SSN Card after arrival - not received more than 1 month later (IR5 visa)

[adar24 33]

On 4/29/2020 at 10:55 AM, saladboye said:

To provide some data point.

 

My wife immigrated 3 weeks ago on April 8, she had her SSN in the mail within 7 business days. She came on a wednesday and had the SSN following thursday in the mailbox. Fastest I think it has ever been.

 

We just selected to get it mailed on the DS-260 and did not go to any other office.

 

The name was misspelt and we have mailed in the SS-5 for correction to our local office and awaiting the new card.

 

Also already mailed in the ITIN to SSN transfer to IRS and awaiting acknowledgement on that too.

 

 

Also the SSN offices are processing forms if you send via mail. Just send the SS-5 filled form along with a copy of passport and greencard to you local office and wait. Just probably need 2 envelops and 2 stamps.

Hi - would u mind sharing the port of entry for your wife? I called the local SSN office and the fellow said they are not processing applications until offices open. We are in California under lockdown, so wondering if other states have a different experience. 

[erzengel 37]

On 4/29/2020 at 10:55 AM, saladboye said:

To provide some data point.

 

My wife immigrated 3 weeks ago on April 8, she had her SSN in the mail within 7 business days. She came on a wednesday and had the SSN following thursday in the mailbox. Fastest I think it has ever been.

 

We just selected to get it mailed on the DS-260 and did not go to any other office.

 

The name was misspelt and we have mailed in the SS-5 for correction to our local office and awaiting the new card.

 

Also already mailed in the ITIN to SSN transfer to IRS and awaiting acknowledgement on that too.

 

 

Also the SSN offices are processing forms if you send via mail. Just send the SS-5 filled form along with a copy of passport and greencard to you local office and wait. Just probably need 2 envelops and 2 stamps.

 

They only require copies of the passport and green card?  I read elsewhere they wanted the original passport.

[SusieQQQ 11,586]

2 hours ago, erzengel said:

 

They only require copies of the passport and green card?  I read elsewhere they wanted the original passport.

The instructions for the SS5 form referred to say

 

We can only accept original documents or documents certified by the custodian of the original record. Notarized copies or photocopies which have not been certified by the custodian of the record are not acceptable.
.....If you are not a U.S. citizen, we must see your current U.S. immigration document(s) and your foreign passport with biographical information or photograph.

 

https://www.ssa.gov/forms/ss-5.pdf

 

 

[saladboye 166]

16 hours ago, erzengel said:

 

They only require copies of the passport and green card?  I read elsewhere they wanted the original passport.

 

Not sure, it doesnt cost me anything to mail it so I did. I think you can mail your originals and they will mail you back

 

 

On 5/6/2020 at 4:56 AM, adar24 said:

Hi - would u mind sharing the port of entry for your wife? I called the local SSN office and the fellow said they are not processing applications until offices open. We are in California under lockdown, so wondering if other states have a different experience. 

I'm in Texas, I haven't gotten a reply back yet,

[razorontour 72]

In case helpful to others, I arrived 22 April at EWR and have received neither SSN nor GC. I've spoken to both SSA and USCIS. Neither of them can confirm whether the SSA is even aware of my entry, much less if they've started the process of producing a SSN. So I would suggest you don't waste time calling them. The central SSA people will not even entertain a conversation if you can't provide a SSN. Unfortunately it seems all you can do is wait until either i) a SSN turns up in the mail or ii) the offices reopen and you can take the matter into your own hands and apply directly. 

[adar24 33]

21 hours ago, razorontour said:

In case helpful to others, I arrived 22 April at EWR and have received neither SSN nor GC. I've spoken to both SSA and USCIS. Neither of them can confirm whether the SSA is even aware of my entry, much less if they've started the process of producing a SSN. So I would suggest you don't waste time calling them. The central SSA people will not even entertain a conversation if you can't provide a SSN. Unfortunately it seems all you can do is wait until either i) a SSN turns up in the mail or ii) the offices reopen and you can take the matter into your own hands and apply directly. 

Thanks for sharing your experience. Yes, all we can do at this point is wait for the reopening. Please post an update if you do receive either cards.

On 5/7/2020 at 9:58 AM, saladboye said:

 

Not sure, it doesnt cost me anything to mail it so I did. I think you can mail your originals and they will mail you back

 

 

I'm in Texas, I haven't gotten a reply back yet,

Thanks very much for the reply. Would appreciate if you post when you do get a response back.

[adar24 33]

On 5/9/2020 at 8:52 AM, razorontour said:

In case helpful to others, I arrived 22 April at EWR and have received neither SSN nor GC. I've spoken to both SSA and USCIS. Neither of them can confirm whether the SSA is even aware of my entry, much less if they've started the process of producing a SSN. So I would suggest you don't waste time calling them. The central SSA people will not even entertain a conversation if you can't provide a SSN. Unfortunately it seems all you can do is wait until either i) a SSN turns up in the mail or ii) the offices reopen and you can take the matter into your own hands and apply directly. 

Thanks for the update. Yes, that has been my experience as well. We got the GCs (both parents), but not the SSN cards. Called local office as well, they said - just come in when it opens 🤨

[razorontour 72]

Just an update on this. Today I spoke to a really helpful lady at my local SSA card production center. She was able to find and give me my SSN over the phone. Turns out a card had been mailed to me but it was never delivered (and I didn't even know they had attempted delivery) because government documents are not delivered to mailboxes that do not have the name of the recepient written inside the mailbox (who knew?!). So to anyone who: applied for a SSN on their visa application form, lives in an apartment complex, entered the US more than 3 weeks ago and is still waiting for their SSN, do the following:

1) call your SSA field office (can be found on the SSA website) and ask for the number of your local card production center (if one exists).

2) Call the card production center and ask them to search for your record using your your USCIS/Alien registration number. It's important they search with that number in case your name has been entered incorrectly. 

 

Finally, make sure your name is written on a card somewhere INSIDE your mailbox.

 

Hope this is helpful to someone.

[adar24 33]

1 hour ago, razorontour said:

Just an update on this. Today I spoke to a really helpful lady at my local SSA card production center. She was able to find and give me my SSN over the phone. Turns out a card had been mailed to me but it was never delivered (and I didn't even know they had attempted delivery) because government documents are not delivered to mailboxes that do not have the name of the recepient written inside the mailbox (who knew?!). So to anyone who: applied for a SSN on their visa application form, lives in an apartment complex, entered the US more than 3 weeks ago and is still waiting for their SSN, do the following:

1) call your SSA field office (can be found on the SSA website) and ask for the number of your local card production center (if one exists).

2) Call the card production center and ask them to search for your record using your your USCIS/Alien registration number. It's important they search with that number in case your name has been entered incorrectly. 

 

Finally, make sure your name is written on a card somewhere INSIDE your mailbox.

 

Hope this is helpful to someone.

Very helpful, thanks! Just a couple of questions: do you know if the card was going to be delivered via US Postal Service? Has the card been sent back to the production center? What state are you in, if you don't mind sharing that.

Edited May 19, 2020 by adar24

[razorontour 72]

50 minutes ago, adar24 said:

Very helpful, thanks! Just a couple of questions: do you know if the card was going to be delivered via US Postal Service? Has the card been sent back to the production center? What state are you in, if you don't mind sharing that.

I'm not sure but one would assume so given it's a government document. I did not have informed delivery at the time and it's too far back to check online. My understanding is that the card is returned as undelivered. Unclear exactly what location to which it's returned. And I'm in NY.

[SusieQQQ 11,586]

2 hours ago, razorontour said:

government documents are not delivered to mailboxes that do not have the name of the recepient written inside the mailbox 

 

I knew that applied to green cards/uscis but not all government mail. The other thing one can do is fill in the “in care of”... line in the address if someone else’s name is on the mailbox - that’s what we did when we immigrated and received all our GCs and SS cards fine (at a relative’s apartment). Of course...that’s hindsight for this thread but may be useful info for someone else reading it.

 

 

Edited May 19, 2020 by SusieQQQ

[adar24 33]

34 minutes ago, razorontour said:

I'm not sure but one would assume so given it's a government document. I did not have informed delivery at the time and it's too far back to check online. My understanding is that the card is returned as undelivered. Unclear exactly what location to which it's returned. And I'm in NY.

Thanks! I had no luck yet in calling local SSN offices. Both offices said wait until it reopens to apply. Sigh. Will update this forum if anything changes. Will try again in a couple of days. 

 

[razorontour 72]

3 hours ago, adar24 said:

Thanks! I had no luck yet in calling local SSN offices. Both offices said wait until it reopens to apply. Sigh. Will update this forum if anything changes. Will try again in a couple of days. 

 

Yeah as I said, I think I was only able to get anywhere because the immigration to SSA link worked as it should and it only broke down at the posting stage for me. If your case hasn't worked its way through the bureaucratic machinery as it should then I suspect you would indeed have to wait until the field offices reopen. 

[razorontour 72]

3 hours ago, SusieQQQ said:

 

I knew that applied to green cards/uscis but not all government mail. The other thing one can do is fill in the “in care of”... line in the address if someone else’s name is on the mailbox - that’s what we did when we immigrated and received all our GCs and SS cards fine (at a relative’s apartment). Of course...that’s hindsight for this thread but may be useful info for someone else reading it.

 

 

The lady's words were this applied to "federal documents", which would match your thinking 

[Lehcim 31]

For what it's worth, I just received mine in the mail, 12 days after entering the US on my CR1. 

 

I received it on the address I filled in on the DS260, which is not my address but a temporary one where a relative lives. They addressed the envelope to me as well as the person who we designated on the DS260.