Getting a SSN quickly

[eikogs]

After putting the IR1 process on hold for 6 months while waiting for a baby (so we could delay immunization shots), we are ready to get things moving again. We currently live in Shanghai and plan to schedule my wife's interview for mid July in Guangzhou. Assuming all goes well there, I am wondering how soon we can get her a SSN that we need as soon as we can get it for something else.

 

Our plan is to visit the US for 2-3 weeks in October. I am assuming that she will receive a stamp in her passport at the time of entry, but not the physical green card. Can we go into the local SSN office at that time and get her a SSN right away with only whatever we receive at the time of entry to the US or would we need to wait for the green card to show up?

 

I did answer "yes" to the SSN question on the DS-260. Will that help or hurt our hopes of getting the number right away when we get to the US?

 

She does already have a Tax-ID. Any chance that it would just convert to the SSN, or will it be a new number? We may be able to just use the number for what we need it for to get by for now.

 

Another option we would consider is making a weekend trip to Guam so that we could get the entry sooner (maybe early August) and possibly be able to get the green card before the October trip. Is this a reasonable option?

 

Any comments or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I would also like to know if there are any concerns returning to China before the Green Card shows up? I am currently working as an expat for a US based company and we do intend to live in the US when I return to work in our US office sometime in the next 1-2 years. Our mail is forwarded over to China, so we would be able to get the card in hand before our next trip to the US.

 

 

[dnoblett]

SSA will not issue the SSN until USCIS updates status on their SAVE database, typically 10 days to 2 weeks after arrival in the USA using the spouse visa. So if you did travel into the USA in October SSA office will simply turn you away until that status indicates eligible to get SSN.

 

Yes or No on the DS-260 does not seem to matter as to when USCIS sets immigration status on the SAVE database.

 

Tax ID is issued by IRS it is a different number than SSN issued by SSA, so no an ITIN will not change to SSN.

 

Beware the green-card is for living in the USA, if at any time USCIS determines it is not being used to live in the USA they can revoke it. Why did you apply for a spouse visa only to not be actually moving for another 1 or 2 years? And why the hot need for a SSN when you have an ITIN to do taxes?

[eikogs]

SSA will not issue the SSN until USCIS updates status on their SAVE database, typically 10 days to 2 weeks after arrival in the USA using the spouse visa. So if you did travel into the USA in October SSA office will simply turn you away until that status indicates eligible to get SSN.

 

Yes or No on the DS-260 does not seem to matter as to when USCIS sets immigration status on the SAVE database.

 

Tax ID is issued by IRS it is a different number than SSN issued by SSA, so no an ITIN will not change to SSN.

 

Beware the green-card is for living in the USA, if at any time USCIS determines it is not being used to live in the USA they can revoke it. Why did you apply for a spouse visa only to not be actually moving for another 1 or 2 years? And why the hot need for a SSN when you have an ITIN to do taxes?

 

We applied for it because my initial contract with my company started in 2009 and was for 3 years. It has been year to year since so I could have been transferred back to the US at any time. As of now, we are looking at moving home in about 18 months. I heard the process could take up to 2 years, so I started early. We want the SSN now because my wife has recently passed all of the necessary exams needed to obtain a US CPA license. In order for her to apply for the license in my home state, she needs the SSN.

 

I started the whole process long before finding CFL. With the information here, I see I could have saved more than a year of wait time, but I did things the hard way and mailed the I-130 petition to the US instead of going to Beijing. Also got locked into submitting everything by mail because I followed the directions given in the order received. It took 18 months from filing the petition to get the notification that we can book the interview. My exception was that we could get it issued and have some flexibility about the move date. Will this be a major issue at the interview if I have a letter from my company that says we would not move for 18 months?

[dnoblett]

Not sure if visa could be issued with an expiration date set for longer than 6 months after issuance.

 

Some have played the game of visiting the USA a couple times a year in order to maintain the green-card, the other option is to file an I-131 while in the states to get a travel document to allow maintaining green-card for up to 2 years, however USCIS requires a biometric appointment which can be a month or so after filing the I-131 while in the states. Or file for a SB-1 "Returning Resident Visa" sometime before returning to the USA with a possibly revoked green-card.

 

http://travel.state.gov/content/visas/english/immigrate/returning-residents.html

[eikogs]

We do go to the US at least 2 times per year anyway. She has been there 3-4 times per year for the last 2 years as she had extra visits to take tests. Is there much risk of them not approving her when we go for an interview in July? I have a letter from my company that indicates a January 2017 return to US date. I could probably get the date removed and changed back to a single year extension that would imply a date of February 2016, my anniversary date of my move to China. Would it be better to do that route? I assume the consequence of maintaining it are the same in either case. She will also have her US CPA to show intent to move.

 

Thanks for the information.

[eikogs]

I would like to know if my situation is unusual, we are applying for my wife's green card while still living in China, and not moving immediately. We are hopping she can interview mid-July, then would, then would probably have a visit to the US in October. We hope to get the GC issued at that time. We would probably continue to live in China for a little more than a year from that point. Could that be enough to have them decline her at the time of interview?