I've been told that I can't get a driving license or open a bank account in my own name unless I have a social security number. Anyone know if that's true?!?!?
Maybe there is a way around it, but I wouldn't know.
If you already have a driver's license for Texas you might be able to exchange it for a PR license - check with the DTOP
I'm not too current with visa anymore (I have my'green card' for quite some time now) but shouldn't you have some sort of visa - that might be good enough to qualify for a SS number -Â to be able to stay longer than 6 months?
You need your social security card and a local address.  You need social security card for many official transactions.Â
As far as driving license. I do not know if the following is a legal thing to do but almost all new comers do it.Â
1) get the driving record form your local dvm 2) go to AAA office and claim that you lost your driver license and issue a new one 3) in PR at DTOP get a new license using your old driver license and the driving record
Now you have two. Why? Nobody outside of PR accepts PR's driving license as a legal document!
You can't do ANYTHING here without a SS # and if you want a license or house or bank account you have to GIVE them a copy of a birth certificate that they keep!