Updating citizenship status with SSA in 2025

[OldUser 8,812]

Hi everybody.

 

I'm going to post my experience and findings around updating citizenship status with SSA in 2025.

 

When I applied for N-400 in December 2024, I was excited to use new edition of the form, which had a check to update my citizenship status with SSA automatically.

 

Looks like this used to work like a Swiss watch:

 

 

However, almost a month later I still don't have new SS card (which I don't need, as I don't have restriction). More importantly, as @Rekyrts outlined in this post, my record is not updated to show I am a US citizen:

 

@Babu Frik was right about Enumeration Beyond Entry (EBE) going away, which is the mechanism USCIS used to update citizenship status with SSA:

 

 

So, I decided to take matters in my hand and update citizenship status in person.

 

I went to https://www.ssa.gov/personal-record/update-citizenship-or-immigration-status and answered few questions.

 

The wizard helped me locate SSA field office and gave a phone number, which turned out to be centralized phone 1-800-772-1213 listed on this page:

 

https://www.ssa.gov/agency/contact/phone.html

 

So I gave a call to schedule an appointment... After 1 hr and 55 minutes on hold I gave up and decided to do a walk in on different day.

 

I completed SS-5 form, took passport and DL to update status and showed up to local field office. Took a ticket, waited for about 1 hr, then was turned away by check in person, saying I need to have an appointment. She gave me a phone number for local field office which was different to one on SSA office locator.

 

After 20 mins on hold I was able to get an appointment few weeks away from today.

 

To be continued...

Edited April 18 by OldUser

[smilingstone 288]

No idea why they're so insistent on making you call the national number. The wait times are ridiculous.

 

I've had good results with using the Social Security Office Locator, entering my zip and it should provide the address, phone number and fax of your nearest office. Much shorter wait times.  

[OldUser 8,812]

13 minutes ago, smilingstone said:

No idea why they're so insistent on making you call the national number. The wait times are ridiculous.

 

I've had good results with using the Social Security Office Locator, entering my zip and it should provide the address, phone number and fax of your nearest office. Much shorter wait times.  

As I mentioned, office locator showed national number in the results for my closest office. Google Maps also showed it, so I had no way of knowing exact number unfortunately.

 

I suggested edit on Google Maps for my office based on number I got from field office employee.

Edited April 18 by OldUser

[Edward and Jaycel 1,278]

Oy vey... thanks for sharing this info!  

[OldUser 8,812]

17 minutes ago, smilingstone said:

I've had good results with using the Social Security Office Locator, entering my zip and it should provide the address, phone number and fax of your nearest office. Much shorter wait times.  

Not my ZIP, but the same result.

Let's say you enter this LA ZIP:

90045

 

The result right now shows national number.

 

Location for my office was correct in locator, so it was useful to this extent.

Edited April 18 by OldUser

[smilingstone 288]

1 hour ago, OldUser said:

Not my ZIP, but the same result.

Let's say you enter this LA ZIP:

90045

 

The result right now shows national number.

 

Location for my office was correct in locator, so it was useful to this extent.

 

Ah sorry about that! Silly me thinking they'd have all local offices directly contactable..... 

[JeanneAdil 6,867]

2 hours ago, OldUser said:

Hi everybody.

 

I'm going to post my experience and findings around updating citizenship status with SSA in 2025.

 

When I applied for N-400 in December 2024, I was excited to use new edition of the form, which had a check to update my citizenship status with SSA automatically.

 

Looks like this used to work like a Swiss watch:

 

 

However, almost a month later I still don't have new SS card (which I don't need, as I don't have restriction). More importantly, as @Rekyrts outlined in this post, my record is not updated to show I am a US citizen:

 

@Babu Frik was right about Enumeration Beyond Entry (EBE) going away, which is the mechanism USCIS used to update citizenship status with SSA:

 

 

So, I decided to take matters in my hand and update citizenship status in person.

 

I went to https://www.ssa.gov/personal-record/update-citizenship-or-immigration-status and answered few questions.

 

The wizard helped me locate SSA field office and gave a phone number, which turned out to be centralized phone 1-800-772-1213 listed on this page:

 

https://www.ssa.gov/agency/contact/phone.html

 

So I gave a call to schedule an appointment... After 1 hr and 55 minutes on hold I gave up and decided to do a walk in on different day.

 

I completed SS-5 form, took passport and DL to update status and showed up to local field office. Took a ticket, waited for about 1 hr, then was turned away by check in person, saying I need to have an appointment. She gave me a phone number for local field office which was different to one on SSA office locator.

 

After 20 mins on hold I was able to get an appointment few weeks away from today.

 

To be continued...

gotta take that naturalization certificate /  government departments often do not correspond as they should and your citzenship may not be recorded (that's why we have to update it )   nice if they talked and we could depend on them   /  but as a Senior citizen i have yet to see the right hand washing with the left -so to speak 

[OldUser 8,812]

1 hour ago, smilingstone said:

 

Ah sorry about that! Silly me thinking they'd have all local offices directly contactable..... 

Oh, not at all. Any sensible person assumes the info on field office locator is accurate and up to date. At first I assumed it was a number to get connected to office. The area code threw me off a bit, but I thought they're gonna redirect me to correct extension. But nobody ever answered my call. Local phone number was a lot better in this regard, once I learned it from staff

 

[SalishSea 18,408]

Kiwi needs to do the same thing, but currently the passport office still has his original naturalization certificate....   4 weeks today since they received the application, so hopefully soon.

[Rekyrts 127]

When I went in to update with my passport last year, they had these signs with QR codes posted that let you go directly to the scheduling system online. Sheduled patrons had priority too.