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Green Card holders questions??

A

alexvaneroucky

Registered Users (C)
Hello, I'm a DV winner already approved and in the US, at he port of entry the the officer told me that my card will arrive in 2-6 months, my questions are three:

- Does it normally take so long?
- If need to do something like bank account, buy a car or something, is there a number in your green card that people normally ask, like permanent resident number, or INS A# number?
- Is this number also in the visa in the passport, is the one in red letters? Could I use this number for the same purposes?

Thank you very much.
 
People never ask about the Green Card or even its number. They usually ask for the ID and Driver License. That's why a lot of illegal take advantage of them, once they arrive in the States, they apply for the Driver License. They (a lot of illegal Mexican) also buy the Green Card. They use the Driver License to find a job, as people never ask for Green Card or its number. It seem very unfair for us waiting for so long, even years to get the Green Card via lottery, even suffer the suspecious processing, such as background check, administrative processing, financial support, which those illegal immigrants never face.
 
Alex...no it won't take that long for you to receive your GC. You will need it to apply for a Social Security number, but you can also use you A# and they can check their computer to see if you are already in the system, if you are then you can have your SS number even without the Card. You will need your Card or your A# also for a Driver's Licence. It is an absolute requirement to prove your legal status before they give it to you (contrary to popular belief). For a Bank A/C you will need a SS #.

So, the A# should be written by the I-551 stamp in your passport. It's a nine digit number and mine is hand written in black. It may be different when one gets it at an Embassy (I got mine in the US). You can also call the USCIS Customer Service 1-800-375-5283 and ask them.

Barbara
 
I think the IO officer meant " up to 6 months ".
Mine arrived within a month, like most people.

What you should do is go to the local Social Security office to apply for a SSN # ( bring your passport as it shows your legal immigration status thanks to the visa in it )( or to have your status changed in the SS database if you already had a SSN number ).
You will get a letter saying you applied for a SSN.
In theory, you do not need a SSN to open a bank account, but it is likely that banks will ask for it. You should be able to open the account, and come back once you know your SSN.

If you are lucky, your SSN card can arrive within 2 weeks.

I do not remeber , but I think you need the SSN to get your driver's license ( DL ).
But if you have an international DL, it is valied in most states for one year.
But in some other states, you're in trouble without the US DL : in CT, you can only buy a car with a CT DL...( i had problems when I moved from MA to CT and bought a 2nd car )

Buying a car will also be difficult without a US credit history, unless you can pay cash for it.
 
Congratulations alexvaneroucky !!

As all others said, the first you have to do is to apply for social security card/number. It took me one week only to arrive.
The second is driver license, you should check your local office.

My real green card arrived in 5-6 weeks. At the POE he said in six months….

My A# was already printed at the immigrant visa in my passport.



I am DV2006 winner.
 
appiled for social

i applied for social sec. with the letter saying i was legal and got green card and social by mail within two weeks of my arrivel here in USA
 
hello everybody,
alex, i am happy for u and your wife.
i also think they told you at the poe a general period of time within u would get the green card.
i still have a question of my one :)
cateyes said something about the case when a person allready has a ssn.that's me.i understand i have to go to the s s services and ask them to change my status or something like that? i received it few years ago when i went to us with a student program, i don't know if this info helps .
thank u
 
My own case:
I first came as a F1 student. So, I had gone to the SS office to get a SSN. On the card I had at that time it was written something like " not valid for work without INS authorization " ( sorry, I do not remmeber exactly ).
When I became a LPR ( GC through CP in Paris ), I went back to the local SS office to have my SSN card modified : the SSN is the same, but there is no restriction.
 
I did the same couple months ago. I first came with J1 visa.
Now I have new card without restriction, same number.
 
BarbaraLamb said:
Alex...no it won't take that long for you to receive your GC. You will need it to apply for a Social Security number, but you can also use you A# and they can check their computer to see if you are already in the system, if you are then you can have your SS number even without the Card. You will need your Card or your A# also for a Driver's Licence. It is an absolute requirement to prove your legal status before they give it to you (contrary to popular belief). For a Bank A/C you will need a SS #.

So, the A# should be written by the I-551 stamp in your passport. It's a nine digit number and mine is hand written in black. It may be different when one gets it at an Embassy (I got mine in the US). You can also call the USCIS Customer Service 1-800-375-5283 and ask them.

Barbara
Click to expand...

I have the I-551 stamp in my passport but I don't know what is #A and there are no any 9 digits. all in mine are 8 digits
 
Hosamsaad said:
I have the I-551 stamp in my passport but I don't know what is #A and there are no any 9 digits. all in mine are 8 digits
Click to expand...
In my case it is on the right, below the IV number.
 
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