SSN card timeline??

[ToddnElvia 0]

We are curious how long it has taken others to receive a ssn card after the I485 was filed? I am having trouble getting Elvia on anything because she doesn't have a ssn. Most notably my accounts and bills. And can we go to the social security office and apply for one ourselves? Any help is greatly appreciated.

[SteveInBostonI130 3,459]

There was a chance to get the SSN about a week after your fiance arrived and before you married.  Many have posted that it is very difficult to get one after marriage, and it cannot be done if you are near the I-94 expiry date.

 

If you also filed for EAD, and selected "yes" for SSN, then you should get the card about one to three weeks after your EAD is approved.  EAD has been taking around 8 months.

 

If you have not applied for EAD, then you will need to wait until the I-485 is approved.  AOS has been taking 1 to 2 years.

 

Some banks allow you to open an account without a SSN.  You will need to shop around.

 

For health insurance, they can enter a temporary SSN (all 0's, I believe) for your spouse.  You will need to contact the health insurance company directly.

[molehills 67]

We were in/are in a similar situation. As Steve said above, our I94 expired due to a clerical error at the SSA and DHS couldn't verify in time. We had already sent all our AOS paperwork before we knew the I94 was going to expire, so getting a SSN concurrent with greencard approval/EAD approval was out. 

 

That being said, my husband now has his greencard, we called our local office to get an appointment (Feb 14), and somehow they had an appointment available on Feb. 22, yesterday. We applied again and the clerk said it should be 5-7 days to get the SSN in the mail, and said that they've been actually sending them faster than that. 

 

Hopefully your local SSA office is on a similar path. I will note that the office is still closed to the public, so you have to call beforehand and make an appointment. The security guard turned away several people in the span of us waiting because they didn't have appointments.

[Chancy 6,241]

*** Moved from K1 Progress Reports to the SSN sub-forum ***