How long it takes to get SSN and GC

[jintao]

i have entered in US , POE Miami on January 6th, 2010.

I have received my welcome letter on January 12th , 2010 from Texas. and since then I have not received any word from USCIS. I am checking daily the status of my application, and is untouched since January 12th, Initial review. and that is it. they told me that if in 30 days I will not receive any word from them to contact them. after reading some of the experiences here with contacting USCIS over the phone, I am starting to get nervous.

now, immediately, after I have landed, I went to SSA to apply for SSN. they told me to take a 21 days walk and than come back. I returned after a few days and went to another guy, to try my luck , again after reading some of the stories that were posted here. again, the same story, come back in 21 days. I have returned after 21 days and they accepted my application, and told me to look in the mail for another 7-10 business days, that is another 2 weeks.

I want to know, if someone else, have gone to the same procedures as me, or I am getting paranoind about the entire american system.

Without the SSN your hands are tight, you can not do anything. and they made you wait for a month and a half. what should I do in that month. you can not even rent anything.

 

[rockstarw]

You don't need to worry at all as long as you go the visa's from your embassy's then you're good to go first of GC takes up to 4-5 weeks to arrive ... and you said your self you went to SSN office and they accepted your application and it will arrive in 7-10 ...I don't think they would lie to you.... So just wait the 10 days patiently and you will get your SSN, Regarding The GC you gonna need to call USCIS and ask them When are you supposed to relieve it ... take it easy and relax there's nothing to be paranoid about

 

[bentlebee]

i have entered in US , POE Miami on January 6th, 2010.

I have received my welcome letter on January 12th , 2010 from Texas. and since then I have not received any word from USCIS. I am checking daily the status of my application, and is untouched since January 12th, Initial review. and that is it. they told me that if in 30 days I will not receive any word from them to contact them. after reading some of the experiences here with contacting USCIS over the phone, I am starting to get nervous.

now, immediately, after I have landed, I went to SSA to apply for SSN. they told me to take a 21 days walk and than come back. I returned after a few days and went to another guy, to try my luck , again after reading some of the stories that were posted here. again, the same story, come back in 21 days. I have returned after 21 days and they accepted my application, and told me to look in the mail for another 7-10 business days, that is another 2 weeks.

I want to know, if someone else, have gone to the same procedures as me, or I am getting paranoind about the entire american system.

Without the SSN your hands are tight, you can not do anything. and they made you wait for a month and a half. what should I do in that month. you can not even rent anything.

A SSN isn't necessary to rent a place. You can also rent with a little higher sec. deposit. I have rented in the past without SSN and proof of funding was very helpful.
If you have no other proof, just a SSN won't be much help either since most places will look at your credit history which you don't have. You should get a bank credit card a.s.a.p. You can apply for a secured credit card and start paying for grocery stuff, gas, etc. and pay your balance off a.s.a.p. which is the fastest way to build up your credit. Everything in the US is build on that silly credit history...A secured credit card means you have to put like $ 500 or $ 1,000.- whatever amount you want your limit to be and up to that amount you can use your credit card.

Good Luck

 

[jaja5]

and what are you required to show to get a credit card in the US?

 

[bentlebee]

Passport and or Drivers license. Open a bank account and put money on it and ask for a secured credit card to come with it. After 2 years of showing you handled the card well the bank will take the security off and give you the money that is in a savings account (which you can't touch but you get a little tiny interest), back and you have a card with a limit just as every one else has...

We did it and that is how I found out that it is possible. I wish I knew it earlier so we could have started sooner. We build up our credit score pretty fast and have the highest we can have.. careful not to miss any due dates, which you can prevent by having automatically having to pay it off. The only down side is that if you don't pay off in between you might not have enough limit. We started with 2 cards with both $ 1,000.- in secuity but raised it to $ 2,000.- for each card so we could buy our flight tickets on it so our credit score would be growing faster. Also ask for a reward card so you can get gift cards in return or other stuff...

 

[jaja5]

Passport and or Drivers license. Open a bank account and put money on it and ask for a secured credit card to come with it.

Great thanks, can I do it now already when I am in the US for a visit (which is soon, but before the interview)? Then wire some money from my home account?