Once you establish yourself as a legal permanent resident of Kentucky or another part of the United States, you need to secure a new Social Security number and Social Security card. Having the card in your possession gives you the ability to work anywhere in the country without conditions. You used to have to obtain your green card and Social Security number separately. However, a recent rule change dictates that you may now cross both of these items off your list at the same time.
Per the Miami Herald, all new lawful permanent residents of the United States now have the right to apply for green cards and Social Security numbers in the same step.
How it works
Because of a partnership between U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and the Social Security Administration, you may now apply for both a green card and a Social Security number while completing your adjustment of status application. Form I-485, the Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status, has also undergone updating. It now asks questions that help you secure both of these items through one effort.
Why things changed
The idea behind streamlining the processes of securing both green cards and Social Security numbers is that doing so saves applicants time and makes processing more efficient for administrators. Having the two government agencies work in close collaboration, proponents of the change say, cuts out unnecessary bureaucracy.
You have to pay a filing fee when you submit Form I-485. However, if you are like most applicants, the amount of the fee should not change despite the recent rule change.
