CR1

[ning1986]

Hello all,

 

My wife had her CR1 visa approved, and now we're just waiting for her passport along with the sealed envelope so we can buy the plane ticket.

 

My question is, once she gets to U.S. how do I go about applying for her social security #? would the sealed envelope have her green card? Or do I need to wait until something appears in the mail.

 

Thanks

 

Ning Zhang

[Kyle]

After entry to America, your green card will be processed and mailed to you. Until that time, the I-551 stamp will act as a temporary "green card" The stamp is valid for one year. This will be done by the officer who takes that big packet of information at POE (this is the same packet that will be mailed to you shortly - Don't open the packet beforehand!). The POE officer (point of entry) will put the stamp right in her passport.

 

If you checked "yes" to Q43 on the DS-230, a SSN card/number can be automatically created and a card will also be sent to her in the mail. There have been some reports of Q43 being checked "yes" and the SSN card never arriving. In those cases, I'd wait about a month after entering the US and then go to your nearest SSA office and inquiring. If you didn't request that one be created for the applicant, I'd still wait a few weeks after entering the US before going to SSA and asking about this.

 

For my wife, she had both her perminent GC and SSN card sent to her in the mail roughly a month after entry to the US

[dan1984]

That is quite the nice summation, and one I'm filing away for when the time comes!

 

After entry to America, your green card will be processed and mailed to you. Until that time, the I-551 stamp will act as a temporary "green card" The stamp is valid for one year. This will be done by the officer who takes that big packet of information at POE (this is the same packet that will be mailed to you shortly - Don't open the packet beforehand!). The POE officer (point of entry) will put the stamp right in her passport.

 

If you checked "yes" to Q43 on the DS-230, a SSN card/number can be automatically created and a card will also be sent to her in the mail. There have been some reports of Q43 being checked "yes" and the SSN card never arriving. In those cases, I'd wait about a month after entering the US and then go to your nearest SSA office and inquiring. If you didn't request that one be created for the applicant, I'd still wait a few weeks after entering the US before going to SSA and asking about this.

 

For my wife, she had both her perminent GC and SSN card sent to her in the mail roughly a month after entry to the US

[tsap seui]

After she goes through the POE into the states you have to wait 10 days before attempting to get the SS card.

 

As Kyle said the visa stamp is your temporary green card....good for a year.

 

Everyones time line will be different...but....my wife and son came in on IR-1/2 visas and their 10 year green cards came in the mail 17 days after we went through POE.

 

I checked the line on the DS-230 to have their SS cards sent to them....NEVER trusted that it would actually happen and so we all went to the local SS office on the 9th day after POE...one day too early. We went back on the 10th day and spoke with the same lady. She went online and got the A number she needed from the USCIS for each of them (you will get the A number when you get the green card in the mail) and she processed their SS card paperwork. You WILL have to have that A number to get a SS card, either you wait until you get your green card, or you go have the SS office get it from the USCIS (after the 10th day from POE).

 

They got their SS cards in 6 days after we left the SS office. So it took us 16 days after POE to get both of their SS cards.

 

You can wait and "hope" they send your SS card out just because you happened to have checked the line to have that done, or you can go make sure it is taken care of yourself. But, you have to wait until the 10th day after POE to visit the SS office.

 

Good luck.

 

tsap seui

[ning1986]

Thanks, right now we're just waiting for her passport to be send back, it'll probably take few more days since China just had a huge holiday, and I assume they send the passports out by batches? perhaps every Friday.

 

Ning

[Highlander 08 09 10 11]

My wife arrived in the USA in July, got the green card in a couple of weeks.

We went to the Social Security Office last of August to apply for the SS card.

We went to the Social Security Office again the last of September, still no card.

Edited October 7, 2011 by Highlander 08 09 10 11 (see edit history)

[tsap seui]

My wife arrived in the USA in July, got the green card in a couple of weeks.

We went to the Social Security Office last of August to apply for the SS card.

We went to the Social Security Office again the last of September, still no card.

Bu-bu-Bubba, you may have to drive up cheer to the Altooner SS office. They may be overweight cornfed kuntry wimmins there, but they gits stuff done fer ya.

 

What are they tellin' you at the office?...."Sir, her card is in the mail"

 

Good luck cuzin'

 

tsap seui

[Scott@Hong]

Green Card arrived about 2 weeks after POE for both wife and stepson, SS card never arrived for either. Went to SS office, had them both in about 2 weeks after going to office. Checked yes on box 43 on both.

[Highlander 08 09 10 11]

My wife arrived in the USA in July, got the green card in a couple of weeks.

We went to the Social Security Office last of August to apply for the SS card.

We went to the Social Security Office again the last of September, still no card.

Bu-bu-Bubba, you may have to drive up cheer to the Altooner SS office. They may be overweight cornfed kuntry wimmins there, but they gits stuff done fer ya.

 

What are they tellin' you at the office?...."Sir, her card is in the mail"

 

Good luck cuzin'

 

tsap seui

 

 

The guy at the SS Office says we should get the card in another week, (yeah right).

 

Maybe after we dig up some more taters. It seems one government office is like any other

 

government office, they only know what the computer says, or does not say.

[tsap seui]

My wife arrived in the USA in July, got the green card in a couple of weeks.

We went to the Social Security Office last of August to apply for the SS card.

We went to the Social Security Office again the last of September, still no card.

Bu-bu-Bubba, you may have to drive up cheer to the Altooner SS office. They may be overweight cornfed kuntry wimmins there, but they gits stuff done fer ya.

 

What are they tellin' you at the office?...."Sir, her card is in the mail"

 

Good luck cuzin'

 

tsap seui

 

 

The guy at the SS Office says we should get the card in another week, (yeah right).

 

Maybe after we dig up some more taters. It seems one government office is like any other

 

government office, they only know what the computer says, or does not say.

 

Yessir, likey my ol' daddy used to say about lies.....

I'm from the government, I'm here to help

Your SS card is in the mail

I promise I won't leave any....ah....lil' tadpoles in your mouth

 

Don't trust them gubmit jokers, jes take it frum me, tsap seui, the lil' lady's card will soon be in yore hands.

 

tsap seui

[Randy W]

My wife arrived in the USA in July, got the green card in a couple of weeks.

We went to the Social Security Office last of August to apply for the SS card.

We went to the Social Security Office again the last of September, still no card.

Bu-bu-Bubba, you may have to drive up cheer to the Altooner SS office. They may be overweight cornfed kuntry wimmins there, but they gits stuff done fer ya.

 

What are they tellin' you at the office?...."Sir, her card is in the mail"

 

Good luck cuzin'

 

tsap seui

 

 

The guy at the SS Office says we should get the card in another week, (yeah right).

 

Maybe after we dig up some more taters. It seems one government office is like any other

 

government office, they only know what the computer says, or does not say.

 

 

The question here is - DO YOU HAVE A NUMBER? The guy should have told you what the number IS within one day of you applying. With that, you're good to go for most purposes.

 

If not, you may want to go to another office and apply again. Don't worry - they won't give you two.