Travails about getting a Social Security Number in US!

Before landing to America, the so called "developed country" I was having a notion that the country will
be having everything perfect in place. I arrived in US from India. The events what I describe below is
shame on America. Every citizen entering America for a job or long term stay is required to have something
called Social Security Number (SSN number) . This is such an important number that without it you cannot
open a Bank Account , take a driving license and so so.
The system here in US is worst than most of the countries i had visited. I was lucky staying in several
countries. Even India , a populated country things like this and grivence mechanisms are better than in US.
Thats what I genuinely feel , after going thru the below described events.
see what happnened in my case
I arrived in Newyork. At the airport we are required to fill a document called I-94. Here you are required to
fill lot of your personal information. I entered everything perfect. The officer at the USCIS made wrong
entry for my date of birth. I was not knowing this.
Now after somedays i applied for SSN number :) . They give a referral number for tracking once you apply
for SSN. The sad part is thru a website you cannot check the status with this referral number. There is a toll
free number you can call , if you call you it will go to an IVR and thirty minitues you are bombarded by
what USCIS is all about and what they do , all the things other than what information you require :) its very
funny to call that toll free number. Finally they said i have to contact the local SSN office for the
status :) . A country of billion people India is having better systems in place for getting such a important
and necessary document most of the times things can be checked online. I dont understand the foolishness behind
giving a referrence number to track over phone , but not over internet :) very funny. By this time one month
had passed by, one cannot open a bank account or have a mobile number or do anything which is important for a
living :) I was amazed to see how the most developed country in the world had got screwed up its procedures
in the name of security :) .Rather i could find strange arguments from USCIS toll free number when i enquired
why they are not providing such data online. "Its a personal identification number so they dont give online"
Joke !!! but the same thing they will give if you tell the referrence number over phone :) .
Local office informed me that SSN was denied and i have to apply for SSN again. I enquired why it was denied ?
They said the problem is with the USCIS which entered the Date of Birth wrongly into the system. THe local SSN
office gave an electronic request to correct my date of birth , then asked me to contact back after one week.
Its been four weeks, things are very much there :)
Again the inefficiency was reflected clearly , I was in constant touch with SSN office and its been four weeks
they had not modified the Date of birth till now. For the first time in life i was thing how good Indian system
is , we may be have to bribe a little but things are convinient , may be less than 3$ will be the bribe amount
but things can be straight forward if you have sufficient proof to show to correct documents. Think that the amount
you are paying as bribe is a fees , still the system is good or better. And now a days most of the things you yourself can do
online , here US is still living in a situation which was in India in 90's.
I enquired for greivence and redressal mechanisms, they exist but still very very dissimal performance.
Life is very easy in India. The only remarkable difference i can see on the positive side is Traffic
and pollution. Otherwise US is almost similar to India in living conditions or inferior sometimes India is far
better when comparing the cost to maintain the living condition.
We curse the system in India , and always say bad about our Government officials, but the reality is American
systems are far outdated and inefficient if you compare the Government Institutions. This is not written
to say that everything is bad in US , but clearly i could see lot of fellow gentleman like me who had faced
similar situations . You can simply search in google "USCIS errors" and see how many cases are like this to see
the gravity of the problem :) . First i thought my case is oneofakind problem :) but thats not the case !!!

America Sucks !!!! :) Its a funny and a big comedy to see all these things. I enjoy this now !!!

Hi,

I am sorry u had to go through the so-called probs.! We've been here, for couple of yrs. and have not heard of anything like this or seen anything like this. I am a die hard Indian, All countries have their good and bad sides, but I think its so wrong on ur part to write America Sucks! I luv my homeland, but we are here for our Roti, Kapda aur makaan, and will never disrespect this land. No one is forcing u to stay here, u can always go back home! Its sad how we sometimes spit on the plate that offers us food (Jis me khathe ho usi mein chhedh karthe ho). U'e mentioned Life is easy in India, then why r u here???????????

Hello ddn,

I am sorry you had to go through all the problems. People come here with lots of high expectations which ultimately leads to disappointments for few people. But just because there was one instance you faced turned out to be problematic, it doesn't mean that all the things end up like this in the U.S....I am very patriotic and I love India a lot...You cannot compare apples to oranges which I guess u'r trying to do....There is only one thing I can say is good luck and hope things work out for you as soon as possible

Hi,
I'm sorry for all the hassles you had to undergo. when i applied for SSN i had no problem - got it in two weeks. usually the systems here are pretty good. i would suggest checking all the info on i-94 at the airport itself so you can get it corrected if there is any problem, btw as I recall the officer doesn't write date of birth - just stamps the card with a valid date till which you can legally stay here. anyway good luck and hope you can get it resolved soon.