Immigration and Naturalization Service's Ability
to Provide Timely and Accurate Alien Information
to the Social Security Administration

Report Number I-2003-001
November 2002

LETTER TO INSPECTOR GENERAL SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION

INTRODUCTION

SSA's Efforts to Improve Control of Issuing SSNs
Purpose of the Review
Scope and Methodology

PART 1: THE IMMIGRANT VISA PROCESS

Filing the Immigrant Visa Petition and Application
U.S. Port of Entry Inspection of Immigrants
Issuing Social Security Numbers to Immigrants
Immigrant Visa DataShare
SSA's Participation in Immigrant Visa DataShare
INS Implementation of Immigrant Visa DataShare
INS Management of Immigrant Visa DataShare

PART 2: THE NONIMMIGRANT VISA PROCESS

Filing the Nonimmigrant Visa Petition
Filing the Nonimmigrant Visa Application
U.S. Port of Entry Inspection of Nonimmigrants
Processing and Transmitting Forms I-94
Issuing Social Security Numbers to Nonimmigrants
INS Processing Time for Nonimmigrant Data
INS Ability to Ensure the Accuracy of Nonimmigrant Data

CONCLUSION