Jump to content

16 posts in this topic

Recommended Posts

Filed: IR-1/CR-1 Visa Country: Canada
Timeline
Posted

Hello, I arrived in Florida with my IR1 Visa on Jan 1st. I was under the impression it was easier to contact the office because in order to start a job without my SSN in hand I AT LEAST need some sort of letter indicating that It is on the way or they will not allow me to work. The Tampa office is closed for in person visits without an appt but I can't even reach them by phone, it won't even allow me to be on hold.. after 3 minutes of listening to the stupid automated voice it "puts you on hold" for 3 seconds and then says sorry were busy and hangs up. I need to work so what am I supposed to do? I called the 1800 number and they said only the local office can help me. I am probably going to lose the job I already had lined up 😞

Filed: F-2A Visa Country: Nepal
Timeline
Posted

Yeah it's up to the local office when they can schedule your appointment. Try different office. Did you check for SSN application on DS260?

Spouse:

2015-06-16: I-130 Sent

2015-08-17: I-130 approved

2015-09-23: NVC received file

2015-10-05: NVC assigned Case number, Invoice ID & Beneficiary ID

2016-06-30: DS-261 completed, AOS Fee Paid, WL received

2016-07-05: Received IV invoice, IV Fee Paid

2016-07-06: DS-260 Submitted

2016-07-07: AOS and IV Package mailed

2016-07-08: NVC Scan

2016-08-08: Case Complete

2017-06-30: Interview, approved

2017-07-04: Visa in hand

2017-08-01: Entry to US

.

.

.

.

Myself:

2016-05-10: N-400 Sent

2016-05-16: N-400 NOA1

2016-05-26: Biometrics

2017-01-30: Interview

2017-03-02: Oath Ceremony

Filed: IR-1/CR-1 Visa Country: Canada
Timeline
Posted
Just now, arken said:

Yeah it's up to the local office when they can schedule your appointment. Try different office. Did you check for SSN application on DS260?

I can try another office but I really need the appt to be for the tampa one but its worth a try. I did check for SSN on DS260.

Posted
1 minute ago, Maizie said:

I can try another office but I really need the appt to be for the tampa one but its worth a try. I did check for SSN on DS260.

Yes you really need to be very flexible when it comes to SS and it seems you definitely can't rely on ticking the box on the DS260. Thats is a total hit and miss situation. Some are lucky and get it in the mail, others have to chase it up and make appointments at SSA office, which are even harder to get due to the current Covid situation. 

 

I would ring around to all of them in your nearby vicinity and see if you can secure an appointment somewhere and to be very honest they are usually- not that helpful. There will probably be a bit of a wait.😞

Filed: IR-1/CR-1 Visa Country: Canada
Timeline
Posted
1 minute ago, Immi_Enthusiast said:

Yes you really need to be very flexible when it comes to SS and it seems you definitely can't rely on ticking the box on the DS260. Thats is a total hit and miss situation. Some are lucky and get it in the mail, others have to chase it up and make appointments at SSA office, which are even harder to get due to the current Covid situation. 

 

I would ring around to all of them in your nearby vicinity and see if you can secure an appointment somewhere and to be very honest they are usually- not that helpful. There will probably be a bit of a wait.😞

I hope I am able to figure this out, why would they make it so difficult? they make us wait years to be able to receive our visas but we cannot even contribute to society when we get here? How am I supposed to live my life without a job, bank card, drivers licence, etc.

Posted
14 minutes ago, Maizie said:

I hope I am able to figure this out, why would they make it so difficult? they make us wait years to be able to receive our visas but we cannot even contribute to society when we get here? How am I supposed to live my life without a job, bank card, drivers licence, etc.

Yes I agree it's crazy! 

Stay strong! There are no short cuts with immigration and SSA and going on the Tampa office google reviews like all SSA reviews - this process will test your patience! 

Keep ringing and ringing and start early in the morning, hopefully you will get lucky. 

 Best of luck. 👍

Filed: IR-1/CR-1 Visa Country: Canada
Timeline
Posted
22 minutes ago, Immi_Enthusiast said:

Yes I agree it's crazy! 

Stay strong! There are no short cuts with immigration and SSA and going on the Tampa office google reviews like all SSA reviews - this process will test your patience! 

Keep ringing and ringing and start early in the morning, hopefully you will get lucky. 

 Best of luck. 👍

Lil update:

 

I called a different office and they answered the phone right away, he told me I can only make an appointment with the office that is closest to my zip code which is the Tampa location. I explained everything to him and he sent them a message for me telling them to call me back so I can make my appointment. They have until tomorrow at noon to call me back or else I will be able to escalate it to management at the Seffner location.. at least its something 👍

 

He also confirmed that simply checking the SSN box on the DS260 is unfortunately sometimes not enough. He advised me to fill out form SS-5 and bring it with my when I get my appointment, they will be Able to tell me then if I have already been processed for a number or not.

Posted
1 minute ago, Maizie said:

Lil update:

 

I called a different office and they answered the phone right away, he told me I can only make an appointment with the office that is closest to my zip code which is the Tampa location. I explained everything to him and he sent them a message for me telling them to call me back so I can make my appointment. They have until tomorrow at noon to call me back or else I will be able to escalate it to management at the Seffner location.. at least its something 👍

 

He also confirmed that simply checking the SSN box on the DS260 is unfortunately sometimes not enough. He advised me to fill out form SS-5 and bring it with my when I get my appointment, they will be Able to tell me then if I have already been processed for a number or not.

This is great result! Hopefully they call you back and have an appointment available asap. The advice he has given you is correct. Fill out the SS5 and take your other ID (Passport ect) when you go in for the appointment. Good Luck! 

Posted

I would try for an appt at another office. 

 

Try calling as soon as they open too, if you haven't already..maybe a few mins before.

 

We speak Spanish and sometimes find a live/bilingual person by pressing the "2" for Spanish on phone trees with a shorter wait.

 

Good luck!

Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Argentina
Timeline
Posted

The quickest and simplest way to do it is to contact your Congressman. 

Please read my post:

 

FROM F1 TO AOS

October 17, 2019 AOS receipt date 

December 09, 2019: Biometric appointment

January 15, 2020 RFE received

January 30, 2020  RFE response sent

Feb 7: EAD approved and interview scheduled

March 18, 2020 Interview cancelled

April 14th 2020: RFE received

April 29, 2020 Approved without interview

May 1, 2020 Card in hand

 

REMOVAL OF CONDITIONS

February 1, 2022 package sent

March 28, 2022 Fingerprints reused

July 18, 2023 approval

July 20, 2023 Card in hand

 

N400 

January 30,2023: Online filing

February 4th, 2023: Biometric appointment

June 15th, 2023: Case actively being reviewed

July 11th, 2023: Interview scheduled.

August 30th, 2023: Interview!

August 31st, 2023: Oath ceremony scheduled.

Sept 19th, 2023: Officially a US citizen!

 


 

Filed: IR-1/CR-1 Visa Country: Ukraine
Timeline
Posted
22 hours ago, Maizie said:

Lil update:

 

I called a different office and they answered the phone right away, he told me I can only make an appointment with the office that is closest to my zip code which is the Tampa location. I explained everything to him and he sent them a message for me telling them to call me back so I can make my appointment. They have until tomorrow at noon to call me back or else I will be able to escalate it to management at the Seffner location.. at least its something 👍

 

He also confirmed that simply checking the SSN box on the DS260 is unfortunately sometimes not enough. He advised me to fill out form SS-5 and bring it with my when I get my appointment, they will be Able to tell me then if I have already been processed for a number or not.

 

Great news.  In the meanwhile, you may be able to start work while waiting for the SSN.  Per USCIS:

 

https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-resources/handbook-for-employers-m-274/30-completing-section-1-of-form-i-9

 

Quote

Employees who have not yet received their Social Security number and who can satisfy Form I-9 requirements may work while awaiting their Social Security number. Have them enter their Social Security number in Section 1 as soon as they receive it.

 

You cannot ask employees to provide a specific document with their Social Security number on it. To do so may constitute unlawful discrimination. For more information on E-Verify, see Section 1.2, E-Verify: The Web-Based Verification Companion to Form I-9. For more information on unlawful discrimination, see Section 10.0, Unlawful Discrimination and Penalties for Prohibited Practices.

 

Also:

 

https://www.e-verify.gov/employers/federal-contractors/verifying-new-existing-employees-on-form-i-9

 

Quote

Employees must have a Social Security number (SSN) to be verified using E-Verify. If an employee has applied for but has not yet received his or her Social Security number (i.e., if he or she is a newly arrived immigrant), make a note on the employee’s Form I-9 and set it aside. The employee should be allowed to continue to work. As soon as the Social Security number is available, the employer can create a case in E-Verify using the employee’s Social Security number.

I believe because you have checked the box on the DS-260 for the SSN, it counts as having applied for it.

Posted

The local SS office here hangs up after about 15 minutes on hold. The hold message also gets interrupted with a phone ringing every few minutes as if you're about to be connected, before immediately putting you back on hold. I had to call back several times over multiple days in order to get a live person, so you may need to be persistent and pay close attention to their opening hours.

 

Once I did get a live person they took all of my wife's information and told me a supervisor would have to call back to schedule the actual appointment. The call back, which they said usually happens within 3 days, never came. My wife is out of the country at the moment so we will try again once she's back and hope for better results.

 

Good luck.

Filed: IR-1/CR-1 Visa Country: Canada
Timeline
Posted
On 1/7/2022 at 10:06 AM, Daisy.Chain said:

I would try for an appt at another office. 

 

Try calling as soon as they open too, if you haven't already..maybe a few mins before.

 

We speak Spanish and sometimes find a live/bilingual person by pressing the "2" for Spanish on phone trees with a shorter wait.

 

Good luck!

They ended up calling me back but couldn't give me an appointment because I have travelled outside the country and have to wait at least 2 weeks before I can go in.. the original appt date was for the 11th and my 14 days is over on the 14th but she said they "can't make an appt that far out because they only schedule for emergencies" even though this is an emergency and it was 3 days later than the appointment date they gave me. ugh. it should be late enough now for them to get me a new interview date but again they will not answer the phone, my husband speaks Spanish so we are going to try this, thank you for the idea!

Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Argentina
Timeline
Posted
Just now, Maizie said:

They ended up calling me back but couldn't give me an appointment because I have travelled outside the country and have to wait at least 2 weeks before I can go in.. the original appt date was for the 11th and my 14 days is over on the 14th but she said they "can't make an appt that far out because they only schedule for emergencies" even though this is an emergency and it was 3 days later than the appointment date they gave me. ugh. it should be late enough now for them to get me a new interview date but again they will not answer the phone, my husband speaks Spanish so we are going to try this, thank you for the idea!

Why don't you follow my advice and contact your Congressperson?

FROM F1 TO AOS

October 17, 2019 AOS receipt date 

December 09, 2019: Biometric appointment

January 15, 2020 RFE received

January 30, 2020  RFE response sent

Feb 7: EAD approved and interview scheduled

March 18, 2020 Interview cancelled

April 14th 2020: RFE received

April 29, 2020 Approved without interview

May 1, 2020 Card in hand

 

REMOVAL OF CONDITIONS

February 1, 2022 package sent

March 28, 2022 Fingerprints reused

July 18, 2023 approval

July 20, 2023 Card in hand

 

N400 

January 30,2023: Online filing

February 4th, 2023: Biometric appointment

June 15th, 2023: Case actively being reviewed

July 11th, 2023: Interview scheduled.

August 30th, 2023: Interview!

August 31st, 2023: Oath ceremony scheduled.

Sept 19th, 2023: Officially a US citizen!

 


 

 
Didn't find the answer you were looking for? Ask our VJ Immigration Lawyers.

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
- Back to Top -

Important Disclaimer: Please read carefully the Visajourney.com Terms of Service. If you do not agree to the Terms of Service you should not access or view any page (including this page) on VisaJourney.com. Answers and comments provided on Visajourney.com Forums are general information, and are not intended to substitute for informed professional medical, psychiatric, psychological, tax, legal, investment, accounting, or other professional advice. Visajourney.com does not endorse, and expressly disclaims liability for any product, manufacturer, distributor, service or service provider mentioned or any opinion expressed in answers or comments. VisaJourney.com does not condone immigration fraud in any way, shape or manner. VisaJourney.com recommends that if any member or user knows directly of someone involved in fraudulent or illegal activity, that they report such activity directly to the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement. You can contact ICE via email at Immigration.Reply@dhs.gov or you can telephone ICE at 1-866-347-2423. All reported threads/posts containing reference to immigration fraud or illegal activities will be removed from this board. If you feel that you have found inappropriate content, please let us know by contacting us here with a url link to that content. Thank you.
×
×
  • Create New...