How Get Your Social Security Card

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you will need to verify your age
your identity
and your status as a United States citizen with valid
unexpired identification documents. You must present the original copies of these documents. The only copies that will be accepted are those that were made and certified by the agency that issued those documents. Trustworthy Source Go to source There are three criteria that must be met
and you will need to be able to provide the following documents to meet each requirement:proof of citizenship
such as U.S. birth certificate or a U.S. passport Trustworthy Source Go to sourcea record of age and date of birth
including religious record showing date of birth
U.S. hospital record
or U.S. passport Trustworthy Source Go to sourceproof of identity
including a U.S. drivers license
a state-issued (non-driver) identification card
or U.S. passport. If none of these documents can be acquired or replaced within 10 days
other documents may be accepted
including an employee ID card
a students school-issued ID card
a health insurance card (not including Medicare cards)
or a U.S. military ID card. Trustworthy Source Go to sourceAcquire any missing documents. Because the Social Security Administration only accepts original copies of all documents
you may need to acquire a new document
if any are missing. Each state
U.S. territory
and the District of Columbia has its own office for issuing vital records like birth certificates and marriage licenses. You can find your states office by visiting the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website at http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/w2w.htm.Some states have a state records office or vital records office. Trustworthy Source Go to source Other states issue vital records through the state Department of Health offices. Trustworthy Source Go to source Check with the CDC website to determine which office is responsible for vital records in your state.Be prepared to pay the necessary costs for a vital records copy. Birth certificates vary in cost from one state to another. For example
California charges $25
Trustworthy Source Go to source Colorado charges $17.75
Trustworthy Source Go to source and New York State charges $30. Trustworthy Source Go to sourcePrint out a copy of the application on US Letter paper. Two applications
both of which can be found on the official website of the U.S. Social Security Administration
are available: one for people inside the United States
and one for people outside the United States.The application for U.S. citizens can be found at the SSA website by visiting https://www.ssa.gov/forms/ss-5.pdf.Non-citizens must fill out the required information on Form DS-230 or Form DS-260 as part of the Visa application process. Form DS-260 can be accessed by entering your case number through the Consular Electronic Application Center website at https://ceac.state.gov/IV/Login.aspx.Generally speaking
the only non-citizens eligible for a Social Security number are those authorized by the Department of Homeland Security to work in the United States. A Social Security number is not required for employment
banking services
private health insurance
or drivers license issuance. Trustworthy Source Go to sourceFill out the application. You must read all of the instructions carefully and complete the application in its entirety. Submitting an incomplete
inaccurate
or fraudulent application may significantly delay the application process. Trustworthy Source Go to sourceThe application must be printed on 8.5 inch by 11 inch paper
and must be filled out using only blue or black ink. Trustworthy Source Go to sourceRace and ethnicity questions are voluntary. Opting out of these sections will not affect your application
and you will not be penalized in any way
as long as the rest of the application is complete and accurate. Trustworthy Source Go to sourceVisit a Social Security Administration office. Anyone over the age of 12 who needs a new or replacement Social Security card must visit a Social Security Administration (SSA) office in person. The purpose of this visit is to verify the documents provided to satisfy the SSAs requirements and to conduct any necessary interviews with the candidate. Trustworthy Source Go to sourceYou can find your local SSA office by entering your zip code in the SSA website at https://secure.ssa.gov/ICON/main.jsp.Some SSA offices permit applicants to apply by mail
provided that the applicant can verify his or her identity and citizenship. However
in order to apply by mail
the applicant must mail the original copies of all required documents to an SSA office. The documents will be returned after the application process has been completed
but some people may feel uneasy about sending the original copies of such important documents through the mail.Follow all steps in Method One. Replacing a Social Security card that has been lost or stolen requires the same steps as applying for a new one. Be sure that you have all of the necessary documents available
or are able to acquire authorized copies
if needed.Learn how replacements work. If your Social Security card has been lost
stolen
or destroyed
you can apply for a free replacement from the SSA. However
not everyone needs a replacement card. As long as you know your Social Security number
many adults can get by without having a physical copy of the card. Trustworthy Source Go to sourceReplacement cards are free. However
there are limits to the number of times an individual may replace his or her Social Security card. All U.S. citizens
regardless of age
are limited to three replacement cards in a given year
and no citizen may replace a Social Security card more than 10 times over the course of an entire lifetime. Trustworthy Source Go to sourceReplacements due to a legal name change and other exceptional circumstances are exempted from the limits on the number of card replacements available to a citizen. Trustworthy Source Go to sourcePrevent fraud and identity theft. In the case of a stolen Social Security card
be aware of the risk for fraud and identity theft. The SSA does not directly investigate cases of theft or identity theft
but there are some steps you will need to take to prevent identity theft or recover from it. Contact your local police department immediately to file a theft report. Contact the SSA to alert them to the situation and begin the process of requesting a replacement card. You can call the SSA directly at 1-800-772-1213. Review any information that seems out of place. This includes inquiries from companies you have not contacted; accounts you know you have not opened; and debts that you know you did not incur. Close any accounts that you know you did not open and file a police report in the city where you believed the theft to have taken place.Report any suspected identity theft to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). The FTC is the primary investigative body for solving cases of identity theft
including theft resulting from a stolen Social Security card.[23] You can file a complaint report by visiting https://www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov/#crnt&panel1-2
or by calling 1-877-438-4338. Be sure to print and save your FTC Identity Theft Affidavit the moment you finish it. Once youve left the webpage
you will not be able to recover your affidavit.[24] Follow all directions in Method One. You will need to provide all of the original documents required of someone applying for a brand new card
in addition to providing proof of your new identity. For example
in addition to your original birth certificate
you will need to provide a document proving a name change. Accepted documents include a marriage license
divorce decree
Certificate of Naturalization (which displays your new name)
or a court order approving a legal name change.[25] Trustworthy Source Go to source This name change document must:be recent (less than two years old for adults
or less than four years old for minors under 18 years of age)[26] Trustworthy Source Go to sourceidentify you by both your old and new identity[27] Trustworthy Source Go to sourceMark your application type. Unlike getting a new card or replacing a lost one
the application type to reflect a name change is considered "corrected." You will need to select this option under the heading "Type of Card" in order to have your request processed correctly.[28] Understand corrected Social Security cards. The process of correcting a Social Security card is generally similar to that of requesting a new or replacement card (aside from the additional identification requirements). However
failing to correct your Social Security card information can have damaging effects. You must notify both your current employer(s) and the SSA of any name changes in order to avoid tax delays and prevent your wages from being posted incorrectly. Having your wages posted incorrectly may reduce your future Social Security benefits
or it could result in you owing money back to the SSA.[29] Know when to apply for a card. You should apply for a childs Social Security card while giving information for a childs birth certificate. When you apply
you will need to provide a birth record for the child. The only exception to this requirement is if the Social Security application is completed at the hospital immediately after the baby has been born.[30] Trustworthy Source Go to sourceProvide the necessary documents. In addition to verifying your own identity
you will need to provide documents to prove your childs identity and date of birth. A birth certificate
while required
is not enough to confirm the identity of the child
and additional documentation is necessary to verify that the child has continued to exist beyond the date of birth.[31] Trustworthy Source Go to source Acceptable documents to identify your child include:a state-issued non-drivers ID card for the child[32] Trustworthy Source Go to sourcean official adoption decree[33] Trustworthy Source Go to sourcea record from the childs doctor
or from a clinic or hospital
verifying that the child has been given medical attention after birth[34] Trustworthy Source Go to sourcea religious record (like a baptismal certificate
for example)[35] Trustworthy Source Go to sourcea record of the child from a school daycare center[36] Trustworthy Source Go to sourcea school ID card[37] Trustworthy Source Go to sourceWait until an adoption is complete. If you are seeking a Social Security card for a child you have adopted or are in the process of adopting
it is best to wait until the adoption is complete. The SSA may make exceptions in some cases
but generally the SSA recommends waiting and applying for a Social Security card with the childs new legal name.[38] Trustworthy Source Go to sourceIf you are seeking a Social Security card for your child to claim him or her for tax credits
and the adoption has not yet been finalized
you can contact the IRS directly to fill out Form W-7A (Application for Taxpayer Identification Number for Pending U.S. Adoptions - available at https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/fw7a.pdf). The IRS can also help provide you with additional information on how to proceed.[39] Trustworthy Source Go to source