Personal Concerns
Social Security Numbers
Introduction
A Social Security Number is the number used to track how much money a person working in the U.S. earns over his/her lifetime. This total amount earned affects how much money the worker will receive from the U.S. government when he/she retires from work.
A Social Security number is not required to obtain a driver's license, cell phone, insurance, bank account, admission to an academic institution or any other "non-work" reason.
F-1 Students
F-1 Students can get a Social Security Number if they have a job they can legally accept in the U.S. This is usually a job on campus or a job done as part of a class taken at the university. If you have found a job, you can apply for a Social Security Number by completing the following steps:
1) Inform International Programs that you have found a job and want to apply for a Social Security Number. International Programs will issue you with a letter for Social Security and assist you in getting an employment verification letter.
2) Apply in person at the nearest Social Security Office. Bring with you your:
- Form I-20
- Passport
- Letter from International Programs
- Employment Verification Letter
- I-94 card
New international students who wish to work on campus and recently entered the U.S. with an “initial” form I-20 must wait at least 10 days from the date of their entry into the U.S. to visit the Social Security office to file an application for a Social Security card.
In addition, new students must be registered in SEVIS for at least 48 hours before going to the Social Security office.
If you are approved, you should receive your number in about 2 weeks from the date you turn in your application.
Federal Public Assistance
Federal public benefits are generally defined by statute as “any grant, contract, loan, professional license or commercial
license provided by” a U.S. agency and “any retirement, welfare, health, disability, public or assisted housing, postsecondary education, food assistance, unemployment benefit or any similar benefit.”
Normally, people who have entered the United States with an F visa/status or J visa/status are not eligible to receive any federal public benefits. This rule may be waived if:
- You are a Canadian-born member of a tribe of Native Americans who are recognized by the U.S. federal government and are defined as eligible for federal public assistance in INA §289; or
- You are the spouse or child of a U.S. citizens whose petition
has been approved and who has a pending application for adjustment of status; or
- You or your child has been battered or subjected to extreme cruelty in the United States by a family member with whom you reside. In addition, you must demonstrate a “substantial connection”
between the domestic violence and the need for the benefit being sought. The battered immigrant, parent, or child must also have moved out of the household of the abuser, and the immigrant or the immigrant’s child must have begun the process of legalizing based on the petition of a spouse or parent, or, in certain cases, based on a self-petition.
Oregon Driver's Licences
Effective February 4, 2008, the identity document standards required in order to get an Oregon driver's licence changed. This was due to an executive order signed by Governor Ted Kulongoski. Some people are reporting this will make it impossible to get a driver's licence without a Social Security Number (SSN), but this is incorrect; students who have never been issued a Social Security Number (SSN) can still apply for and receive a licence.
Existing Oregon driver licenses and identification cards will remain valid until the expiration of the card. However, if the card needs to be replaced (e.g., lost or stolen), all applicants must meet the new requirements beginning February 4, 2008. The complete lists of acceptable identity and date of birth documents required when applying for a driver license, driver permit and identification card are available at DMV Field Offices or online at www.OregonDMV.com.
For persons who have a Social Security number (SSN):
- DMV will compare the applicant’s name, SSN, and date of birth with data on file with the federal Social Security Administration (SSA). If the information does not match, DMV will not issue.
- In addition to providing a verifiable SSN the applicant must provide at least one identity document approved by DMV, including but not limited to a U.S. birth certificate, U.S. passport, federal Department of Homeland Security (DHS) document, etc.
- Applicants who provide an SSN that cannot be verified may have to present additional documentation to DMV or work with SSA to correct the problem. A common reason for information not verifying with SSA could be a name changes due to marriage, divorce, adoptions, etc.
For persons who have never been issued a Social Security number (SSN):
- Applicants must complete and sign a “Statement of No Social Security Number” form certifying that he/she has never been issued an SSN.
- In addition to signing the statement, applicants who do not have an SSN must provide at least one identity and date of birth document approved by DMV.
- Applicants who have never been issued an SSN and present a foreign issued passport as proof of their identity and date of birth will be required to provide a valid document issued by the federal Department of Homeland Security that has not expired:
- Valid US Visa or
- Valid I-94 Card
Staying Connected with Home
Canada
Connect2Canada is an initiative of the Canadian Embassy that seeks to inform people about developments in Canada and Canada-U.S. relations.
The Connect2Canada website has a section specially designed for students that includes links to Canadian student clubs, information resources on travel, visas, taxes, and financial aid that students will find helpful. If you have a Canadian student club or would like to start one, we would like to include it on the Connect2Canada site. The events calendar and Canadian music resource page will keep you informed about Canadian bands and performers coming to your city.
Canadian students are invited to visit Connect2Canada.com and join the network. As a member, you can receive newsletters and updates on a range of topics regarding Canada and Canada-U.S. relations. You can also receive invitations to events and exclusive offers, access to a national events calendar, and opportunities to connect with fellow members.