Many clients have asked a lot of questions about the application of Social Security Number (SSN), such as whether SSA is still recommending allowing 10 days from physical admission before applying for SSN, or what is the process followed when an applicant prematurely and SSA can’t get electronic verification of status trough SAVE (Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements).

The AILA had discussed the relevant problems with the SSA on the Liaison Meeting, May 8, 2006. Following are the explanations about the SSN application process:

When non-citizens apply for new SSNs, SSA must examine the physical immigration documents and then verify the immigration status through SAVE. The immigration status data that provides verification through SAVE is entered in different time periods and in different ways depending on how and where the applicant obtained the work authorized immigration status. If an applicant is eligible because of an EAD, the data should be available in SAVE within 24 hours of card production. Those nonimmigrants who can work incident to status (e.g., H and L) have their status entered into a database by CBP. Some ports enter data directly into a SAVE system while others still send paper I-94 cards to the processing center in Kentucky for manual data input. In any case, SSA/CIS still recommend that applicants wait at least ten days from becoming employment eligible (entering US, approval of COS, or issuance of EAD, etc.) before applying for the SSN. With SSA’s transition to web-based SAVE verification in September/October 2006, some of the discrepancies in verification timing should change.

If SSA cannot get primary electronic verification through SAVE at the time of application, the local SSA staff will query SAVE again ten days later. If SSA still cannot get SAVE verification, it will complete a paper G-845 form requesting secondary verification and mail it by U.S. post to the local CIS office. SSA’s move to web-based SAVE queries will allow it to electronically transmit the G-845 secondary verification request to CIS. Currently there is a very wide array of response times from CIS, with some SSA offices reporting they occasionally never receive a response to the G-845 from CIS.

At last, I want to point out that, the applicants can start to work immediately with the H-1B, EAD etc. they have applied before get the SSN.