Form SS-5 Application for a Social Security Card

Form SS-5 Instructions

Provide these details in the Form SS-5:

1. State your full name. If your name at birth was different or you have ever used other names, indicate them in the provided space.
2. If you were previously assigned a Social Security number, write it down.
3. Add your place and date of birth.
4. Check one box to specify your citizenship status - a citizen, legal alien allowed or not allowed to work, and other. Attach a document from a government agency that clarifies your need for a Social Security number and shows you comply with all the requirements for the government benefit.
5. Indicate your ethnicity and race (the response is voluntary).
6. Check the box to specify your sex.
7. Provide information about your parents - their full names and social security numbers if known.
8. If you have ever filed for or received a Social Security card before, answer "yes" and state your name and date of birth used on an earlier application or card.
9. Date the form, enter your phone number and mailing address. Sign the form. If the form is completed by an individual different from the one identified in the application, check the box to explain your relationship to this person - you are their parent, legal guardian, or authorized representative.

The SSA requires evidence documents to confirm statements made in the application. These supporting documents are the most common - attach originals or their certified copies:

• Evidence of identity . Submit a driver's license, non-driver identity card, or U.S. passport. As an alternative, attach a U.S. military identity card, medical or school records. They will demonstrate your legal name and furnish biographical details;
• Evidence of age . Usually, a birth certificate is submitted, but the SSA will also accept hospital and religious records of your birth, adoption decree, or passport;
• Evidence of citizenship . It is generally confirmed by the birth certificate or passport issued in the U.S.;
• Evidence of immigration status . The Department of Homeland Security must provide you with a document that shows your immigration status.

Where to Mail Social Security Card Application?

You may submit or send the signed application to the SSA office or Social Security Card Center of your choice - most people choose the nearest office that serves their area. It is recommended to fill out the SS-5 Form and bring it to an office. Since you have to attach various supporting documentation to prove your identity, age, citizenship, and immigration status when mailing the application, it is best to simply present all these documents in the office and get them back immediately.