Immigrants Can Now Apply for Green Card and Social Security Number Simultaneously

On August 9, 2021 U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that effective immediately green card applicants will now be able to apply for their Social Security Number (SSN) or a replacement card at the same time they apply for permanent residency (green cards). This new process, comes in reaction to a new partnership between USCIS and the Social Security Administration, announced by the Biden Administration on Monday. Prior to this change, immigrants were not able to do them at the same time and had to apply for their SSN at a Social Security Office, which added additional time to the process. Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status, will be amended by USCIS to reflect the change. There will not be any change to the filing fee for Form I-485.

“This expansion of our partnership with the Social Security Administration illustrates our commitment to operating our nation’s immigration system more efficiently to save applicants time,” said USCIS Director Ur M. Jaddou. “Eliminating unnecessary bureaucracy and optimizing collaboration across public-serving agencies is a key priority for this agency and the Biden-Harris administration.”

How To Apply for Green Card and Social Security Number Simultaneously

According to USCIS, they receive about 576,000 I-485s every year. If your Form I-485 is approved then you get a green card which allows you to have permanent residency in the United States and the ability to work. With the new process, after USCIS approves your I-485 they will electronically send your information directly to the Social Security Administration to process your number. “Upon receiving the data, the Social Security Administration will automatically assign an original SSN or issue a replacement card, as appropriate.”

Filing Fee for Form I-485

The fee for filing Form I-485 will not change. See the chart below to determine which amount you would be responsible for.