigrant DL in Texas do show "limited term" on the front of the card. Texas DPS requires the driver's immigration status when applying/renewing. When my DL was about to expire, I applied for renewal and this time checked the "US citizen" box and showed proof.

 

Should be similar in California if y'all have REAL ID compliant DLs.

[SusieQQQ 11,586]

1 hour ago, Mounat02 said:

Non-immigrant DL in Texas do show "limited term" on the front of the card. Texas DPS requires the driver's immigration status when applying/renewing. When my DL was about to expire, I applied for renewal and this time checked the "US citizen" box and showed proof.

 

Should be similar in California if y'all have REAL ID compliant DLs.

Just checked mine, nothing like that.
Why would an unconditional permanent resident have a limited term anything anyway?  The only comment about that on the page you linked that I saw (did I miss something?) talks about “if you have recently applied for an original or renewal of a Limited-Term Texas driver license or identification card and your period of lawful presence required additional verification”  ... it’s visa holders that have “period of lawful presence”, not LPRs, at least not unconditional? Did you get your previous license on a conditional green card?

Edited February 4, 2020 by SusieQQQ

[SusieQQQ 11,586]

This was kind of nagging at me so I did a bit more research. Found this about limited term license. It is specifically not applicable to LPRs.

https://www.dps.texas.gov/DriverLicense/limitedTerm.htm

Driver Licenses and ID Cards for Temporary Visitors 

A temporary visitor is anyone who is not a U.S. citizen, U.S. national, lawful permanent resident, refugee or asylee.

Temporary visitors who meet the requirements will be issued a driver license or ID card with “Limited Term” printed on it. The driver license or ID card will expire when the period of lawful presence expires. If the period of lawful presence is “duration of status” then the driver license or ID card will expire in one year. 

Before September 2011, driver licenses and ID cards issued to temporary visitors read, “Temporary Visitor” instead of “Limited Term.” A driver license or ID card that reads, “Temporary Visitor” is still valid through the temporary visitor status date. A “Limited Term” driver license or ID card will be issued when it is renewed.

 

[Mounat02 63]

9 hours ago, SusieQQQ said:

This was kind of nagging at me so I did a bit more research. Found this about limited term license. It is specifically not applicable to LPRs.

I never said it did.

 

But the DPS knows the immigration status of everyone who has a DL in Texas. At least at the point when the DL is issued.

[SusieQQQ 11,586]

48 minutes ago, Mounat02 said:

I never said it did.

 

 

Uh yes, you did say, because when I asked for clarification about your implication that DLs show LPR status you pointed to the limited term thing. Which doesn’t actually pertain. Anyway it’s irrelevant. 
 

 

[Mounat02 63]

8 hours ago, SusieQQQ said:

 Anyway it’s irrelevant. 
 

 

Right. This was about SSA.

[Stevo1979 71]

14 hours ago, Mounat02 said:

Right. This was about SSA.

so DMV stAtus needs to be updated too?

[SusieQQQ 11,586]

1 hour ago, Stevo1979 said:

so DMV stAtus needs to be updated too?

Unless for some reason you have a “limited term” license in Texas, or something similar indicating an expiry of authorized stay on your license, no. It would be extremely unlikely as an LPR that you have anything like this, unless you got your license on some kind of temporary status initially and somehow managed to get all the way to citizen before it expired.