SOCIAL SECURITY INFORMATION FOR CURRENT TRAINEES

You will need to apply for a Social Security Card once you arrive in the United States. Your host company needs your Social Security Number for payroll purposes, though you may get paid while you are waiting to receive your Social Security number, as long as you provide your host company with a receipt of proof of application (which you can get from the Social Security office when you apply). Your host company can generate a placeholder to use for tax purposes until you receive your actual number. Some host companies prefer not to do this so be prepared to receive no monies for at least the first 30 days in the US.

You are required to alert Pan Atlantic within 24 hours of your arrival in the US. One of the reasons for this is that we need to validate you in SEVIS, the government's computerized database, within 24 hours of your arrival. Any delay in alerting Pan Atlantic of your arrival will mean a delay in updating your status in the government database, which can significantly slow down the amount of time it takes to receive your Social Security card.

After contacting Pan Atlantic to confirm your US arrival you can complete an application for a Social Security card, which is included in your paperwork. It can also be downloaded by going to the Social Security Administration Website . Generally it takes about ten days after validation in SEVIS to show up as active in the Social Security Administration system. You may want to wait 10 days after you call Pan Atlantic to confirm your arrival to go to the Social Security office to apply (it might save you from having to go to the office a second time because you did not show up as active in the system the first time).

Once you have completed the application form you should go to your nearest Social Security Office to apply. Bring your DS-2019 form, your completed application, and your passport with the I-94 card (which you received at the airport upon entry to the US), in case the Social Security Administration Official asks to see them.

After applying you should receive your card in the mail within 2-4 weeks. When asked where you want your card sent, you may want to have it sent "care of" the company where you are training, especially if you do not yet have a US address.