First time applying for social security card

Basic Instructions for First Time Applicants for a Social Security Card

While working in the United States your wages must be reported to the IRS and applicable deductions must be taken. To ensure proper reporting you must obtain a Social Security number and card, which will be used to report your wages to the government and determine your eligibility for future Social Security benefits.

You must visit a Social Security Office in person to apply for a Social Security number and card. You can locate the Social Security Office nearest to you and its hours of operation by selecting this link: https://secure.ssa.gov/ICON/main.jsp and entering your Zip Code.

We recommend waiting 7-10 days after your first entrance to the U.S. in a work authorized status before applying, as there is typically a lag in information sharing between CBP and Social Security – if you apply earlier you may be instructed to return at a later date when they can verify you are eligible to apply. Only individuals who enter in a work authorized status are eligible to apply for a Social Security card.

When you visit the Social Security Office, you need to bring the following documents with you:

• A copy of the Form SS-5 (available here: https://www.ssa.gov/forms/ss-5.pdf);
• Your Passport;
• A copy of your I-94 (retrieve here: https://i94.cbp.dhs.gov/I94/#/recent-search);
• Your original birth certificate (if available).

Your Social Security number and card is free of charge. Once they have collected all your information and verified your documents, your number and card will be mailed to you. If you do not receive your card within three weeks of applying, you should contact the Social Security Office at: 1-800-772-1213.

Please be sure to read the full instructions provided by the SSA before applying in case there are program updates. As always, feel free to contact our office, should you have any questions or concerns!

** This memo is provided for informational and discussion purposes only. It does not act as a substitute for direct legal contact on an individual basis **

Only U.S Citizens and Legal Permanent Residents of the United States who are first-time applicants and are over 12 years old can submit applications through the U.S. Citizen Services Unit in Santiago.

For any other request regarding Social Security Number cards, please contact the Federal Benefits Unit using the online form.

If you are applying for a Social Security Number for the first time and you are 12 years of age or older, you must submit the following documents:

• Application for a Social Security Card, Form SS-5.  You can print the form from the SSA’s webpage to ensure you are using the latest version.
• Your original birth certificate
• Your original Consular Report of Birth Abroad (if applicable)
• Your valid U.S. passport (duly signed)
• A letter addressed to the “Social Security Administration” explaining the reason why you did not apply for the SSN at an earlier age.
• Original supporting documents:  If you did not apply for a Social Security Number because you have been living overseas, you must submit documents for each year you have lived abroad.  Examples of types of original documents you may submit are school records, employment records, medical/dental records, tax declarations, rental leases, bank accounts, utility bills with your name, old I.D. cards issued abroad, etc.

In addition to presenting the original documents listed above in items 1 – 6, you must provide a photocopy of each of these documents to be enclosed to the Application for a Social Security Card, Form SS-5.

There is no fee for this service.

You are required to appear in person for an interview and to submit the above documentation in the U.S. Citizen Services Unit.  Your application will be forwarded to the Social Security Administration for processing which could take up to 4 months.  Once the process has been completed, the Social Security Card will be mailed to the address you listed on the application, so please write it out in clear handwriting and as accurate as possible.

This service is available by appointment only. Please make the appointment here. Select option Notarial and Other Services.

PLEASE NOTE THAT ALL PERSONAL ELECTRONIC DEVICES INCLUDING CELL PHONES AND LAPTOPS ARE PROHIBITED AND ARE NOT ALLOWED IN THE EMBASSY.

The Social Security Administration is required by law to verify birth certificates presented as evidence in such cases with the registrar of vital statistics in the claimed U.S. place of birth. In such cases, the process of obtaining a Social Security card could take up an additional one or two more months since the verification is done by another agency. However, SSA always tries to process them immediately to expedite the process.

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