Denied Social Security applicants with ‘240K’ permits called back

The Social Security Administration office on Saipan is calling back all “240K” CNMI immigration permit holders whose applications for Social Security cards were not accepted or denied starting January.

Leslie S. Walker, regional communications director of the Social Security Administration Region 9 office in California, said SSA now has “interim regulations” that allow the federal office to accept and process the Social Security card applications of 240K permit holders.

“People who were turned down before because they have 240K permits are now being asked to go back to see if they’re eligible to receive a Social Security card,” Walker told Saipan Tribune in a telephone interview yesterday.

But not all applicants with 240K permit holders are guaranteed to get their SS card application granted.

Among other things, they should be a legal resident and are authorized to work in the CNMI under a 240K status, said Walker.

The SSA office on Saipan, headed by district manager Bridgette M Camacho, started calling applicants back in on Tuesday.

Jack Woods, whose wife Erica’s application for a Social Security card was denied because she holds a 240K permit, yesterday said when they were called back to the SSA office yesterday to submit a completed application form, “it took us less than five minutes inside.”

“They told us we should be receiving the Social Security card in the mail in two to three weeks. My wife’s application was denied in March and on Tuesday, they called us, and we came in Wednesday,” Woods said.

When the CNMI immigration regulations were amended, many of those who were previously given a “706K” classification were provided “240K” permits.

Acting Immigration director Tony Sablan yesterday confirmed that the regulations took effect on Jan. 1.

But the change in the local immigration’s classification of permit holders did not match with Social Security Administration’s own categories and procedures. As a result, SSA stopped accepting applications from “240K” permit holders since the beginning of the year.

SSA Region 9’s Walker said SSA had to write new procedures as a result of the CNMI Division of Immigration’s decision to amend the regulations and change the classification of permit holders.

While SSA was reviewing and revising its procedures, the SSA Saipan office stopped taking in applications from those with 240K permits.

“We apologize for the delay caused. …The Saipan office now has what we call interim regulations they can use to accept and process applications of those with 240K permit. They now have a list of 240K persons legally admitted and have authorization to work. Now, the SS office is taking in applications to verify official documents,” Walker added.

The U.S. Social Security Administration is an independent agency of the United States federal government that administers Social Security, a social insurance program consisting of retirement, disability, and survivors’ benefits.

On Saipan, the U.S. Social Security Administration has its office on the second floor of the MH-II Building in the Garapan/Puerto Rico area. For more information, call 234-6203.