HOW TO OBTAIN A SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER
To clarify process,
immigration attorney Godfrey Y. Muwonge publishes instructional article on
Social Security Number.
One hurdle that all
newly arriving foreign workers face is the Social Security Number. In his newest
article, immigration lawyer Godfrey Muwonge explains.
To
assist foreign workers who just arrived in the U.S., Milwaukee immigration
attorney Godfrey Muwonge has published an instructional article to explain the
process of obtaining a Social Security Number when one holds a U.S. work visa.
The complete article will be published on the blog of Mr. Muwonge at
https://GodfreyMuwonge.blogspot.com.
A
Social Security Number (SSN) is essential in the United States for all kinds of
purposes. One usually needs it to obtain a driver license, to register for
health benefits, and to open a bank account. If one is not a United States
citizen or a Lawful Permanent Resident (LPR or green card holder), one must
meet certain requirements to obtain a SSN. In general, one must demonstrate
that one is authorized under federal rules to accept gainful employment in the
United States and is in proper status. For example, a non-citizen in the L-1
employment category (intra-company transferee), who has been processed overseas
at a United States consulate and completed the customs form aboard the aircraft
as it approached a United States airport, can print his or her I-94 arrival/departure
record at the United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) website
https://i94.cbp.dhs.gov, and take that printout to a Social Security
Administration office to apply for a SSN (along with the passport & visa).
In the
past, the I-94 form was a white card that upon arrival was stapled into the
non-citizen's passport. It showed the arrival date, the final date of his or
her authorized stay, and the class in which he or she was admitted (such as
visitor for pleasure (B-2), visitor for business (B-1), student (F-1), and so
on), as well as the port of entry. These days, a stamp showing the dates of
admission and the end of the authorized stay, and class of admission is entered
on a page in the non-citizen’s passport. The stamp does not show the I-94
number, and the non-citizen has to go to the CBP website and enter the required
information (Name, date of birth, passport number, and the country which issued
the passport). This measure was apparently taken to combat fraud — anyone to
whom the I-94 form is presented can now log onto the CBP website and verify the
authenticity of the I-94 information.
The
information on the I-94 will show the class of admission, and along with the
passport and visa it will let the SSA official determine whether the
non-citizen is authorized to work in the United States and eligible to get a
SSN. The first-time applicant for an SSN must do so in person at an SSA office,
and the closest SSA office can be determined by calling toll free
1-800-772-1213 and following the prompts. Alternatively, one can locate the
nearest SSA office by visiting the SSA’s website www.ssa.gov. The application
for an SSN is made on a Form SS-5.
There
is a backlog in the issuance of SSNs, and one may have to wait a couple of
weeks or possibly even months to receive it. SSA must verify the application
information with the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services
(USCIS).
There
are situations in which USCIS will be unable to immediately verify the
non-citizen’s eligibility to work in the United States even if that individual
has been processed at a United States consulate abroad. For instance, an E-2
work visa holder will sometimes have to provide the SSA with additional
information to prove that he or she is authorized to work in the United States.
The reason is that most work visas (such as H-1B or L-1) are first processed
through USCIS (and USCIS thus has a record), but E-2 work visas may be issued
directly by a U.S. Consulate (and USCIS thus does not have such record).
About Godfrey
Y. Muwonge
Godfrey
Muwonge is an immigration attorney in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Education:
Marquette University Law School, Juris Doctor (1997). Author of “Immigration
Reform: We Can Do It, If We Apply Our Founders' True Ideals, Revised Edition”
(Univ. Press of America, 2010), which was selected as one of top-10 Books that
Drive the Debate (2009) by U.S. Chamber of Commerce's National Chamber
Foundation. See
https://www.amazon.com/Immigration-Reform-Apply-Founders-Ideals-ebook/dp/B00D79W838
References
https://www.linkedin.com/in/godfrey-muwonge-785a519
https://GodfreyMuwonge.blogspot.com
https://hype.news/godfrey-muwonge-attorney-in-wisconsin-usa/
https://solomonlawguild.com/godfrey-muwonge
Godfrey Muwonge is an attorney in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Author of “Immigration Reform: We Can Do It, If We Apply Our Founders' True Ideals, Revised Edition” (Univ. Press of America, 2010), which was selected as one of top-10 Books that Drive the Debate (2009) by U.S. Chamber of Commerce's National Chamber Foundation. See https://www.amazon.com/Immigration-Reform-Apply-Founders-Ideals-ebook/dp/B00D79W838
