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New to US : Car & Social Security Number

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  • 20-06-2013 2:33pm
    #1
    FlashAnderson
    Registered Users Posts: 3 ✭


    Hi All,

    I'll be moving to the States on a H1B Visa. I'm in the process of sorting out accommodation and the like - my employer is looking after the VISA and moving costs but I need to sort everything else out myself.

    1. How do I buy a car (or rather drive a car)?

    I'll be moving over in August. I have a full Irish drivers license. Can I but a car off a garage by just walking in off the street? If so, can I get my own insurance? Does anyone know if I need to retake a driving test, or can my license transfer (a least for a little while)?

    2. Social Security Number

    It seems you need a social security number for everything, including a bank account. Does it take long to obtain, or does it come with the VISA? I'm worried that I will arrive in the US with nu number and have to wait for 2 weeks before I get the social security number. During this time I wont be able to open a bank account, so I wont be able to buy a phone, I wont be able to rent a house, I wont be able to start work, etc.... So essentially I'll be living in a hotel with my life on hold until I get the number... perhaps I'm over-thinking this?

    I was on a J1 Visa about 10 years ago and got a Social Security Number. I cant find it anymore though (I remember I got a little card with the information printed on it). Is there an easy way to find this out?

    Thanks in advance for you advice!


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    #2
    crapmanjoe
    Registered Users Posts: 472 ✭✭crapmanjoe


    FlashAnderson wrote: »
    Hi All,

    I'll be moving to the States on a H1B Visa. I'm in the process of sorting out accommodation and the like - my employer is looking after the VISA and moving costs but I need to sort everything else out myself.

    1. How do I buy a car (or rather drive a car)?

    I'll be moving over in August. I have a full Irish drivers license. Can I but a car off a garage by just walking in off the street? If so, can I get my own insurance? Does anyone know if I need to retake a driving test, or can my license transfer (a least for a little while)?

    2. Social Security Number

    It seems you need a social security number for everything, including a bank account. Does it take long to obtain, or does it come with the VISA? I'm worried that I will arrive in the US with nu number and have to wait for 2 weeks before I get the social security number. During this time I wont be able to open a bank account, so I wont be able to buy a phone, I wont be able to rent a house, I wont be able to start work, etc.... So essentially I'll be living in a hotel with my life on hold until I get the number... perhaps I'm over-thinking this?

    I was on a J1 Visa about 10 years ago and got a Social Security Number. I cant find it anymore though (I remember I got a little card with the information printed on it). Is there an easy way to find this out?

    Thanks in advance for you advice!

    1. I think the policy is that you can drive for upto 90 days on your Irish license and then are required to get a license from the state you live in. I'm here two years and have never bothered to get one (rent a car approx twice a month for work) and I've never had any problem.

    I think that either you wont be able to get insurance on a private car without a state license or else if you can it will be alot more expensive.

    The requirements for getting a license vary from state to state but in general you cant just exchange Irish license for a US license. You will most likely need to sit the practical but wont have to take a theory or get lessons etc.

    2. I opened up a bank account and got a credit card without a SSN or without even being in the country, check does your employer have a relationship / referell with any bank - will help avoid the SSN issue and will allow you to get a credit card which will help build credit.

    The SSN you got on your J1 is still valid, I think you will need to goto the SS office and apply for a replacement card - takes about 2 weeks to get issued.

    See can you find any of your tax returns / filings from your J1 - it should be on that. I cant think of any other way of finding it out.

    Best of luck


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    #3
    ProudDUB
    Registered Users Posts: 11,569 ✭✭✭✭ProudDUB


    The SSN you got 10 years ago is the one that you still have now, even though you have not had reason to remember it. You'll have it for the rest of your life. You don't get a new one just because you are getting a new visa. To get your number and card re issued to you, you'll have to contact the social security administration in the city where you are moving to, and find out their protocol for re issuing the SSN. The card itself will be posted out to you, but they may or may not give you the number over the phone if you can provide details such as date of birth, passport number, city and date where it was applied for, that kind of stuff.

    Or for security reasons, they may make you go into an office and do it there. Americans take identity theft very seriously and as most of it is linked to SSNs, the cards are taken very seriously too. No one ever actually asks to see the card, they just ask you for the number, so if you can expedite getting that, it will make things easier for you. Technically banks are not supposed to open accounts for people without SSN's. But if you bring in your passport with your visa stamp to show that you are in the country legally & you explain that you are waiting to be sent your SSN, you may very well get a bank that will help you out.

    You will need a SSN to buy and drive a car, as you'll it to get a drivers license, pay your motor tax and get insurance. All states have different policies on how long (if at all) they will honour the drivers licenses from other states and countries. It can be as long as one year and as short as 30 days. Check out the website of the Dept of Motor Vechicles or the Dept of Transport of the state that you are moving to, and it will have a listing for what people who are moving to that state need to do to drive legally in that state. Even if you are not planning on buying a car straight away, go into the DMV and get your self as photo ID. The DMV issue them too. It looks just like a DL, and as you'll be asked for photo ID for simple day to day things such as having a beer in a bar to apt hunting, its handy not having to tote your passport around with you everywhere.


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    #4
    biddywiddy
    Registered Users Posts: 440 ✭✭biddywiddy


    crapmanjoe wrote: »
    The SSN you got on your J1 is still valid, I think you will need to goto the SS office and apply for a replacement card - takes about 2 weeks to get issued.

    This was true for us.

    When we arrived here, we went to the local Social Security Office. We both had SSNs from our J-1s. I had a record of mine (no card though), so I applied for a replacement card, and they confirmed that the number will stay the same. My boyfriend didn't have any record of his SSN. They found the old number for him, gave him a screen print with the info, and applied for a replacement card for him. The card will take about 2 weeks to arrive, but you can get confirmation of the number on the day.

    When you arrive at the Social Security Office, you'll get a number in the queue. Use this time to fill out the form for new/replacement Social Security card.

    Can't help you with the car question though - we're still figuring that out. We'll go to the DMV either today or tomorrow to find out the story with getting a license here. We'll probably have to rent a car to do the test.


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    #5
    MadsL
    Registered Users Posts: 20,299 ✭✭✭✭MadsL


    crapmanjoe wrote: »
    The requirements for getting a license vary from state to state but in general you cant just exchange Irish license for a US license. You will most likely need to sit the practical but wont have to take a theory or get lessons etc.

    Theory & Eye Test only for New Mexico. No Practical test.

    PITA proving residence though with rented accommodation. All utilities in landlords name and NM won't accept cell phones contracts as a utility.

    As one of the states that issues licences to illegals, it is really demanding to prove residency.


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    #6
    lonestargirl
    Registered Users Posts: 1,501 ✭✭✭lonestargirl


    crapmanjoe wrote: »
    1. I think the policy is that you can drive for upto 90 days on your Irish license and then are required to get a license from the state you live in. I'm here two years and have never bothered to get one (rent a car approx twice a month for work) and I've never had any problem.

    I think that either you wont be able to get insurance on a private car without a state license or else if you can it will be alot more expensive.

    The requirements for getting a license vary from state to state but in general you cant just exchange Irish license for a US license. You will most likely need to sit the practical but wont have to take a theory or get lessons
    The requirements for how long you can drive on a foreign license after becoming resident vary from state to state too, Texas is 1 year if coming from outside the US.


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    #7
    ProudDUB
    Registered Users Posts: 11,569 ✭✭✭✭ProudDUB


    On the driving thing, remember that your license is only one part of the equation. Insurance and motor tax are the other parts of it. Just like Ireland, you must have insurance before you can take you car on the road. Am totally open to correction on this, but I'd be doubtful if the insurance companies will sell you a policy unless you have a US license.


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    #8
    lonestargirl
    Registered Users Posts: 1,501 ✭✭✭lonestargirl


    ProudDUB wrote: »
    On the driving thing, remember that your license is only one part of the equation. Insurance and motor tax are the other parts of it. Just like Ireland, you must have insurance before you can take you car on the road. Am totally open to correction on this, but I'd be doubtful if the insurance companies will sell you a policy unless you have a US license.

    We got insurance no problem on our Irish licences.


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    #9
    MadsL
    Registered Users Posts: 20,299 ✭✭✭✭MadsL


    ProudDUB wrote: »
    On the driving thing, remember that your license is only one part of the equation. Insurance and motor tax are the other parts of it. Just like Ireland, you must have insurance before you can take you car on the road. Am totally open to correction on this, but I'd be doubtful if the insurance companies will sell you a policy unless you have a US license.

    Geico gave me six months grace to get a licence.


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    #10
    ProudDUB
    Registered Users Posts: 11,569 ✭✭✭✭ProudDUB


    Phew. Am glad put in that I was open to correction there. :D


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    #11
    InTheTrees
    Registered Users Posts: 9,900 ✭✭✭InTheTrees


    ProudDUB wrote: »
    On the driving thing, remember that your license is only one part of the equation. Insurance and motor tax are the other parts of it. Just like Ireland, you must have insurance before you can take you car on the road. Am totally open to correction on this, but I'd be doubtful if the insurance companies will sell you a policy unless you have a US license.

    Well to be clear you can walk in off the street, buy a car and leave with it.

    Its illegal to drive without insurance though, but its up to you to get it. You dont have to show proof of insurance to pay the tax or register it. (at least thats the way it is here in Washington).

    And I dont know about selling a policy to a foreign licence holder but I'm guessing that an American Insurance Salesman could probably make it happen. Sounds awfully unamerican to deny an insurance company the right to sell a policy to anyone...at a price. :)


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