In August 2021, USCIS announced that they are revising the adjustment of status form to include a question about the Social Security Number and that they’re coordinating with the Social Security office so individuals can automatically receive their Social Security card in the mail after receiving their green card.

Read: USCIS Expands Partnership with Social Security Administration

The adjustment of status is a process that an individual completes within the United States. There’s an interview that the couple attends where they’re asked questions about the relationship. There are many forms that are filed with the application and one of the forms is called an I-485 adjustment of status form.

The way that it used to be is that you would file your whole adjustment of status application, attend your interview, and go through all of the steps. When you received your green card, there was another form that you would have to fill out to be able to receive your Social Security card.

It was basically a separate process that you had to complete to be able to receive that Social Security card. There were a lot of complications with that especially with COVID because the Social Security office has been closed and it’s made it really difficult for individuals to receive their Social Security card.

This new announcement is basically saying you won’t have to do that anymore. USCIS has coordinated with the Social Security office on this new form. You’re going to consent to immigration providing your information to the Social Security office so the Social Security office can issue you a card.

As you can see, this is great news. One less step in your immigration journey.

On that form, there’s a question that says, “Do you want a Social Security card? Do you authorize us to release your information so you can receive your Social Security card?” You would fill out that information.

We highly recommend that you do that because if you don’t, then you’ll have that whole additional step after to obtain your Social Security card. Your Social Security number is your Social Security number for life.

You might have a Social Security number already because you’ve had some type of other current immigration benefit or there’s some other reason you had a Social Security number in the past. If you already have one, there’ll be another place on that form that you’ll provide that Social Security card and they’ll ask you, “Do you want a replacement card?”

We also highly recommend that you say yes to that unless you receive other advice from your attorney that’s handling your case. But we recommend that you say yes to that because that means immigration will give you a new card based on your adjustment of status application.

Even though it’s the same number, it’s really important and it would be another step you would have to do after receiving your green card. You would still have to update your Social Security records with the Social Security office so they know that you are now a lawful permanent resident. That you’ve now received your green card. That is what that replacement card question is.

The other part of the announcement is that there won’t be an additional fee for this service. The fee will stay the same. Immigration can always change the price for each of the forms but they are not increasing the price just because of that additional service for the Social Security card.

Lastly, the announcement says that once you receive your green card, you should receive your Social Security card two weeks later. Two weeks has been unheard of for anything in the immigration process. But that is what the announcement says.