Social Security Hell

[chinashawn]

Well, I don't know how others have fared, but based on my experience we may have to start a sister site on obtaining Social Anxiety cards for our loved ones. (My apologies in advance for the somewhat-off topic.)

 

My wife immigrated to the US on Sept. 18, and she has yet to receive her card. When she went in for her visa interview, she checked "yes" on the application form where it asks if you want a card. She also checked "yes" where it said something like, can the Dept. of Homeland Security give us information, blah blah blah.

 

The sheet of paper given us by the Embassy said she'd receive the card in 2-3 weeks in the mail, and that she wouldn't have to go to a local office.

 

We waited and waited, nothing showed up. Three times I navigated through the tedious SS 1800 voicemenu to a person, and got two different answers: 1. Wait or go to a local office to apply for a card. 2. Wait, and do NOT go to a local office to apply.

 

We waited, waited, and finally on Oct. 28 my wife went to the "local" SS office (it's actually pretty far away) with a friend of ours who is also a Permanent Resident from China and needed a card.

 

To make a long story short, our friend got her card a week later, but my wife has yet to receive her card. She's tried calling the local office ("if you don't receive your card in 7-10 days, you may call, write, or visit any Social Security office"), but the phones have been put on perpetual hold. I called the 1800 number again, and slogged through the voice menu again, and was told that they could not look up any info for me, not even whether anything's even been done.

 

So my wife has a job interview tomorrow, but because of the incompetent, inefficient SSA, she won't be able to accept any job that's offered.

 

And we have to go all the way to the Social Anxiety office again, probably just to be told, "Sorry, no number's been issued yet, and you have to wait."

 

Any ideas or tips?

[awch]

If they have mailed the card and it hasn't arrived, if your wife goes back to the SSN office and requests to have it mailed again they should give her a letter with the number on it.

 

That's what happened to us- we didn't get the card because our name wasn't on the mailbox. We went back, got the letter with the number, requested a new card and it came within a week. Good luck.

[chinashawn]

Oh, and a funny thing: I mentioned on the phone that my wife was unable to get a bank account or get a job until she gets the card. I then said, "She can't even pay Social Security taxes to you guys." I thought that might spur them to some action - - but, to my surprise, the response was, "Actually, the IRS has a special form that your wife can fill out for paying Social Security taxes." So there's no way my wife can legally work, but of course there's a way she can pay taxes to the SSA! I was too incredulous to say more than, "My wife is paying no Social Security taxes until she gets her card."

 

In my three years in China I never had to put up with this type of government BS.

[david_dawei]

This has happened to a few.. here's an FAQ about it that I'm pulling together:

 

 

Q. For CR1, I checked the DS-230 part II box for a SSN, but never received it?

 

A.

My wife came on a CR1 Visa. When we filed the DS-230 Part II, we checked off the two boxes to request a SS card. Her green card came in 14 days, but after waiting over a month, she never received her SS card. We went to the local Social Security Office and they checked the computer and nothing was ever done, so she applied in the local office and has received her number. I just wanted to give other CR-1 applicants a heads-up not to count on receiving the SS card just because you checked the box on the DS-230. Maybe it would be a better idea to immediately go to your local SS office and apply there.

[frank1538]

Just a few comments. The more pressing issue seems to be your wife's job interview. Technically, she does not need a social security card in order to work and she doesn't need one to interview for or accept employment. Presumably, she has her green card which is all she needs to verify her identity and eligibility to work. For the time being, I would suggest that if she needs to give her SSN, she indicate "applied for". Also, take a look at the following link which talks about some of the same issues: http://candleforlove.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=13896

 

If she actuall starts work before she gets an SSN, chances are her earnings won't be reported to SSA, and it can be a pain in the butt trying to correct this later.

 

Also, the following link has the I-9 handbook which tells employers what the employee needs in order to verify identity and eligibility to work: http://www.osha.gov/pls/epub/wageindex.dow...20handbook'

 

On the question of what to do now, maybe our resident expert on SSA incompetence, a.k.a Trigg, can shed some light, but this may be an instance where you congressional representative might actually be of help.

[tywy_99]

This has happened to a few.. here's an FAQ about it that I'm pulling together:

 

 

Q. For CR1, I checked the DS-230 part II box for a SSN, but never received it?

 

A.

My wife came on a CR1 Visa. When we filed the DS-230 Part II, we checked off the two boxes to request a SS card. Her green card came in 14 days, but after waiting over a month, she never received her SS card. We went to the local Social Security Office and they checked the computer and nothing was ever done, so she applied in the local office and has received her number. I just wanted to give other CR-1 applicants a heads-up not to count on receiving the SS card just because you checked the box on the DS-230. Maybe it would be a better idea to immediately go to your local SS office and apply there.

168683[/snapback]

Actually when we processed through LAX as a CR-1 we were told DESPITE electing so on the DS-230 we would have to go to a SSA office ourselves anyway. (Note: this *MAY BE* special circumstances for anyone serviced by the SSA in the Clark County (Las Vegas) area and Long Island. They are required to appear IN PERSON due to high fraud rates in these two locations. Actually saw one guy at the office on a GURNEY W/ IV in arm delivered by ambulance). Richard

168744[/snapback]

I'll add a little to this one.

 

I remember hashing this around before. It seems that the checkbox on the DS-230 for an SSN is mainly for immigrants applying for a work visa and not a family-based visa.

So to all applying for the family-based immigrant visa, don't put any faith in that checkbox. Instead, go immediately to your local SSA office and inquire and/or apply.

[riki37421]

Chinashawn:

 

Seems like alot of people are having difficulties with SSA, my problems were a result of incompetancy at the SSA. I suggest you go back to SSA as soon as you can and inquire to what the delay is and how its being resolved. We were able to resolve our issues with a more competent SSA employee, however we ended up re-filing and my SO finally got her SS card 10 days later, all totaled took us about 5 weeks to get her SS card. Geesh!!

 

Good luck

[Trigg]

Chinashawn:

 

Seems like alot of people are having difficulties with SSA, my problems were a result of incompetancy at the SSA. I suggest you go back to SSA as soon as you can and inquire to what the delay is and how its being resolved.  We were able to resolve our issues with a more competent SSA employee, however we ended up re-filing and my SO finally got her SS card 10 days later, all totaled took us about 5 weeks to get her SS card.  Geesh!!

 

Good luck

169279[/snapback]

five weeks--gheeeezz, Try 11 months!!

[cosmiclobster]

It took us 4 visits with an hour wait each time and several phone calls to get ours (after the second visit a supervisor felt bad for us and gave us a phone number that we weren't supposed to have so we could inquire about our case. After several phone messages with no response, we went back to the office in person). After the 4th visit, we did get the number that was assigned to her so she could get her CA ID. We were also told for the third time that her card was in the mail. It arrived about 10 days later.

After the first visit resulted in nothing, we went back and waited an hour to be told that only the worker that first processed our app could take any action on it and she was on vacation that week. We went back a week later to find out the she was out sick that day. I talked to the supervisor and asked them why only one person there could help us. I was told that if someone other than the person who initiated the case inquires about the file, it will cause an inquiry and that could take months to resolve.

American beaurocracy at its finest!!!

[alaskagypsy]

We checked the BOX, it never came. Came here 08/10/05.

Called SSN's local office 10/03/05, no record.

We went to SSN office and applied. In computer her name was spelled wrong, an S instead of a G, and her birth date was wrong.

So we waited for a security check.

Called the office on 11/14/05 and was told it is in the mail as of 11/09/05.

Waiting for the mail now, still 11/19/05.

[beijingjenny]

We had the same problem. It never arrived after we ticked the box. But the guy at the local SSA was very helpful and after we applied, we had it in a couple weeks.