CR1 in US - How long to receive Social Security Card and Green Card

[kandl133 0]

We chose to have SSA to issue my wife a Social Security number on the DS230 form. We have received absolutely nothing from USCIS, SSA - nobody. Went to SSA and they said she wasnt in the system and they had never heard of automatic issuances of SS numbers via the DS230 form. ?????? I keep doing research and this does seem to be how it works. Anybody have any feedback on wait times, or whether I am correct about receiving the SS number via mail? I dont think this is the appropriate forum for this question but couldn't think where else to put it.

Also, what are the further actions I need to take now that my wife is here on CR1. We have now been married - what the next step and timeline - any help is appreciated.

[canadian_wife 1,824]

indicating on the DS-230 that you wanted an SSN issued is unreliable. I went there to apply for one and got mine 5 days later. The green card took 6 weeks to get to me.

Now, you can enjoy being together, and 90 days before her green card expires (or 90 days before the 'resident since' date) you guys can file for removal of conditions.

good luck

[Neal851 3]

If u have marked YES i DS-230 then you will gwt ur SSN in 2-3 weeks and greencard in 5-6 weeks.If you do not receive SSN in 3 weeks then go to SSA office and apply there.

[Mononoke28 135]

The SSA will not issue your wife a SSN until the USCIS enters all of her information in the system which can take anywhere from 2-7 weeks. After she receives her green card in the mail, give it about a week or two for her SS card to arrive in the mail as well. If she doesn't receive anything, she will have to go to a SSA office to file for one. We also checked my husband's SS box in his DS-230 but never received it and ended up going back to file for a SSN.

Diana

[Darnell 8,478]

'ticking the box' on the DS-230 is sorta teasing to any Visa Applicant.

The SSN may get processed, it may not get processed - it just depends on the clerk doing the data entry work for the 'intake' on the casefile once yer wife handed it over to any POE staffer. I know, the tick box was ticked, there's a reasonable expectation that 'something will get done' based on that tick box...

But -

if it's been more than 2 weeks past the Port of Entry Date,

then there's a good chance that the SAVE database system has synched up,

and

any SSA clerk, at the local SSA office, can find her in the SAVE database.

Ya won't know till you try. Suggest you go in person, bring -

--yer wife

--her passport

--filled out application (can get those at the office, too)

and apply.

Whilst at the SSA office -

Ask any clerk to look her up in the SAVE database, in the VISA name and A#.

If they can't find her by EITHER ONE (name or A#) - go away, do not allow the application to be accepted,

come back in a week - SAVE system doesn't have her, yet. IF any SSA clerk mumbles 'need DHS/USCIS electronic verification' - do not allow the application to be accepted - come back in a week - SAVE system doesn't have her, yet.

Although SAVE database is useful for 'status checking' at the SSA office (by the SSA clerks) -

many of them are not trained on how to use it. If you get blank looks or mumbles, ask for a Supervisor,

and ask the Supervisor to 'look her up' in SAVE. If she is found via A# but the VISA name is stored wrong, in SAVE, you'll need to do something else, with the SAVE unit, to get it changed. It's a hassle, sure, but suggest you do change it to proper spelling of 'VISA NAME' prior to SSN issuance.

More SAVE INFO - http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/menuitem.eb1d4c2a3e5b9ac89243c6a7543f6d1a/?vgnextchannel=1721c2ec0c7c8110VgnVCM1000004718190aRCRD&vgnextoid=1721c2ec0c7c8110VgnVCM1000004718190aRCRD

re: greencard - should arrive within 45 days. If not have it after that, don't sweat this, much, as she has an I-551 stamp in her passport that validates her VISA to be used as a temporary green card, for up to 1 year.

Hey - you have any address issues? Do you still live at the address listed in the DS-230 ? If not, oh boy - you'll need to contact a Tier 2 Human with USCIS - see http://www.dhs.gov/xabout/structure/gc_1221837986181.shtm#5 and ask

--anything sent to that address yet?

--you receive 'nixed' mail yet?

--please resend all to the new address.

Don't muck about with a Tier 1 Sub-Human, a CSR - you , instead, want/need/require - a Tier 2 Human , an ISO.

also - checking in with the USCIS status portal can be useful - SOMETIMES it's updated properly and you'll see the 'card production ordered' status show up. Sometimes.

[kandl133 0]

Well once again I am astounded and grateful for the detail. A question though. The SSA clerk warned us about applying for a SSN "too soon" in fear that she may end up receiving 2 SSN. One through the DS230 (WHICH AGAIN THEY HAD NEVER HEARD OF THIS OPTION) and another through the application. He seemed to think this disastrous situation was not worth the risk.

Related to this concern and linking it to SAVE -

You seem to indicate that if she is in the SAVE system that we should apply for the card using the application. This seems backward to me - do you know what I am saying? I mean if she is in SAVE wouldnt that mean that she has been recognized for the benefit of a SSN? and therefore applying for another might mean the issuance of 2 SSN.... Hmmm I am not for sure.... any thoughts?

'ticking the box' on the DS-230 is sorta teasing to any Visa Applicant.

The SSN may get processed, it may not get processed - it just depends on the clerk doing the data entry work for the 'intake' on the casefile once yer wife handed it over to any POE staffer. I know, the tick box was ticked, there's a reasonable expectation that 'something will get done' based on that tick box...

But -

if it's been more than 2 weeks past the Port of Entry Date,

then there's a good chance that the SAVE database system has synched up,

and

any SSA clerk, at the local SSA office, can find her in the SAVE database.

Ya won't know till you try. Suggest you go in person, bring -

--yer wife

--her passport

--filled out application (can get those at the office, too)

and apply.

Whilst at the SSA office -

Ask any clerk to look her up in the SAVE database, in the VISA name and A#.

If they can't find her by EITHER ONE (name or A#) - go away, do not allow the application to be accepted,

come back in a week - SAVE system doesn't have her, yet. IF any SSA clerk mumbles 'need DHS/USCIS electronic verification' - do not allow the application to be accepted - come back in a week - SAVE system doesn't have her, yet.

Although SAVE database is useful for 'status checking' at the SSA office (by the SSA clerks) -

many of them are not trained on how to use it. If you get blank looks or mumbles, ask for a Supervisor,

and ask the Supervisor to 'look her up' in SAVE. If she is found via A# but the VISA name is stored wrong, in SAVE, you'll need to do something else, with the SAVE unit, to get it changed. It's a hassle, sure, but suggest you do change it to proper spelling of 'VISA NAME' prior to SSN issuance.

More SAVE INFO - http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/menuitem.eb1d4c2a3e5b9ac89243c6a7543f6d1a/?vgnextchannel=1721c2ec0c7c8110VgnVCM1000004718190aRCRD&vgnextoid=1721c2ec0c7c8110VgnVCM1000004718190aRCRD

re: greencard - should arrive within 45 days. If not have it after that, don't sweat this, much, as she has an I-551 stamp in her passport that validates her VISA to be used as a temporary green card, for up to 1 year.

Hey - you have any address issues? Do you still live at the address listed in the DS-230 ? If not, oh boy - you'll need to contact a Tier 2 Human with USCIS - see http://www.dhs.gov/xabout/structure/gc_1221837986181.shtm#5 and ask

--anything sent to that address yet?

--you receive 'nixed' mail yet?

--please resend all to the new address.

Don't muck about with a Tier 1 Sub-Human, a CSR - you , instead, want/need/require - a Tier 2 Human , an ISO.

also - checking in with the USCIS status portal can be useful - SOMETIMES it's updated properly and you'll see the 'card production ordered' status show up. Sometimes.

[Darnell 8,478]

it seems backwards, yes?

Is she in SAVE or not?

IMO, this really isn't a system (SAVE) that you have much input in/on, nor can YOU directly do inquiries.

Think of it as a black box, and it's used sometime after POE date, to make a record of her entry...

IF a SSA clerk, at a local SSA office , can find her in SAVE (the clerk has limited lookup access) , then it's OK to proceed.

Ya won't really know until you actually go into a SSA office.

Any 'phone convo' with a SSA 'employee' at a national office - pardon - they are 'as bad' , if not worse, than any CSR at USCIS hotline.

But hey - assume you have some days to kill, yes? call SSA back several times over several days, ask the same questions, record the answers, then study the answers, find any variances. It's something to do, whilst yer waiting for Day 15 past POE date.

re: the benefit of a SSN - SSA doesn't maintain SAVE, so any SSA benefit isn't linked, directly. It's utilised for many things; the SSA clerks at a local office utilize it to determine eligibility for SSN. For SSA (as I understand it) , if she's found in SAVE database system, she's eligible to apply, eligible to receive a SSN.

The disconnect between 'DS-230 tickbox' and the SSA can't be fixed rapidly - sorry, tis our tax dollars (poorly) at work - hence this 'go to SSA office, apply, have her looked up in SAVE' procedure.

Mononoke28 / Diana had some success with actually getting the right people at SSA (over the phone) to verify whether or not a SSN was forthcoming (result of ticking the box on the DS-230) , though - so kudos to her for being persistent with brain dead telephone folk at the SSA.

It really sounds like a cluster-@#$@, yes? Sorry, wish I had other news.

[chikarakobu 0]

Ugh, sorry to hear that you are going through this, too. I also checked off the box to have my SSN mailed to me. It's been about 5 weeks. I received my green card after about 3-4 weeks but still no SSN. I called the number on one of the welcome notices that tells you to call if you haven't received the SSN within 3 weeks but no one there can help you unless you already have an SSN#. It took a good 15 minutes for the representative to understand what I was actually calling about.

Looks like I'll have to go to the office on Tuesday (Monday is a holiday here) to see if I'm in SAVE. Good luck!

[kandl133 0]

Thanks to all - if there is a place on here to outline the excruciating details of how to recover from a stolen/lost passport in China - let me know and I will become excruciated.

Ugh, sorry to hear that you are going through this, too. I also checked off the box to have my SSN mailed to me. It's been about 5 weeks. I received my green card after about 3-4 weeks but still no SSN. I called the number on one of the welcome notices that tells you to call if you haven't received the SSN within 3 weeks but no one there can help you unless you already have an SSN#. It took a good 15 minutes for the representative to understand what I was actually calling about.

Looks like I'll have to go to the office on Tuesday (Monday is a holiday here) to see if I'm in SAVE. Good luck!

[Atencio 43]

Is it worth checking off the box to get the SSN or would it be easier to just do it after the spouse is in the U.S.?

[Darnell 8,478]

Atencio - IMO, it's easier to NOT check the box, and then get it face to face at local SSA office.

[kandl133 0]

Agreed - it takes out the guess work and waiting.

Atencio - IMO, it's easier to NOT check the box, and then get it face to face at local SSA office.

[Atencio 43]

Thanks to both of you, I think I will follow your advice when the time comes.

[Deep2009 18]

Wife POE was on 12/20/2010.

How can I find her A#.....

Only thing I can see on her visa is NVC case number and registration number.

[OBX 51]

Wife POE was on 12/20/2010.

How can I find her A#.....

Only thing I can see on her visa is NVC case number and registration number.

The A# is the registration number on the visa with a zero in front of it.