New American Without an SSN
Hi, all,
I'm a Canadian who received my first US passport as an adult via my mother a year ago. They had no record of me being an American beforehand, and it was actually quite hard to prove I am technically a citizen through my mother.
I live in Canada. I am still struggling to get a SSN because I have to prove every year of my life was lived outside of the United States to receive one. So far, they have rejected my info because I don't have much from the ages of 3 to 5.
Because of this, I can't report myself as an American to financial institutions or file W-9s for potential freelance clients in the United States. I also can't report my taxes, and the more I look into the non-income tax financial burdens (investing, TFSAs, etc.), the more I'm considering renouncing it.
This is where I'm confused: The backlog for renouncing in Canada is a few years.
If I choose to do so, should I: Renounce before getting a social security number? Or: Get one to stay on the up and up in the meantime?
Thanks so much for your time.