How to get a Social Security Number (SSN)

A Social Security Number (SSN) is a 9-digit number used to track your wages and tax records in the United States. The Social Security Administration (SSA) issues the number and card; applying and receiving the card are free. This page explains which application method to use, how to apply at an office step by step with Form SS-5, the documents required according to your status, and common mistakes related to the card. For the difference between an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) and an SSN, see 15.2 Taxpayer identification number: SSN or ITIN.

• U.S. citizens, green card holders, and foreign nationals with work authorization.
• Foreign nationals without work authorization generally cannot get an SSN. The exception is when federal or state law requires an SSN for a benefit to which you are entitled. Details: 15.2.
• F-2, M-2, and H-4 spouses without work authorization cannot get an SSN.
• The wording on the card varies according to your status:
  • green card holders' cards have no wording
  • cards issued with work authorization say "VALID FOR WORK ONLY WITH DHS AUTHORIZATION"
• Applying and receiving the card are free. Do not pay intermediaries who charge a fee.

• People entering with an immigrant visa (DS-260): if you requested an SSN on the form, you do not apply separately.
  • After you enter the United States, your information is sent to the SSA. The card is mailed to the address you gave CBP.
  • If the card does not arrive within 3 weeks after entry, call the SSA.
• Green card application from inside the United States (I-485): the current edition of the form (09/18/26) includes the question "Should SSA issue me a card?" and authorization to transmit information to the SSA. If you answered "Yes," the card will arrive by mail after your application is approved.
• Work authorization application (I-765): the only edition currently accepted (08/21/25) has no section for requesting a Social Security card. You only enter your SSN, if you have one. When your EAD card arrives, apply at an SSA office.
  • If you requested a card using an older I-765 edition, the card arrives approximately 14 days after you receive your EAD. If it does not arrive, call the SSA.
• Others with work authorization (H-1B, L-1, O-1, E, J-1, F-1 students working on campus, etc.): apply at an SSA office using Form SS-5.
• People living outside the United States: if you do not have a U.S. mailing address, apply through the Federal Benefits Unit in your country or the nearest U.S. mission.

1. Wait for your work authorization to begin. A document dated for the future (for example, an EAD that has not yet started) does not count as work authorization. F-1 students are an exception to this rule (below).
2. If you wish, start the application online. People who are at least 18 years old and have a U.S. mailing address can start their first SSN application on the SSA website.
   • After applying online, you must take your documents to an SSA office within 45 days. If you do not, the application will be deleted.
3. Or complete Form SS-5. You can download the form from the SSA website.
4. Go to an SSA office in person. Everyone applying for an SSN for the first time who is 12 or older must attend an in-person interview. Find the nearest office using your ZIP code in the SSA office locator.
5. Bring the original documents (see the list below).
6. The SSA reviews your documents. If it has doubts about the documents, it may request additional evidence. If everything is acceptable, it assigns your number and mails the card to your U.S. address.
7. Keep the card safe. When starting a job, you will enter your SSN and registered legal name on Forms I-9 and W-4.

• At least two documents: they must show your age, identity, and lawful status.
  • An immigration document (such as an EAD, green card, or I-94) shows identity and status.
  • You also need a passport or birth certificate for age. Your Turkish passport can be used for this purpose.
  • An entry stamp in the passport or an I-94 attached to the passport, together with the passport itself, count as two separate documents.
• Refugees, parolees, and people granted asylum: if there is no other document, only an immigration document may be accepted.
• Proof of work authorization:
  • EAD holders: a valid EAD.
  • Statuses such as H-1B, L-1, O-1, and E: an I-94 showing the status code that grants work authorization (with an I-797 approval notice if necessary).
  • F-1 on-campus work: an I-20, an I-94 showing F-1 status, and proof of employment. Employment proof is provided in one of two ways:
    • a letter from the school official (DSO) plus a recent pay stub or employer letter
    • a single employer letter also signed by the DSO
  • F-1 CPT: an I-20 on which the DSO has authorized employment and an I-94.
  • F-1 OPT: an EAD.
  • J-1: DS-2019. For categories such as au pair, intern, trainee, Work and Travel, teacher, professor, and researcher, a sponsor letter is not required. In the "Student," "Student Intern," and "International Visitor" categories, a letter on the sponsor's letterhead, signed and authorizing employment, is required.
  • J-2: EAD only.
• F-1 students may start on-campus work no more than 30 days before classes. Therefore, they can also obtain an SSN during the summer.

• Tell your employer. For your wages to be credited to you, your name and number must match your Social Security record. Form W-4 also asks whether your name matches the card.
• Notify the SSA if your name, citizenship, or immigration status changes. If your records are not up to date, a mismatch may occur in E-Verify.
• If you previously used an ITIN, stop using it and notify the IRS. How to do this: 15.2.
• For the Social Security taxes you paid, see 17.2 Social Security tax (FICA) and exemptions.

• Social Security Administration (SSA) — SSN and card matters
  • Phone: +1 800 772 1213; hearing impaired (TTY): +1 800 325 0778
  • Headquarters address: 6401 Security Blvd., Baltimore, MD 21235
  • Offices: search by ZIP code in the SSA office locator.
• If you are abroad: the Federal Benefits Unit in your country or the nearest U.S. mission.

• Failing to apply to the SSA because you assume that you requested an SSN card on the I-765.
• Going to the SSA with a future-dated EAD or OPT that has not yet begun.
• Failing to bring the employer's or DSO's letter for F-1 on-campus employment.
• Bringing photocopies of documents; the SSA requires originals.
• Assuming that a card reading "VALID FOR WORK ONLY WITH DHS AUTHORIZATION" permits unlimited employment.
• Forgetting to update the wording on the card after receiving a green card.
• Paying intermediaries who sell "SSN issuance" services. See 1.12 Fraud warnings.

• Is there a fee for an SSN? No. The number and card are free.
• My spouse is F-2 / H-4. Can they get an SSN? No, if they do not have work authorization. Use an ITIN for tax purposes; see 15.2.
• I received a green card, but my card says "work only with DHS authorization." What should I do? If you answered "yes" to "Should SSA issue me a card?" on the I-485, a new card without the wording will arrive by mail after approval. If you did not, request a replacement card from the SSA. Your number remains the same on a replacement card.
• My card has not arrived. If you entered with an immigrant visa, call the SSA after 3 weeks from entry; if you requested it through a USCIS application, call 14 days after your document arrives: +1 800 772 1213.
• Can I get an SSN for my child? For a child born in the United States, see 8.1 Birth in the United States.

• Form SS-5: SSN application form (PDF)
• Applying for an SSN for the first time (SSA)
• SSA office locator
• USAGov – Social Security card guide
• Form I-485 (PDF) – SSN request section
• SSA policy manual: SSN evidence for noncitizens (RM 10211.420)