Entered the USA, I-155 stamped, what’s next?

[JamesJourney 7]

Hi guys. So I received my visa and entered the United States. Had my visa stamped and this now serves as my GC until my physical one arrives. My question is, do I need to do anything now? I tried to open a bank account but I need a SSN. Do I need to apply or is one sent out automatically? Same question to the physical green card. Thank you for any help. James 

[IWander 589]

37 minutes ago, JamesJourney said:

Hi guys. So I received my visa and entered the United States. Had my visa stamped and this now serves as my GC until my physical one arrives. My question is, do I need to do anything now? I tried to open a bank account but I need a SSN. Do I need to apply or is one sent out automatically? Same question to the physical green card. Thank you for any help. James 

Did you pay the immigrant fee?  Did you check the box on the petition for automatic issuance of SSN?

[JamesJourney 7]

Good morning. Yes and yes  

[JamesJourney 7]

49 minutes ago, IWander said:

Did you pay the immigrant fee?  Did you check the box on the petition for automatic issuance of SSN?

Yes and yes  

[Daphne . 1,901]

35 minutes ago, JamesJourney said:

Yes and yes  

The SSN takes about 2 weeks to arrive in the mail. When did you enter the US? 
Your greencard can take up to 90 days to arrive. 

[JamesJourney 7]

44 minutes ago, Daphne . said:

The SSN takes about 2 weeks to arrive in the mail. When did you enter the US? 
Your greencard can take up to 90 days to arrive. 

Hi Daphne. I entered on the 23rd December. So I don’t need to apply for anything. I saw some people say they got a pack on arrival but I didn’t. 

[Crazy Cat 41,985]

12 minutes ago, JamesJourney said:

I saw some people say they got a pack on arrival but I didn’t. 

Please provide a link to where you saw this.  No one get a pack on arrival.  As stated above, SS card and GC are mailed if the $220 was paid and the SS box was marked on the DS-260. .....

Edited December 29, 2023 by Crazy Cat

[Daphne . 1,901]

20 minutes ago, JamesJourney said:

Hi Daphne. I entered on the 23rd December. So I don’t need to apply for anything. I saw some people say they got a pack on arrival but I didn’t. 

Okay, so then your SSN should arrive somewhere in the first week of the New Year (maybe a little later because of the Holidays). Nobody receives a pack upon arrival, maybe you are confusing this with the pack that some people receive when they receive their passport back with their visa and that they have to hand over to CBP when they first enter on their immigrant visa? But a lot of that is digital now, I didn't receive a pack, it was all in the system. 

[Cw1977 109]

2 hours ago, Daphne . said:

The SSN takes about 2 weeks to arrive in the mail. When did you enter the US? 
Your greencard can take up to 90 days to arrive. 

this is definitely correct and the way it should work…however from my experience and others on here it sadly doesn’t always. If you’ve not received SSN after a while (suggest 3 wks), you can go to your local office and they process it for you. I had to do that - and it came about 9 days later so that’s your back up plan!

[Verrou 1,962]

give 2-3 weeks for SSN to arrive. can go to SSA office to apply if u didnt get it after 3 weeks. 

a kid enter 11/19/23 ( no pack whatsoever) and 2 weeks later the SSN card arrived. 

no GC yet. and ELIS fee was paid before kid entered US. 

 

 

Edited December 29, 2023 by Verrou

[JamesJourney 7]

4 hours ago, Daphne . said:

Okay, so then your SSN should arrive somewhere in the first week of the New Year (maybe a little later because of the Holidays). Nobody receives a pack upon arrival, maybe you are confusing this with the pack that some people receive when they receive their passport back with their visa and that they have to hand over to CBP when they first enter on their immigrant visa? But a lot of that is digital now, I didn't receive a pack, it was all in the system. 

Thank you so much for your help!!! Yeah I think I’m getting mixed up with another visa or the passport packet  

[ShazShaz 34]

SSN should come within 3 weeks. Or you can visit the SSA office after 2 weeks to request for a SSN. They will request for a replacement and the paperwork will show your old/assigned SSN. Take a snapshot of the paperwork and head to the banks for account opening. 

[Sudowpa2 7]

My wife entered on December 5th.

 

I waited 2 weeks and went to the SSA office and they had no record of my wife in their computers.

 

I went yesterday and filed for her SSA Card even after checking the box on the DS-260.

 

I was able to apply for the SSA card online. I cannot put the link down because they disabled my copy and paste from the website.

Just type in google "First Time SSA Card" I did this and also brought a paper copy with me to the SSA office.

I also brought her Passport, Visa FOIL and the endorsement stamp turning her visa into a green card. I also included the foreign birth certificate with translation.

 

Took them 5 minutes to input all the information into the computers and told to wait 2 weeks.

[Sam Burns 157]

I recommend reading the guide to US Immigrants on this page 

 

https://www.uscis.gov/citizenship/civic-integration/settling-in-the-us

[OldUser 6,991]

Small correction for future readers. There's no I-155 stamp as of 2023. There's a I-151 stamp which is valid for a year. Can do pretty much everything with it, including obtaining SS card, driver's license etc.