Can I work with a SSN I obtained with my J-1 VISA, after the VISA expired?

K

koozy

New Member
I've been reading here and there and looking at this forum's FAQ, where I found plenty of useful information, but not precisely what I'm curious about.

Okay so a while ago I was in the U.S. with a J-1 VISA, I worked there for 3 months with a valid social security number. I left the country before it expired of course. Now I have the SSN and not the actual Social Security, because I lost it(although from what they told me what I need is the number and not the actual social security) What I wanted to know is: do SSN's expire? or could I use my SSN to work now that I'm going for 90 days a tourist?


I know you're not supposed to, but nontheless I want to know if I would be able to work under that SSN or what?


Also, I have thought about getting a new one, but since my current immigration status would be tourist, I don't think they would give it to me and also because I hold double nationality and this time I'm going with my european passport(cause I don't need a visa with it, i-94w form). So I am guessing I would get in trouble if I show up to the Social Security Agency trying to get a new Social Security with a different passport and now as a tourist(meaning no work permission)?

Thanks in advance
 
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Nope.
You cant use an SSN unless you have a valid work visa. Im sure your SSN card would have said something like 'valid only for employment with DHS authorization'.....the DHS authorization would be in the form of valid visa/employment authorization card. I have a SS card with those exact words on them. The only way to get them removed is to go to a SSA once I have a green card.

You wouldnt be in trouble trying to obtain a SSN in the US.....there would just be no grounds for SSA to issue you one (you need to provide a visa/documents to prove your eligibility....a tourist visa/vwp is not a source of eligibility). What would get you into serious trouble though is working (any type of work whether it be cash in hand or whatever) while on a tourist visa.
 
Thanks for the reply.

However, I have heard from a few "friends" who went with a tourist VISA and used the SSN they got from the J-1 program, to work while on the tourist VISA. Like I said I know you're supposed to get in trouble for it, but the people I heard who had done it,had no problem. Since

- You don't really show your SS, you just give them the number, that is enough
- Supposedly, they(your employer or whoever is it that checks) checks for your name to match.

Yeah, you confirmed my suspicions. I wasn't really expecting them to give me a new SS since I don't have any work permit.

Like I said, I know you are not supposed to do it. But I'd like to hear from someone who's done/tried it or wanted to do it, or someone who knows someone like that.


I hope you are not offended by what I am saying, I really do appreciate the information you're giving me. But I wanna know how it actually works in real life, rather than how it's supposed to. Because like I said, I don't see any reasons why those people who've done it and told me about it, would lie.
 
I guess by social security you mean the physical card, the card is irrelevant. You cannot work without work authorization and a smart employer will not allow you to work.
 
Hi koozy.
Nope- Im not offended at all by what you said- its a legit question that many people who an unaware of immigration law frequently ask....I even thought that I could possibly work when I was over here on the VWP visiting my fiance.....my research before hand though confirmed to me that no I couldnt. Indeed, many people do come into the US and work illegally and get away with it. However, I can not advise strongly enough that you should not personally do this. The consequences are dire if you should get caught as the US does not look to kindly on those who are breaking their immigration laws and acting illegally. If you were to get caught, then you would be detained. You wouldnt immediately be deported, instead you would be held in an immigrant detention place (I dont know the official name for it...lol), then you would eventually get deported and recieve a ban from the USA. These detention places are not nice places to be in.....its pretty much like jail. Ick!!!

So instead, whenever I came over for 90 days from the UK, I just made the most of being a tourist. It was even better as then I had an excuse to be lazy, wave my fiance off to work at 8.30am and then snuggle back into bed for a well deserved sleep in.
 
Thanks for the information, I think I know what I was curious about. My main concern was if with a legit Social Security Number to your name alone(without any work permit), one would be able to work, as I have read that Social Security Numbers do not expire/decay. I guess the answer is no.


On a side note, I also strongly advice to who ever reads this in the future, not to try it. As the risk isn't worth it. I love going to the US on vacations and I wanna keep going there on vacations for as long as I'm able to, so I'm not going to risk that.
 
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