I have a job offer but am still waiting for my OPT EAD and SSN. I know I will need my physical EAD to apply for the SSN, but can an SSA office give me the SSN number as soon as I apply so I can give it to my employer for I-9 purposes? Is it possible to get the SSN number before the physical card arrives?
You do not need your Social Security number to start working, but you do need your physical Employment Authorization Document (EAD) card in hand.
You can cross this worry off your list. The government allows your employer to hire you and let you start working with just your EAD while you wait for your Social Security card to arrive in the mail.
Optional Practical Training (OPT) allows F-1 students to work. To prove you are authorized, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issues an Employment Authorization Document, commonly called an EAD or work permit.
You must have the physical EAD card in hand to start working and to apply for a Social Security number (SSN) in person. A receipt or approval notice is not enough. The Social Security Administration (SSA) requires you to show your current, unexpired EAD to prove your immigration status and work eligibility.
You asked if an SSA office can give you your SSN as soon as you apply, or if you can get the number before the physical card arrives. The answer is no. You must wait for the physical Social Security card to arrive in the mail.
However, you do not need the SSN to complete your Form I-9 or to start your job. Form I-9 is the form all U.S. employers use to verify your identity and right to work. The EAD is a List A document for Form I-9, meaning it proves both your identity and your work authorization all by itself.
If your employer uses E-Verify, which is an electronic system employers use to confirm employment eligibility, they do need your SSN eventually. But they are required to let you start working while you wait for it.
