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My wife and I are preparing to the last stage of obtaining Green Cards (filing the adjustment of status).

How long would my wife wait to get her SSN? (I have mine already.)

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    What status was she in before this?
    – Karlson
    Mar 21, 2014 at 18:30
  • I have an H1B and she has H4.
    – 9000
    Mar 22, 2014 at 15:37
  • Are you asking for the number itself or the physical card?
    – vartec
    May 15, 2015 at 21:05
  • Is there a way to obtain a number without the card?
    – 9000
    May 15, 2015 at 22:49
  • @9000 I've been told that you get the number same day printed out or regular piece of paper, but you have to wait for the physical card. I've got no personal experience, because I've had my 20-years old card.
    – vartec
    May 17, 2015 at 19:44

3 Answers 3

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Based on the information in the Application for Social Security you should be able to receive one 7-14 days from the moment the application is filed.

16 Show an address where you can receive your card 7 to 14 days from now.

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    Yep. It's very straightforward, and pretty quick.
    – Jeremy Miles
    Mar 21, 2014 at 22:12
  • AFAIK, you receive the number itself on same day, 7-14 days is to get the printed SSN card.
    – vartec
    May 15, 2015 at 21:07
  • @vartec Not that I know of.
    – Karlson
    May 16, 2015 at 1:07
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When filing Adjustment of Status, you should also at the same time file for EAD (for work) with form I-765 and Advance Parole (to allow you to leave the U.S.) with form I-131. These are free to file for as an Adjustment of Status applicant. The EAD and AP will usually be received within 3 months.

When you have the EAD or green card, you can apply for a Social Security Number. And it takes 3 months at most that you would get one of these.

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It is not quite clear to me which adjustment of status you are talking about. Is this from fiancee visa to provisional resident? Or from provisional resident to permanent resident?

When we moved to the US (before moving to Indonesia), we applied even before she got her green card. Basically as soon as you have the work permitted stamp in her passport, the application can begin. This will usually be before you get the actual green card. Of course my wife came in on a spouse visa, so it might be different with a fiancee visa, but the general approach should be the same. Once you have something which says that processing for the green card has begun, and that work is permitted, go for it.

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  • The "adjustment of status" is the final part of the process of obtaining the green card. It happens after the Dept of Labor has approved the application for the green card.
    – 9000
    Mar 23, 2014 at 5:40
  • Right but there are two cases here where status may be adjusted (having been through this). So you are talking about having gotten married in the US and adjusting status to a conditional resident, right? Then the answer is as soon as you have that approval from the DoL, you apply for a social security number. (In two years, you will have another adjustment of status to complete.)
    – Chris Travers
    Mar 24, 2014 at 3:47
  • No; my wife and me arrived already married. We're both legal aliens. I got an H1B, she got an H4. And yes, we've just receiced an approval from DoL. I think your logic still applies.
    – 9000
    Mar 24, 2014 at 16:08
  • Then get one right away. You want to wait for the authorization to work because that affects the sort of social security card you can get but no need to wait longer than that.
    – Chris Travers
    Mar 25, 2014 at 14:29

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