How to get a copy of my social

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How to get a copy of my social

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

Worried about doing this on your own?  You may be able to get free legal help.

As a U.S. citizen

If you are a U.S. citizen, you will need your birth certificate or a U.S. passport. If you need information about getting a copy of your birth certificate, see Getting a copy of your birth certificate.

You will also need one of the following to get a new Social Security card:

  • School ID
  • Work ID
  • Military ID
  • Official school transcript
  • Medical records
  • Medical insurance card (not a paper "medical card")

To apply for a new or replacement Social Security Card, you can complete the online application here. You can also go to a Social Security Office with your documents. You can find locations of Social Security Offices here. Afterward, it usually takes 2-4 weeks to get an official school transcript or medical records. If you have questions, you should call (800) 772-1213.

As a foreign-born U.S. citizen

If you are a U.S. citizen, but you were born outside of the U.S., you will need to prove your citizenship and your identity.

You can prove that you are a citizen by showing your:

  • U.S. passport,
  • Certificate of naturalization (N-550/N-570), Certificate of citizenship (N-560/N-561), Certificate of a report of birth (DS-1350); or
  • Consular report of birth abroad (FS-240).

You can prove your identity by showing your:

  • School or work ID,
  • Military ID,
  • Health insurance card (not a "medical card"),
  • School transcript or medical record,
  • Passport, or
  • State ID.

If you receive Medicaid, you should have received a plastic insurance card from a Managed Care Company such as Blue Cross Blue Shield or Aetna. If you don't have the card, you'll need to call the company to ask for a replacement. If you don't know who your Managed Care Company is, you can use the Illinois Client Enrollment Broker website to look up this information.

As a non-citizen

If you are a non-citizen with permission to work, you can apply for a Social Security number or may have one already. You can apply in your home country before you leave for the United States, or you can apply in-person at the Social Security Office once you arrive.

When you visit the Social Security Office, you must prove your identity and that you are allowed to work. Documents you can use to prove these things include:

  • Form I-551, permanent resident card;
  • Form I-766, employment authorization document ("work permit"); or
  • Form I-94, arrival-departure record.

If you are an F-1 or M-1 student, you also must show your I-20 (Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant Student Status).

If you are a J-1 or J-2 exchange visitor, you must show your DS-2019 (Certificate of Eligibility for Exchange Visitor Status).

For more information, please see Social Security numbers for non-citizens.

How do I get a copy of my Social Security?

The most convenient way to do business with us from any location and on any device is to visit www.ssa.gov to get information and use our online services. Or, call us toll-free at 1-800-772-1213 or at 1-800-325-0778 (TTY) if you're deaf or hard of hearing.

Can I get a replacement Social Security card at my local office?

Once you complete your application (online or in-person), we will mail the card after we process the application. Please understand that we don't issue cards at our offices. If you need to visit an office, we encourage you to first check the office's status at our Office Closings and Emergencies page.

How do I locate my Social Security number?

If you have a Social Security Number, you can find it on your Social Security card. Some other places that you can find your SSN are on tax returns, W-2s and bank statements. You may even find it on previously filed USCIS forms.