I have a Social Security Number through my Ojibway Indian Status. I moved from Canada and worked here for a period of about 12 years and obtained a permanent resident card. I moved back to Canada for 10 years and now have returned to Florida to work for the winter months. Is my SSN good to go or will I run into any issues?
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Did you obtain your SS card before you got the green card (i.e. based on your Indian status) or after (i.e. based on being an LPR)? You have a right to take employment in either case but if your SSN was associated with your now-expired LPR status an employer using E-Verify might(?) get a TNC result. The employer will also find out who you need to talk with to fix this, though, so there is no need to do anything beforehand.– user38879Commented Dec 19, 2017 at 18:07
1 Answer
US social security numbers are permanent.
https://www.ssa.gov/history/hfaq.html
Q20: Are Social Security numbers reused after a person dies?
A: No. We do not reassign a Social Security number (SSN) after the number holder's death. Even though we have issued over 453 million SSNs so far, and we assign about 5 and one-half million new numbers a year, the current numbering system will provide us with enough new numbers for several generations into the future with no changes in the numbering system.
While this does not absolutely prove I am right, it indicates that SSNs are assigned to a person and never reassigned, therefore your number will be reused when you re-immigrate to the US.
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1Excellent finding, and I agree with your hypothesis. Thank you for adding the source. Commented Dec 19, 2017 at 18:10
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2"Unless your situation has changed and you are no longer permitted to live and work in the US (unlikely since you are of First Nations descent), your social security number will continue to be valid." Even if the person is no longer permitted to live and work in the US, the Social Security Number remains valid for life, and the person must use that SSN in any place that requires it (e.g. if they file taxes, they must use their SSN, and cannot apply for an ITIN). Commented Dec 19, 2017 at 19:24
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@user102008 Correct - that wasn't really my intention, rather that he could resume using it if eligible - but I have deleted that whole sentence since it's largely irrelevant. Commented Dec 19, 2017 at 19:43