Paperwork

You've done all the paperwork and have finally made it into the country. You've realised that there's a special line at immigration called "New Immigrants" through which you can be processed a little faster than anyone else. In the world of the I.N.S. this has got to be a first for you.

Then you move through customs and out into America. A new country. A new beginning. Congratulations! You alone know what you've come through to get here... and now you wonder, "What next?"

Through the eyes of an immigrant the U.S.A. can and does seem like a daunting place. You as a new arrival are likely to have some kind of mentor or contact here, but even they cannot prepare you for the jungle of beaurocracy, the six-lane roads and many other factors that jumble together to form a distinct cultural shock. You find yourself asking things like:

• Where can I go for help?
• What should my first steps be to get into "the system"?
• How can I avoid doing illegal things when I don't know they're illegal?
• Where's the nearest dictionary so I can convert American English into British English... and should I learn Spanish?

No number; no person

Arriving in America for the first time with many different things to cope with all at once, it's easy to at first miss how often the number is required to allow you to get into the swing of things. For a start you need it to get a drivers license. As most states require you to obtain their license within ten days of you making your home there, this can be tricky: the social security number can take up to two weeks to arrive. You need it to open bank accounts, and to invest. You need it to take on a job. To enrol at a college evening class. And so on. And so forth.

Not bad, for something which you are expected to find out for yourself. It's also incredibly annoying when you discover that you cannot do any of the above things without applying for a card which takes two weeks to arrive. Oh well.

Your very own S.S.N.

To find out your local branch, either use the Yellow Pages or Social Security Online which also gives as much information on social security as you generally want to know. It is possible to make appointments which will reduce your wait. The offices are generally quieter towards the end of the week.

You will enter a plain room which for the most part has the feel of a dental surgery. Nobody really wants to go there, but they do anyway because they have to. Most everyone looks bored. As you walk in, take a numbered tag from the dispenser by the door. Then sit on one of the plastic chairs, read your book, and wait for your number to be called. When I went there, my number was B00. I waited for the official there to call out "Boo!" but sadly she did not.

If you have an appointment, your name will be called and you go into the main office (i.e. away from the waiting room) to sort out your business. If not, you go up to the window where you are called and conduct your business in public. But nobody in the waiting room is really listening so this isn't too much of a problem.

If you can, obtain the application form (SS-5 or SS-5SP in Spanish) in advance. You can call for it to be mailed to you or download it from the internet website. Alternatively, you can just show up at the office and collect one from the front, filling it out while you wait. If you do not know exactly what your status is, don't worry about it. The social security people have directories in which they look up your visa class and can advise you on that.

The service is courteous but efficient. If you have questions, make sure you ask them promptly or you will be whisked along and the next person called. You do not get the number right away, it will be mailed to you in the form of a flimsy card. Also, if your visa gives you some kind of provisional status, it will be marked "Valid for work only with INS authorisation". Try not to lose the card; you will need it many times over.

Also bear in mind that your number will not be fully in the system for a few days after it is issued, so computerised systems such as you might find in a bank might come up with "Number not valid." If you bring the card with you, you can prove there and then that you really exist and are not a figment of anyone's imagination.

If you're an immigrant who has no permission to work, the only time you can get a social security number is to obtain a drivers license. This means even more paperwork. You will need to go down to your local DMV office (Department of Motor Vehicles). To find this, use the Yellow Pages or the website for your particular state, if there is one. (Search for "Department of Motor Vehicles" or "DMV".) Pass the written section of the driving test, take a slip with you back to the social security people who will issue you with a card that states clearly that it is not valid for work, and then go back and do the rest of your driving test. Hope you pass. Good luck.

History

However, as an organisation, it is still there to serve you. After all, you will pay taxes into its funds and benefit from Medicare when you retire. Also, your social security number will go on your annual tax return so the I.R.S. (Internal Revenue Service) knows where you are. You have a right to know what it's all about; the website is a good starting point.

It's a good idea to know where to find the nearest office: you might end up having to query your payments at some point. When you work, the taxes will be taken directly from your wage; when you are self-employed you have to pay the taxes yourself in the form of self-employment tax. But all that's by the by. You need that number first, and when you get it you're in The System. Hooray. Big Brother really is watching you. But at least you can drive on the freeway now.