Under Prof. Chen\’s help, I got my SSN last week, even though the process was trying to exploit legal loophole somehow.
Anyway, it will be more convenient to have a SSN in U.S.A especially in New York.
First of all, you have to get a part-time or full-time job om campus and go to Human Resource Office to fill out I-9 Form.
At this moment, you need your I-20, passport, bank address, account number, if necessary, also take your check book with
you. You will need information from above materials. After you fill out I-9 form, officer of HR will give you two color sheet,
one is yellow, theother is pink. Keep the yellow one for reference and bring the pink one back to your employer to get your
offer letter. Once you get the offer letter, submit it to Office of International Students and Scholar(OISS), and fill out a
on-campus employee form which needs information from your offer letter. Wait for three to five business day, and go back
to OISS to have your work authorization from school. Bring these two letter to Social Security Number Administration Office
which has three office in NY, see detail below.
The second step, Social Security Number Administration Office is similar to AIT. You have to have all materials that can
prove you are legal to work and need a SSN, such as two letters from school and employer, passport, I-90(a white small card
stapled on you passport when you enter the US), I-20. You will have a SSN application in SSNA Office. Fill it out and wait for
security check. You must take off your jacket, belt, and take out anything out from your pocket, and walk through a security
gate. Then, take your stuff back and go to the counter. Mostly, you willwait in a long line. When it\’s your turn, go to the
counter and give your application, passport, I-20,offer letter to the officer. While He/she is typing, he/she might ask you some
question about yourjob or some other things. Then he/she will enter your information and print it out and ask you to read
through it. If everything on the sheet is correct, sign on every page or correct mistakes andsign. Before you leave, officer will
give you a reference sheet or receipt. then, you are done with the application process. The only thing you can do is wait. It
may take about two week to receive your SSN card. If you didn\’t receive in two weeks, call or visit SSNA Office and check
status of your case with reference printed on your receipt.
To complete the whole process, after receiving SSN card, bring it to HR office. The officer willfill your SSN on your I-9 form
and copy your SSN card. Thus, every things is done. Congrats! You are legal to work in the US. Just a reminder, memorize
your SSN and don\’t enclose it to others unlessit\’s necessary. Keep you SSN card in a safe place and don\’t put it in your wallet
for prevent identity theft which is serious in the US.
