Got my SSN today

Finally got my SSN today. I didnt have to wait long though. Just took 8 days to come through. The trick here is to wait for at least two weeks after entry, before putting in your SSN application. I dont know why, but lot of people have told me that applying too early for the SSN actually delays the process. It seems that for the SSN application to pass thru, the immigration details have to be updated by INS. If upon application the SSA finds that your immigration details from the port of entry have not been updated into the system the entire process gets delayed. I have seen guys waiting for their SSN for as long as three months. For the uninitiated the SSN is the single most important piece of information in the US. It is a unique number and is used as an identifier for a person. Your credit history, rental history, driving history, tax history etc etc is all tracked using your SSN. So without an SSN you are as good as a vegetable in here. Nobody will give you rental property, nobody will issue a driving license and most banks wont open a bank account for you.