SSN & Green Card

[RO_AH 1,659]

I thought I was done with all of the bureaucratic BS but that would be too easy.

 

I was told that the SS card usually arrives after about 2 weeks from arrival at POE. It never came so I waited. I finally called SS office to find out that sometimes that falls through the cracks (which it did with my wife). They said I would need to have her come in person, which is appointment only now due to beer virus. No problem...I made appointment and we went there today. Clerk says he can't give her a number because her visa expires in 3 days and it needs to be valid for at least 2 weeks in order for him to submit. He said I will need to call Immigration and get a 30 day extension or wait till she has her green card. I said the date on the visa only matters for when she enters it must still be valid and the visa itself is her green card until she receives hers. Once she arrived she has legal status. He agreed but said he cannot submit it in their system because of the date.

 

I have not called Immigration yet because I am expecting them to say...Why do you need it extended if she is already here? Which I say....GOOD QUESTION.

 

So any advice would be helpful. Should I wait for the green card (she entered 10/29/21)? Is there a way to follow up on or speed up the green card status? Should I call Immigration with the expectation that they will laugh at me?

[SalishSea 17,829]

9 minutes ago, RO_AH said:

I thought I was done with all of the bureaucratic BS but that would be too easy.

 

I was told that the SS card usually arrives after about 2 weeks from arrival at POE. It never came so I waited. I finally called SS office to find out that sometimes that falls through the cracks (which it did with my wife). They said I would need to have her come in person, which is appointment only now due to beer virus. No problem...I made appointment and we went there today. Clerk says he can't give her a number because her visa expires in 3 days and it needs to be valid for at least 2 weeks in order for him to submit. He said I will need to call Immigration and get a 30 day extension or wait till she has her green card. I said the date on the visa only matters for when she enters it must still be valid and the visa itself is her green card until she receives hers. Once she arrived she has legal status. He agreed but said he cannot submit it in their system because of the date.

 

I have not called Immigration yet because I am expecting them to say...Why do you need it extended if she is already here? Which I say....GOOD QUESTION.

 

So any advice would be helpful. Should I wait for the green card (she entered 10/29/21)? Is there a way to follow up on or speed up the green card status? Should I call Immigration with the expectation that they will laugh at me?

Visa??   Wait, what?   Doesn’t she have a green card, as evidenced by the I-551 stamp in her passport?

 

She is not here on a visa.   She is an LPR.

 

Btw, the I-551 stamp is valid for one year, in lieu of the physical plastic green card.   Don’t let the SSA tell you otherwise!

Edited January 11, 2022 by Jorgedig

[RO_AH 1,659]

5 minutes ago, Jorgedig said:

Visa??   Wait, what?   Doesn’t she have a green card, as evidenced by the I-551 stamp in her passport?

 

She is not here on a visa.   She is an LPR.

 

Btw, the I-551 stamp is valid for one year, in lieu of the physical plastic green card.   Don’t let the SSA tell you otherwise!

Yeah, that's exactly what I told him and he agreed. He even asked his supervisor ,who confirmed she will need to have the visa extended. Absolutely ridiculous if you ask me.

[SalishSea 17,829]

Also-  don’t call immigration.   There is nothing to “extend,” as the CR-1 is a one-time use visa, and was endorsed at POE with the stamp.

 

Can you locate the I551 stamp in her passport?   What does it say?

[RO_AH 1,659]

Just now, Jorgedig said:

Also-  don’t call immigration.   There is nothing to “extend,” as the CR-1 is a one-time use visa, and was endorsed at POE with the stamp.

 

Can you locate the I551 stamp in her passport?   What does it say?

I don't have her passport with me I will look when I get home.

[SalishSea 17,829]

Just now, RO_AH said:

I don't have her passport with me I will look when I get home.

I have seen some CR-1s be admitted and for whatever reason, not get the I-551.   Like, CBP literally forgot or their stamp pad ran dry, lol.  

In that case, LPRs waiting for the physical card to arrive have tried to go to a nearby LFO to get the stamp, via info pass.   Not sure how practical that is these days with those info pass appointments so hard to come by.

[Chancy 6,241]

12 minutes ago, RO_AH said:

He agreed but said he cannot submit it in their system because of the date.

 

Unfortunately, you are yet another victim of misinformed SSA employees.  The visa expiration date is irrelevant now that the visa has been endorsed by CBP.  It is not a visa anymore, but a temporary I-551 that expires 1 year after the date on the CBP stamp.  It says so on the visa: "UPON ENDORSEMENT SERVES AS TEMPORARY I-551 EVIDENCING PERMANENT RESIDENCE FOR 1 YEAR." -- https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/temporary-i-551-stamps-and-mrivs

 

Go back to the SSA office and bring a print-out of this page from their own manual.  Refer to the list under "C. Documents for an adult age 18 or older" -> "Alien: Adult age 18 or older" -> "1.  Primary evidence" -- https://secure.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0110210420

• Form I-551, Permanent Resident Card (includes temporary I-551 stamp/machine readable immigrant visa (MRIV) with an unexpired foreign passport when DHS has not issued the I-551 Permanent Resident Card).  [...]
• Admission Stamp in unexpired foreign passport

Also this SSA manual page, under "3. Immigration stamp in passport" -- https://secure.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0110210020#c3

 

"A machine-readable immigrant visa (MRIV) issued by the U.S. Department of State and placed in the foreign passport and the foreign passport are two separate documents.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) admission stamp placed partially on the MRIV is a third document.

While you can use the immigration and admission stamp to establish identity and lawful alien status, you can use the foreign passport to establish age."

 

[top_secret 2,421]

It's printed right on the visa.

 

[Hank_ 9,174]

8 hours ago, RO_AH said:

I thought I was done with all of the bureaucratic BS but that would be too easy.

 

I was told that the SS card usually arrives after about 2 weeks from arrival at POE. It never came so I waited. I finally called SS office to find out that sometimes that falls through the cracks (which it did with my wife). They said I would need to have her come in person, which is appointment only now due to beer virus. No problem...I made appointment and we went there today. Clerk says he can't give her a number because her visa expires in 3 days and it needs to be valid for at least 2 weeks in order for him to submit. He said I will need to call Immigration and get a 30 day extension or wait till she has her green card. I said the date on the visa only matters for when she enters it must still be valid and the visa itself is her green card until she receives hers. Once she arrived she has legal status. He agreed but said he cannot submit it in their system because of the date.

 

I have not called Immigration yet because I am expecting them to say...Why do you need it extended if she is already here? Which I say....GOOD QUESTION.

 

So any advice would be helpful. Should I wait for the green card (she entered 10/29/21)? Is there a way to follow up on or speed up the green card status? Should I call Immigration with the expectation that they will laugh at me?

Visa "died" went your wife cleared POE, there is not an "extension of entry".

 

The passport does have an I-551 stamp that is valid for one year.   

 

SSA staff are not the brightest bulbs on the tree so I have found many times.   You may need a supervisor.

[RO_AH 1,659]

8 hours ago, Hank_ said:

Visa "died" went your wife cleared POE, there is not an "extension of entry".

 

The passport does have an I-551 stamp that is valid for one year.   

 

SSA staff are not the brightest bulbs on the tree so I have found many times.   You may need a supervisor.

I told the agent the same thing and the sad thing is that he did ask his supervisor who came back with the same answer.

 

My plan is now to call back and make a new appointment. I will tell them I took their advice and called ISCIS and they laughed at me.

[Adventine 3,196]

Any chance you can escalate to the supervisor's supervisor or go to a different SS office where they know what they're doing?

 

Some people have reported success getting SSNs after they brought it up with their congressperson or senator.

[RO_AH 1,659]

7 hours ago, Adventine said:

Any chance you can escalate to the supervisor's supervisor or go to a different SS office where they know what they're doing?

 

Some people have reported success getting SSNs after they brought it up with their congressperson or senator.

I will set a new appointment and clarify things with the person I call in to. Then this time I will not leave without her number. I came here to get some ammo first which helped greatly.