Social security card and birth certificate replacements

Q: How can I get proof of Social Security without my card?

Youll need to show us a U.S. drivers license, a state issued non-driver identification card, or a U.S. passport to prove your identity. Sometimes you may also need to prove your current U.S. citizenship or lawful noncitizen status with a birth certificate or passport.

The U.S. government issues a Social Security number (SSN) to every U.S. citizen and permanent resident and selects temporary residents. An individual’s Social Security card shows this unique 9-digit identifying number and their full, legal name.

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SSNs serve several different purposes. They are used to track a person’s employment, taxes, earnings, and any Social Security benefits they are entitled to. You must have a Social Security card to work and pay taxes in the U.S legally.

If you have never been issued an SSN, you must visit a Social Security Administration office in person to apply for one. However, if your Social Security card has been lost, stolen, or damaged and you need a replacement, it’s easy to apply by mail, as long as you meet the following requirements:

You are a U.S. citizen 18 years or older
You have a U.S. mailing address
You do not need to make any corrections or changes to the name on your card
You have an acceptable form of ID to prove your identity (driver’s license, passport, state-issued ID, etc.)

See also: How to get a replacement Social Security Card

Social Security number
Passport book number
National Center for Health Statistics
Driver’s license
Certified copy of a birth certificate

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Social Security Cards: Documents Required To Obtain A Social Security Number And Card Or A Replacement Card

April 7, 2022 Update: Local Social Security offices are offering more in-person appointments and have resumed in-person service for people without an appointment. It is strongly encouraged to continue to go online, call for help, and schedule appointments in advance.

For more information on “How to Get Help from Social Security, visit the website: https://www.ssa.gov/coronavirus/gethelp/

Link to the Social Security Administration website: www.socialsecurity.gov/onlineservices.

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To Obtain a New Social Security Number and Card you will need to provide at least two documents to prove age, identity, and U.S. citizenship or current immigration status.

The new online service allows individuals to get replacement Social Security cards through the Social Security Administration website at: www.socialsecurity.gov/ssnumber

To Obtain a Replacement Card, if lost or stolen, you must prove your identity and U.S. citizenship.

To prove identity: Social Security must see:

U.S. driver’s license; or
State-issued non-driver identity card; or
U.S. passport.

If you do not have these specific documents or cannot get a replacement for them within ten days, Social Security will ask to see other documents, such as:

Employee ID card;
School ID card;
Health insurance card (not a Medicare card);
U.S. military ID card
Letter from doctor, with your name, address, social security number and doctors name, address, and signature

To Prove Age: Social Security must see:

Birth certificate;
If a birth certificate does not exist Social Security may accept:
Religious record made before the age of 5 showing your date of birth
U.S. hospital record of your date of birth
U.S. passport
If you lived outside the U.S.: other records showing long term residence outside the U.S.

To prove U.S. citizenship: Under recent changes in law, only certain documents can be accepted as proof of U.S. citizenship. These include:

U.S. birth certificate;
U.S. passport

To prove immigration status: If you are not a U.S. citizen, Social security must see your current U.S. immigration documents. Acceptable documents include:

I-94 Arrival/Departure Record or admission stamp in the unexpired foreign passport
I-766 Employment Authorization Document, EAD, work permit
Form I-551 (Lawful Permanent Resident Card, Machine Readable Immigrant Visa) with your unexpired foreign passport

How to Change a Name on Your Social Security Card: To change your name on your Social Security card, you must also complete Form SS-5. You need to provide recently issued documents that show your legally changed name such as a marriage document, divorce decree, court order for a name change, or certificate of Naturalization showing the new name. The new Social Security card will show your new name, but will have the same number as your old card.

All documents must be either originals or copies certified by the issuing agency. Social Security cannot accept photocopies or notarized copies of documents or receipts showing you have applied for a document.

To Find the Nearest Social Security Office Look in Connecticut’s Community Resources Database:
Search by Service Name: Social Security Numbers

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SOURCE: U.S. Social Security Administration website
PREPARED BY: 211/jm
CONTENT LAST REVIEWED: April2022

To apply for a replacement card, you must provide one document to prove your identity. If you were born outside the U.S., you must also provide documents to prove your U.S. citizenship or current lawful, work-authorized status. See page 2 for an explanation of acceptable documents.

But, if you do need a replacement, you can complete your application online or in-person. The easiest way to request a replacement SSN card is online with a free, personal my Social Security account. You can go to www.ssa.gov/ssnumber and answer a few questions to find out the best way to apply.

You'll need to show us a U.S. driver's license, a state issued non-driver identification card, or a U.S. passport to prove your identity. Sometimes you may also need to prove your current U.S. citizenship or lawful noncitizen status with a birth certificate or passport.

For assistance call us at 1-800-772-1213 or visit our website at www.socialsecurity.gov. To apply for an original card, you must provide at least two documents to prove age, identity, and U.S. citizenship or current lawful, work-authorized immigration status.