Waiting for my SSN

[~Nini~ 2]

I applied for my SSN at the nearest SSA branch by our house about five weeks ago - this was two weeks after my POE, and I had already been married a week so I was applying in my married name. While I was there, the two ladies that were helping me out processed my information through the SAVE system. The only issue that they encountered was that the information they had in their computer listed me as a Y1 instead of a K1... so they told me that they had to verify my documents before a card could be issued and to call back in four weeks if I hadn't heard anything.

Yesterday I called the SSA hotline and spoke to a helpful woman about my case. She was unable to find me in her system (reference number, maiden name, married name, date of birth, etc) and told me (quite honestly) that she knew DHS was taking a long time to verify documents (due to the backlog of visa applications) so it was possible that it could take a few more weeks. She also suggested that my card could have been issued and that was the reason why it was out of their system. She suggested that I go back to the SSA branch I'd applied at, and speak to one of their people for further clarification.

I'll probably wait until next week before I head to the SSA branch, but has anyone ever encountered this kind of situation before, or have any advice? I'm aware that sometimes the cards can take upwards of twelve weeks to process, but I'm still staying optimistic

[Dakine 26]

I applied for my SSN at the nearest SSA branch by our house about five weeks ago - this was two weeks after my POE, and I had already been married a week so I was applying in my married name. While I was there, the two ladies that were helping me out processed my information through the SAVE system. The only issue that they encountered was that the information they had in their computer listed me as a Y1 instead of a K1... so they told me that they had to verify my documents before a card could be issued and to call back in four weeks if I hadn't heard anything.

Yesterday I called the SSA hotline and spoke to a helpful woman about my case. She was unable to find me in her system (reference number, maiden name, married name, date of birth, etc) and told me (quite honestly) that she knew DHS was taking a long time to verify documents (due to the backlog of visa applications) so it was possible that it could take a few more weeks. She also suggested that my card could have been issued and that was the reason why it was out of their system. She suggested that I go back to the SSA branch I'd applied at, and speak to one of their people for further clarification.

I'll probably wait until next week before I head to the SSA branch, but has anyone ever encountered this kind of situation before, or have any advice? I'm aware that sometimes the cards can take upwards of twelve weeks to process, but I'm still staying optimistic

We had similiar problems after AOS [K3]. SSA and USCIS don't have their act together communicating with each other.

I finally had to have SSA call USCIS and get things squared away. It wasn't easy as both sides said they don't communicate directly!

[I'm Gone 60]

Yesterday I called the SSA hotline and spoke to a helpful woman about my case. She was unable to find me in her system (reference number, maiden name, married name, date of birth, etc) and told me (quite honestly) that she knew DHS was taking a long time to verify documents (due to the backlog of visa applications) so it was possible that it could take a few more weeks. She also suggested that my card could have been issued and that was the reason why it was out of their system. She suggested that I go back to the SSA branch I'd applied at, and speak to one of their people for further clarification.

If the person at the SSA 800# knew what they were doing and couldn't find a pending application with the reference number, my first thought would be the application has been cleared and you have been assigned an SSN, but to find out for sure and to get the number before the card arrives or if it has got lost in the mail you will need to go back into the office. Be sure to take your documents with you.

[Chica Yeyé 41]

Ditto above. Drop by the office on Monday sweetie - maybe they have your # already, and the card will follow.

[~Nini~ 2]

So, I got my SSA letter today.

The letter reads:

We cannot give you a Social Security card at this time because:

You have not given us the document(s) we need to show U.S. citizenship or lawful alien status. As per DHS please go to nearest port of entry to have DHS automated systems updated to reflect documents submitted for this application. Please contact us when you can give us the document(s) we need.

If you think you should get a Social Security number or card based on what you have given us, you can ask us to review your case. Someone who did not look at your first application will review it.

When I was at the office, they took a photocopy of my visa and valid I-94, a photocopy of my passport biographical information page, and a photocopy of my marriage certificate. So, what gives?

Bee and I are going to the SSA branch tomorrow morning with all our paperwork to speak to one of their supervisors - we're worried that they're not going to issue me a SSN what with my I-94 expiring in the beginning of January. If they're going to make us wait five weeks only to say that they're illiterate boneheads, then I can't imagine what's going to happen when they actually try to process my card.

Edited November 27, 2007 by Nini & Bee

[payxibka 10,045]

So, I got my SSA letter today.

The letter reads:

We cannot give you a Social Security card at this time because:

You have not given us the document(s) we need to show U.S. citizenship or lawful alien status. As per DHS please go to nearest port of entry to have DHS automated systems updated to reflect documents submitted for this application. Please contact us when you can give us the document(s) we need.

If you think you should get a Social Security number or card based on what you have given us, you can ask us to review your case. Someone who did not look at your first application will review it.

When I was at the office, they took a photocopy of my visa and valid I-94, a photocopy of my passport biographical information page, and a photocopy of my marriage certificate. So, what gives?

Bee and I are going to the SSA branch tomorrow morning with all our paperwork to speak to one of their supervisors - we're worried that they're not going to issue me a SSN what with my I-94 expiring in the beginning of January. If they're going to make us wait five weeks only to say that they're illiterate boneheads, then I can't imagine what's going to happen when they actually try to process my card.

Documents can be forged that is why they verify with the DHS system. If I interpret correctly, what the letter says is that SSA is unable to verify your status as K-1 (because as you said DHS says Y-1) and until such time as DHS corrects they cannot do anything. That is why they are telling you to have DHS correct it first. Unless others know differently, going back to SSA a second time without correcting at DHS first will result in the same answer.

Edited November 27, 2007 by fwaguy

[~Nini~ 2]

Brief update - I had an Infopass appointment today to discuss my situation with an immigration officer. The lady found that I'd been entered into the system incorrectly and as a result, I have to make a trek to the nearest POE (PHL - Philly International Airport - in my case). At first she told me that I had to go back to wherever I'd officially entered, but when she heard that was back at YVR (Vancouver International Airport) she quickly called up PHL. Whew! We're driving out tomorrow to see an inspector for the change, and hopefully that will be the end of it.

After that, do you think I should give it the requisite two weeks before re-applying again for my SSN, or do you think I can just restart the application that I have right now? I guess that's up to SSA in the end, but I wonder if I'm just wasting my time by heading there next week.

Edited November 30, 2007 by Nini & Bee

[I'm Gone 60]

Brief update - I had an Infopass appointment today to discuss my situation with an immigration officer. The lady found that I'd been entered into the system incorrectly and as a result, I have to make a trek to the nearest POE (PHL - Philly International Airport - in my case). At first she told me that I had to go back to wherever I'd officially entered, but when she heard that was back at YVR (Vancouver International Airport) she quickly called up PHL. Whew! We're driving out tomorrow to see an inspector for the change, and hopefully that will be the end of it.

After that, do you think I should give it the requisite two weeks before re-applying again for my SSN, or do you think I can just restart the application that I have right now? I guess that's up to SSA in the end, but I wonder if I'm just wasting my time by heading there next week.

Depends on what they tell you. If they say your status has been corrected in their system, then there should be no reason to wait to go back to SSA to apply. At least if their system is corrected, I would think your status would be verified through the secondary electronic verification if it again fails the initial SAVE verification, since an actual person is supposed to check and send the secondary response back to SSA and I would think it wouldn't come back as Y-1 again.

[Jasman0717 9]

Claudeth got her SSN card about a week after she applied. She was in country about two weeks before we went to the office