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Then they complained because the birth certificate with my birth name did not match my other Id's with my married name...yes, true story and so stupid I would not make it up.[/b].
Yes, that actually happened to me several decades ago. After getting married I went to Motor Vehicles office to get a license in my married name. I had my current driver's license, birth cert & marriage cert with me.
I explained (seems simple, right?) & presented all the documents to the clerk.
Clerk kept asking me why the the surnames were different! Duh !! Because I just got married.
Venting because I don't have what they want me to provide so I'm stuck in a stalemate. You apparently don't have this problem because you would have been born with a SSN so kudos to you. Meanwhile, I'll sit here, unable to work, drive, rent, or pay my taxes.
Yes, at birth American's have their SSN's tatooed on.
Seriously, when I was a kid in the 50's / 60's we didn't get a soc sec # until we went to work.
Now the paperwork is filled in at the hospital at birth. The reason for that is that parents can't deduct a child on their taxes without a soc sec # for the child.
Yes, that actually happened to me several decades ago. After getting married I went to Motor Vehicles office to get a license in my married name. I had my current driver's license, birth cert & marriage cert with me.
I explained (seems simple, right?) & presented all the documents to the clerk.
Clerk kept asking me why the the surnames were different! Duh !! Because I just got married.
The same thing happened to me. I had lived in Virginia for 23 years and moved to North Carolina for a short time. I tried to get my VA license when I moved back and couldn't. My birth certificate did not matchmy license because I had been married.
They wanted my marriage license. Well I had been separated for years and moved several times. I had no idea where it was!
I had to wait for the new marriage license to come in which was taking forever. I ended up having to wait 7 months to get a VA license, even though they were able to pull me right up in their system and see my old license.
I ended up waiting until I was divorced and had a name change and brought that paperwork in along with my birth certificate.
I have no idea why people from another country think this process should be any easier for them when it isn't easy for the people born here!
Go to get drivers license - told to come back when I have a SSN and 2 forms of ID with proof of address. Also told I will need to take a driving test despite having driven for 15 years. Ok ok, I drive on the wrong side of the road and don't mind taking a test as a formality, but the documentation is the frustrating bit.
I won't get my SSN for apparently 3 weeks? Arrived 2 days ago. I'm working on 2 forms of ID which is my next vent.
Go to get bank account - had to 'fight' for it for about 1 hour. The bank didn't think I had a visa, even though it was stuck right there in my passport. They finally 'agreed' that I have a valid visa but insisted on using my Australian drivers license as proof of address - so my belief that a bank account could act as 1 form of new USA ID was kind-of crushed. They put the 'mailing address' as my USA address which might be OK...
In any case, I'm basically in limbo until this SSN arrives because I need it for absolutely everything.
Surely there could/should be a Social Security rep at ports of entry who can print off or whisper in your ear your SSN to help get things started upon arrival.
I know, I know, it's hopefully only 3 weeks to wait... but what do I do for 3 weeks? Sit around...
I won't even go into my bewilderment upon being told at the port of entry that the actual green card can take up to 12 months to arrive.
Please, someone, tell me it's not 12 months!
Trying to 'Americanize' myself is difficult! I'll feel much better with a US drivers license as it will all feel a bit more official... and being able to spend money will be great... then it will all come into place from that point onward.
You have two forms of ID: your passport and your home driver's license. Are those not acceptable for a US driver's license? You can still drive, using the license you already have, as you know.
I don't see why you need a visa to open a bank account. Canadians can open bank accounts in the US without a visa. Banks are usually happy to take people's money. What bank was this? Some banks issue credit cards with your photo on them (be sure to ask), so that could function as ID, maybe.
Your immigrant visa is sufficient to hire on for work, so why fret about how long your green card takes to arrive?
I wonder what these procedures are like for immigrants in your country.
You have two forms of ID: your passport and your home driver's license. Are those not acceptable for a US driver's license? You can still drive, using the license you already have, as you know.
I don't see why you need a visa to open a bank account. Canadians can open bank accounts in the US without a visa. Banks are usually happy to take people's money. What bank was this? Some banks issue credit cards with your photo on them (be sure to ask), so that could function as ID, maybe.
Your immigrant visa is sufficient to hire on for work, so why fret about how long your green card takes to arrive?
I wonder what these procedures are like for immigrants in your country.
Passport doesnt show proof of address, nor does foreign license.
I think a visa is needed for anti-money-laundering purposes, if nothing else. Its that way in europe anyhow.
Greencard just makes it all official. When all i have to id myself in a foreign land is my passport, it doesnt feel safe to have to bring it everywhere with me. However, my real gripe is still getting a ssn
You have two forms of ID: your passport and your home driver's license. Are those not acceptable for a US driver's license? You can still drive, using the license you already have, as you know..
ID has to be acceptable by DMV. A foreign DL is not acceptable.
Quote:
Originally Posted by NewbiePoster
I don't see why you need a visa to open a bank account. Canadians can open bank accounts in the US without a visa. Banks are usually happy to take people's money. What bank was this? Some banks issue credit cards with your photo on them (be sure to ask), so that could function as ID, maybe..
Non-residents can open accounts using form W8. OP is LPR. A credit card is not a form of ID.
Quote:
Originally Posted by NewbiePoster
Your immigrant visa is sufficient to hire on for work, so why fret about how long your green card takes to arrive?.
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