Permanent resident verification for SS retirement benefits.

[Graham304]

So I'm at FRA. Lived here almost all my life. Worked for almost 50 years. When I go to file everything is fine except 1 part. SS can't get my A##### on my green card to get approved. The rep I'm working with said he has to put my information into this system that ties into DHS and USCIS and it gives him verification. It is not working. Yet I have an SSN and 50 years of txes and IRS and employment data. Along with military service.

I'm at a loss as to who to call or talk to as SS admin has gotten to where they say their hands are tied now waiting.

My green card is from the 60s and while the card maybe out of date the number on iot is not. So I'm confused.

Thanks for any help you can offer.

[GailL1 · Accepted solution]

Seems you fell through the holes of the system and not just once.  The cards actually seem to have changed twice but that would depend on the dates 

• 1st they issued a Form I-151 (Alien Registration Receipt Card), commonly called a “green card,” to aliens from July 1946 through late 1978.   

• The I-151 lacked security features and presented more opportunities for alteration and fraud than other immigration documents.

• From 1992 through 1996, INS conducted a “Green Card Replacement” project to replace the I-151 cards in circulation. Some applicants (e.g., homebound elderly or nursing home residents) may have been unable to replace their old I-151 cards.  (maybe you were in the military at the time) 

• Although the card is not a valid immigration document, the person may still retain lawful permanent resident status with DHS.https://secure.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0110210805 

There was probably a simplier way if you could have gotten any guidance from them cause you have always been a lawful permanent resident with a SSN.

Sounds like you are on the right track to getting it straighted out.  Make sure you get your back benefits from SS retirement or accept the higher pay for any delayed retirement credits you could have earned from the delay.

Yes let us know what happens - 

Good Luck - and Thanks for Your Service and sorry about all the government confusion.  You probably won't be the last to experience this problems.

[Graham304]

Thanks fore the feedback folks. Here is where we are.

I went to USCIS to do a verification. Calling their phone number is useless. It's a computer using AI and it's not that smart and refuses to connect you to a person. If you ask to speak to someone it hangs up on you! I found a document that explains the problem as one of you has mentioned. My SSN does not match my green card A++++. My green card is very old and is listed as form 151 which is no longer a valid form. I have put in a request to get a new form, ie, card. That meets the USCIS and DHS requirements. It also counts as a "real id" for identification purposes. That will tie my SSN to my A### and create a USCIS # which I don't have. It cost me over $500 for the application. They do a background check, which is now called biometrics and some such. I have an appointment to go to a local agency to get my picture, fingerprints, FBI background check and so on. What's interesting is I have had several security clearances of Secret and up in the Army then as a civilian working on contract for DOD then USPS. I'm not worried about a background check. 😉

As far as being contacted as some of you asked. I get a SS retirement benefit statement every year since turning 60. When I applied for an SSN card 50 years ago we put my A++++ in also. That seems to be invalid as permanent resident and only good as a right to work.

As for citizenship. When I went into the Army the recruiter told me they would get me naturalized. He lied. My unit commander told me the military doesn't do that just go to the post office and ask them. I did and the forms overwhelmed me at 20 years old and I couldn't answer a lot of the questions so I gave up on it. I should have done it by now and simply have been lazy about it. I do consider myself American and my alegiance has always been to this country and always will be. I'm not going anywhere else.

I'll follow up once I get through the process of sorting this out.

[fffred]

@Graham, That is pretty much wonderful news and thank you for providing the follow-up. The events actually lifted my spirits! Funny how government bureaucracy can seem like good news. But I was looking at the potential for a very negative outcome ("no money!").

Certainly it's no fun having to spend a lot of dough on this issue but it's one I am familiar with, my wife having gone through the US INS process 20 years ago (now USCIS)... it wasn't until "9/11" that the bureaucratic process sped up considerably as they now had bigger issues in mind. And I had my own experiences 2 years ago going through the similar process for my Canadian Permanent Resident application.

Your story about the promises of an Army recruiter... haha, I think those glittering promises by recruiters happen all the time.

All in all, I think this is great news. And I am astonished that you've accomplished so much in such a short time. Good man!

Thanks for the update and good luck!

[Graham304 · Accepted solution]

Hi there. It's a bit late in this thread but things move slowly in the government... I got nowhere applying for a new visa. The waiting period just to update that card is up to 18 months. So while I was waiting I found out that being ex-military means I can apply for citizenship on a fast track. I was told it would probably be a year. When I requested citizenship as military I got the whole thing done in 3 months!!! Yes that is amazing. The local office people were amazing also. Very welcoming, keep you at ease doing the verbal test. I was even able to do the ceremony that day. So I'm legit and now officially American.

The SS issue was easily solved once I found the 1 missing link. If you're an immigrant and have a valid A#####. Login to USCIS and go do the validation of your Alien number to your Social Security number. They call it E-Verify. It also works for discounts everywhere if you're ex-military. So by filling out that form to get discounts at the hardware store. I fixed the issue that SS admin was having and a month later got my SS income. The system does work. The catch for SS and USCIS is finding the right form and filling it out. It is not intuitively obvious what that is.

So now I'm an American collecting Social Security. 🙂

[fffred]

@Graham304 

Congratulations on having this resolved! That's awesome that you are getting the Social Security benefits that you are due.

Thank you for bringing this resolution back to the forum. Your description and observations are interesting. So glad this worked out well for you.

-fffffffred

[GailL1 · Accepted solution]

Seems you fell through the holes of the system and not just once.  The cards actually seem to have changed twice but that would depend on the dates 

• 1st they issued a Form I-151 (Alien Registration Receipt Card), commonly called a “green card,” to aliens from July 1946 through late 1978.   

• The I-151 lacked security features and presented more opportunities for alteration and fraud than other immigration documents.

• From 1992 through 1996, INS conducted a “Green Card Replacement” project to replace the I-151 cards in circulation. Some applicants (e.g., homebound elderly or nursing home residents) may have been unable to replace their old I-151 cards.  (maybe you were in the military at the time) 

• Although the card is not a valid immigration document, the person may still retain lawful permanent resident status with DHS.https://secure.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0110210805 

There was probably a simplier way if you could have gotten any guidance from them cause you have always been a lawful permanent resident with a SSN.

Sounds like you are on the right track to getting it straighted out.  Make sure you get your back benefits from SS retirement or accept the higher pay for any delayed retirement credits you could have earned from the delay.

Yes let us know what happens - 

Good Luck - and Thanks for Your Service and sorry about all the government confusion.  You probably won't be the last to experience this problems.

[GailL1]

@Graham304 

Yep, it sounds like your work card is a bit outdated.  Here is the recap of it from 2010 on the SSA - POMS describing what should have happened.  Sounds like you never got a Permanent Resident Card or at least one that is linked to the SS # you have had.

SSA:  Program Operation Manual System (POMS) 

Effective Dates: 04/30/2010 - Present - RM 10210.805 Form I-151.  Alien Registration Receipt Card

It sounds like the SSA is trying to verify this with DHS to get it straightened out.  

WHAT I WOULD DO if I were you - GO TO:

Reddit.com r/SocialSecurity

and post your question.  There are many folks that monitor that board that work at the SSA and are familiar with how the process works - and they could probably give you some good direction as to what to do -

You are due benefits but as with any government program, the right paperwork is a must - especially since you are a non-citizen and they also have to check to see if you worked in any other country where there is a totalization agreement.  

Congressional Research Service Report.com - Social Security Benefits for Noncitizens July 22, 2004 –...

Go Luck.

[fffred]

Ahoy! 

Ouch, this sounds like a real mess. It makes my own stomach churn just contemplating this situation. I can only imagine the stress you must have.

Yep, I also wondered about "why didn't he just get citizenship?". Yeah, that's easy to wonder but this is really immaterial. My wife is an immigrant as well, from Canada. And she was reluctant to obtain US citizenship, which she finally did. ...so she won't have the problems you seem to be having, fortunately.

I actually had to Google the "A" number. I see that it's the alien registration number for the Green card.

I have read that the SSA issues SSNs to some people who may not have Green Cards, for some sundry purposes. Thus the SSA is only fulfilling their duty of ensuring that each applicant meets all the requirements to obtain benefits. Of course, you do have a Green Card and have been working in the US legally (for a very long time!)

I'm not able to offer much in the way of actual assistance or insight. I recall now that I read of a similar case (or two) on the Social Security forum at "Reddit", which you might want to consider posing your situation over there (at Reddit.com) where there is more traffic on this more difficult situations. 

Since the SSA has done what they can, and they are waiting on other agencies, you might want to do some leg work on your own. Ask the SSA who you might contact at these other agencies so you can have your situation confirmed as legitimate. And if the SSA can't provide a "who" to contact, just jump in and contact these agencies directly. Failing any action there, you could ask your local US Representative for assistance. And it may be worthwhile consulting a law firm that deals with Social Security and/or immigration. Discuss the full situation with them before making an appointment (and spending $$ on it).

I do have some empathy for your situation. I recently realized that we did not update my wife's US citizenship with the SSA when she was naturalized 15 years ago. It made me ill at the time. It's more problematical to get this tidied up at this time, now that we have moved to Canada (and I am the immigrant now); it's not so easy as just strolling into the local office to get this updated.

Please keep us informed on how this goes for you. I will be interested.

Good luck!

[WebWiseWoman]

For me, it's unfortunate that this continues... There are so many non-US citizens who have helped build this country but are being ignored EXCEPT anyone who works with true social security number (which anyone can receive) is able to receive social security retirement benefits. My personal opinion is my grandparents from Italy and Germany didn't have this so I now can...

I am so impressed with the local citizens response; what amazing and beautiful, caring, AMERICAN response! Thank you all for protecting our fellow humans!

#StaySafe

#VegasStrong

[cat0w]

Have you created an account with Social Security?

The United States Social Security Administration (ssa.gov)

During all these years did you ever try to become a citizen of the United States?

Have you been receiving information every year about your income and what you paid into Social Security?

Have you talked to an attorney?