Always conduct an Alphadent search at the beginning of the interview process to ensure the exchange visitor has not already been assigned an SSN. Often, exchange visitors make more than one visit to the US and may have already been assigned an SSN on a prior trip, even though he or she might not remember having received an SSN. Request the search under any possible variations of the name and birth date, including exactly as shown on each document. Subsequently, careful input of the name(s) also helps the Enumeration system find prior SSNs assigned and reduces the possibility of multiple numbers being assigned to the person.

J1 exchange visitors may arrive in one city and then travel to another part of the country where their actual program activity may take place. Since the exchange visitors may have filed an SSN application upon first arriving in the US and then visit another SSA office at the ultimate work destination, ask if an SSN application was filed when they first arrived, if they have received any kind of “acknowledgment” letter from SSA and check the Enumeration system to see if an SSN application is pending for that individual. Again, careful input of names and searches under possible variations will produce the most reliable results. If there is no pending application and the Alphadent search does not yield a match, continue with processing the SSN application by entering into the Enumeration system.

If there is a pending SSN application, and it is awaiting verification from SAVE (Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements), advise the exchange visitor of SAVE processing times per RM 10214.100. Advise the exchange visitor that we must verify all immigration documents before we can complete processing of the SSN application. DO NOT tell the exchange visitor that we cannot process the application because it is “suspect” or because he or she “is not in the (SAVE) system.”

If the SSN application is pending verification in your field office (FO), make any necessary updates (such as address). Determine if any additional action is needed to verify the exchange visitor’s immigration status per RM 10214.100.

If the application is pending in another FO, ask the exchange visitor if there have been any changes (e.g., mailing address) since the original filing. If there are any changes, notify the FO with the pending application to update the information in the Enumeration system per RM 10205.060.

Assume the other FO will follow up with SAVE as appropriate.

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  RM 10211.365, How to Enter Information from Form DS-2019 (Certificate of Eligibility for Exchange Visitor (J1) status) into the Enumeration System

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  RM 10211.370, Information to Help J1 Exchange Visitors with Employer Issues