Friday, April 30th, 1999
If you have a working visa for the US, it shouldn't be hard to get a social secutiry number (and card). It should work like this: You go to the Social Security Agency (SSA) and tell the guard that you want to obtain a social security number (SSN). He gives you a form to fill, a pen and a (real!) clipboard, so it will be easy for you to write. He also shows you where the right line is. You fill the form, wait in line and give the form to the clerk. He/She punches some keys on the computer and send you away. You should receive the card in 2 week by mail. If you want, you can call 1-800-722-1213 and get the number about 4 days after you applied for it.
Well, for me it wasn't that simple, and the story goes like this. Now let me start by saying that everything is true. I swear on Spock's ears:
After waiting for quite a long time in line, I arrive to the immigration officer's booth. Happily whistling (only in my mind) I give him the passport, showing off my exclusive H1B (working) visa. Unimpressed he says: "Well, where are your other immigration documents?" "I don't have any, the company I'm supposed to work on handeled everything" (That should impress him...) "Well, I cannot let you in, you'll have to go to room B to sort this mess"...
Immigration room B looks like a regular waiting room except for one thing: There are 3 immigration officers, sitting at a desk that is 2 meters high. When they call someone he approaches the desk, and has to look up as if he's standing near Karim Abdul Jabar (and they are actually sitting). Now the 3 officers are always shouting, and they would not let you say more than 3 words in a row, and would not give you time to prepare for that 3 words speach. I must say they looked very important. I had a Loud/Soft, Long/Short conversation with one of them, and he agreed to let me in, Signed my I-94 form (the little white paper they staple to your passport when you come into the US), and pointed me to the guard that will show me to the baggage claim area.
I took the bus to Manhattan and stayed at the YMCA at 47th street. I found out that there's a SSA office on 2nd avenue, between 40th and 41st streets, and since I knew this would be important, I decided to wake up early and go there the next day.
I woke up at 10:30 and went straight to apply for a SSN. A big Latin American officer with a tatoo on his arm explained to me which papers I should fill and on which line to stand. I did exactly that and after about 30 minutes the clerk typed everything into the computer. "In about one month you'll get your Social Security Card by mail", she said (I gave Eran's address). Well, I though it takes 2 weeks, but maybe she wants to be on the safe side. Actually she was in a bit of a hurry, because they just started a fire drill. I had to take the stairs (with everyone else) on the way out.
After calling the 1-800 number of the SSA and hearing that my request for a SSN is not in the computer, and after hearing that Golan Zohar, who asked for his SSN a few days after me, already got his SSN over the phone (the same 1-800 number), I decided to go once more to the SSA (I broke my own record for longest sentence!!!). You know, maybe she did something wrong because she was in a hurry. Same officer (the one with the tatoo), different clerk.
This one was an anoying man who said: "We're checking your status in immigration. It will take 2 months"
- "But the lady I talked with before said two weeks (I like to spice things up) to a month, and it's not even in the computer".
- "Well, we're checking your status in immigration. It will take 2 months"
- "But can you tell me what the problem is?"
- "Sir, we're checking your status in immigration. It will take 2 months"
- "But a friend of mine... (told him about Golan)"
- "I'm explaining to you: We're chekcing your status in immigration. It will take 2 months"
- "Well, can't you compare and give me some clue as to what to problem is?"
- "Sir, I'll explain it to you again, We're chekcing your status in immigration. It will take 2 months"I raised my voice that last sentence, so the tatoo joined the conversation: "Sir, I'm afraid you'll have to leave now." I left.
And now: a brief comic relief
Now 2 weeks has passed. I called the SSA 1-800 number and they told me that my name is not even in the computer. What should I do? They said I should go and ask for a SSN once again. Maybe the documents got lost. I decided this time I would go to a different office of the SSA, I don't like the people there, plus I'm living somewhere else now, that office is not the nearest one to me. The nearest one is located at the Federal Building on Broadway and White street. Good, it's very easy to get there by subway. It shouldn't take more than 20 minutes.
Well, it took me more than I thought because in the entrance there's a long line of people waiting to get in. There are security posts where you put your stuff (like in the airport), so that they see if you try to bring weapons. The line was about 15 minutes long, and then I found out that the building has only 30 floors. Yes, I got the wrong builing. There's more than one Federal building. So I got out and went to the right one. Another line, another 15 minutes.
Now you may have looked at the scroll bar while reading this and thought - this story is not that bad, I'm almost at the end of it.Entering the SSA on the 31st floor, the officer (a smaller version, without tatoos) aproaches:
- "What can I do for you?"
- "I came to get a SSN."
- "May I see your passport?"
- "Of course..." giving him the passport."
- (Looking through the passport) "What do you need a SSN for?"
- "Well, I'm working here and..."
- "Sir, you are not allowed to work, therefore you don't need a SSN."When you come to the US you fill a form called I-94 and the person at the immigration attaches it to your passport and stamps it. On my I-94 it said B (tourist) visa. The B was erased and near it was a H1B (working) visa approval written with a pen. I don't know who wrote what at the airport, but it sure confused the officer at immigration, since the B was much more visible than the H1B.
- "Okay sir. Please fill these papers and wait in this line..."
I filled everything and after a few minutes talked to the clerk:
- "Hi, I would like to get a SSN, here's my passport. Please notice that my I-94 form is for a working visa, although it might not seem like that at first..." (to the untrained eye).
- "Well, anyone could erase the B and write H1B, I'm sorry but you'll have to clear it up with immigration. I can do it myself, but it will take 2 months, so it's better if you do it yourself."It turns out that Immigration is on the 3rd floor of the same building.
I'm sorry to disappoint you. We've only just begun.
If you're still alive, click here to hear the rest.