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Start with the child’s situation
There is no single document checklist that fits every child. The evidence SSA asks for depends on whether this is an original Social Security number (SSN) request, where the child was born, the child’s citizenship or immigration status, and the child’s age. A U.S.-born citizen applying for a first card will usually need different records from a foreign-born child or a noncitizen.
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Before collecting documents, use the Social Security Administration’s document selector. Choose the options that match the child and the type of card request. Follow the resulting instructions for the required document categories and number of records; do not assume that a list intended for a replacement or corrected card also applies to an original application.
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The key distinction is between documents that establish age, citizenship or immigration status, and identity. One record may serve more than one purpose in some circumstances, but a birth certificate alone does not satisfy every requirement.
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Documents for a U.S.-born child applying for a first card
For a U.S.-born child, prepare to establish age, citizenship, and identity. The selector determines which records SSA needs for the child’s particular circumstances. The examples below explain the purpose each type of evidence serves; they are not a substitute for the selector’s exact instructions.
| What SSA needs to establish | Examples of records | Important distinction |
|---|---|---|
| Age | Generally, the child’s birth certificate if one exists. Depending on circumstances, the selector may identify alternatives such as certain early religious or hospital records, or a passport. | A birth certificate can establish age; it does not establish identity. |
| U.S. citizenship | A U.S. birth certificate or U.S. passport are examples of accepted evidence. | Whether SSA needs citizenship evidence may depend on information already in its records. |
| Identity | Examples include a U.S. passport, state-issued non-driver identification, adoption decree, doctor, clinic or hospital record, religious record, school or daycare record, or school ID. | The record must meet SSA’s criteria and identify the child. A birth certificate is not identity evidence. |
SSA’s selector puts the birth-certificate rule plainly: “While you can use a birth certificate to prove age or citizenship, you cannot use it as proof of identity.” Check whether the identity record you plan to use is accepted for the child’s situation rather than assuming that any record containing the child’s name will qualify.
Some documents may serve multiple purposes, but that does not mean you can omit a category or provide fewer records than the instructions require. Use the selector’s original-card instructions to confirm which records to submit.
If the child was born outside the United States or is not a U.S. citizen
Do not apply the U.S.-born checklist automatically. SSA’s evidence requirements change with a child’s birthplace and status. Foreign-born U.S. citizens, adopted children, and noncitizens may need different combinations of age, identity, and citizenship or immigration-status evidence. Start with the same SSA document selector, choosing the child’s actual circumstances.
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- 𝐅𝐢𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐀𝐥𝐥 𝐒𝐢𝐳𝐞 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐬:𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐌𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐝, 𝐒𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐝, 𝐛𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐝, 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐭 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐝
- 𝐒𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫,𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐌𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐇𝐨𝐥𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐒𝐥𝐞𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐬
- 𝐄𝐚𝐬𝐲 𝐬𝐥𝐢𝐝𝐞 & 𝐍𝐨𝐧-𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐤: 𝐒𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐢𝐥𝐲
- 𝐃𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐌𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐥𝐬:𝐦𝐚𝐝𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐰𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫-𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧-𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐏𝐕𝐂 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐬𝐥𝐞𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐬
Foreign-born U.S. citizens
A foreign birth record may establish age. To establish U.S. citizenship, the child may need evidence such as a Consular Report of Birth Abroad or a U.S. passport. Which evidence applies depends on the child’s circumstances and what SSA requires for the application. Do not treat a foreign birth record as proof of U.S. citizenship.
Noncitizen children
A noncitizen application may involve current Department of Homeland Security records. Examples include Form I-551, Form I-94 together with an unexpired foreign passport, or Form I-766. The child’s eligibility may depend on work authorization or on an allowed nonwork reason for needing an SSN. These examples are not a universal checklist: the correct evidence depends on the child’s status and the purpose of the application.
If the child’s immigration documents, adoption, or other circumstances do not fit the selector’s options neatly, contact SSA for direction before sending records. A document list for a different status can leave an application unsupported.
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Use the current Form SS-5, Application for a Social Security Card, and read its instructions. When applying for someone else, the applicant must establish both authority to sign and identity evidence for the applicant and the child. SSA may ask for evidence of custody or responsibility in relevant situations, so a parent, guardian, or other responsible adult should review the form instructions and be ready to document their role if needed.
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- 𝐄𝐚𝐬𝐲 𝐬𝐥𝐢𝐝𝐞 & 𝐍𝐨𝐧-𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐤: 𝐒𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐢𝐥𝐲
- 𝐅𝐢𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐀𝐥𝐥 𝐒𝐢𝐳𝐞 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐬:𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐌𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐝, 𝐒𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐝, 𝐛𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐝, 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐭 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐝
- 𝐃𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐌𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐥𝐬:𝐦𝐚𝐝𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐰𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫-𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧-𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐏𝐕𝐂 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐬𝐥𝐞𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐬
- 𝐒𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫,𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐌𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐇𝐨𝐥𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐒𝐥𝐞𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐬
For an original application for a child under 18, the SS-5 instructions request the parents’ SSNs unless a parent was never assigned an SSN. Complete the form using the current instructions rather than relying on an old copy or a form completed for a different type of request. If another adult is handling the application, check the instructions for what that person may sign and what evidence of authority is required.
Original documents, certified copies, and copies to avoid
SSA requires original documents or copies certified by the agency that issued them. An ordinary photocopy is not a substitute, and notarizing a photocopy does not make it an issuing-agency-certified copy. Before you submit a record, check that it is the original or a copy certified by the office that issued it.
- Use: an original record or a copy certified by its issuing agency.
- Do not use: an ordinary photocopy or a notarized copy as a replacement for an original or certified copy.
- Check the category: a valid record still has to prove the particular fact SSA needs, such as identity rather than only age.
The distinction matters especially when a family has a birth certificate but no separate identity evidence for the child. Confirm the selector’s acceptable identity examples and obtain an eligible record before applying, rather than assuming the birth certificate will cover all three categories.
Does the child need to go to an SSA office?
Not every child has to make an in-person visit. The path can depend on whether the family requests the number at birth or applies later, along with the child’s age and circumstances. Follow SSA’s instructions for the particular application instead of planning on a visit or mailing records based on a general rule.
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Children younger than 12
The special in-person interview requirement described by SSA applies to a child age 12 or older requesting an original SSN. For a younger child, use the document selector and current Form SS-5 instructions to find the applicable application route. The fact that a newborn can be registered through Enumeration at Birth does not mean every later application follows that same process.
Children age 12 or older
A child who is 12 or older and is requesting an original SSN must appear in person for an interview. SSA may also need evidence that no SSN was previously assigned. The records relevant to that question depend on the child’s history, so ask SSA what evidence it needs rather than assuming the age, identity, or citizenship records alone will resolve it.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.For a newborn, request the number through Enumeration at Birth
When registering a U.S. birth at the hospital, a parent can request the newborn’s SSN through SSA’s Enumeration at Birth (EAB) program. For that request, EAB avoids the separate process of gathering documents, completing Form SS-5, and taking or mailing original records to a local SSA office. SSA describes the program in its Enumeration at Birth FAQ.
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Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstallThis option is tied to birth registration. If the parent did not request an SSN through the hospital process, or is applying later, use SSA’s selector and Form SS-5 instructions for the application that applies. Do not assume that EAB has been used just because the child was born in a hospital.
Quick Recap
How to prepare an application
- Confirm the request type. Decide whether the child needs an original SSN, and whether the number was already requested through Enumeration at Birth. Requirements for original, replacement, and corrected-card requests can differ.
- Select the child’s circumstances. Use SSA’s document selector for the child’s birthplace and citizenship or immigration status. Follow the original-card instructions it provides.
- Complete the current Form SS-5 if needed. Read the current form instructions, including the sections about who may sign, parent SSNs for a child under 18, and any evidence required when someone applies on the child’s behalf.
- Match records to the required categories. Identify which record proves age, which establishes citizenship or applicable status, and which proves the child’s identity. Check that the identity evidence is not only a birth certificate.
- Check document form before submitting. Use originals or issuing-agency-certified copies. Do not rely on ordinary photocopies or notarized copies.
- Plan for an interview if the child is 12 or older. For an original-number request, the child must appear in person. Ask SSA what evidence may be needed to establish that no SSN was previously assigned.
- Resolve unusual circumstances before filing. If custody, guardianship, adoption, or immigration status makes it unclear which evidence applies, check with SSA rather than substituting a document list for a different situation.
Common mistakes that can derail a document checklist
- Using a birth certificate as the child’s only identity record. It may establish age or citizenship, but SSA does not accept it as proof of identity.
- Bringing photocopies or notarized copies. SSA calls for originals or copies certified by the issuing agency.
- Using a U.S.-born checklist for a foreign-born child or noncitizen. The evidence varies by status; choose the matching selector options.
- Assuming every application requires the same visit or submission method. EAB is a distinct newborn route, and other procedures depend on the application and SSA’s current instructions.
- Overlooking the age-12 interview rule. A child age 12 or older requesting an original SSN must appear in person, and SSA may need evidence that no number was previously assigned.
- Applying on behalf of a child without checking applicant requirements. The adult’s identity and authority to sign may need to be established, and SSA may request evidence of custody or responsibility in relevant situations.
Official SSA resources
- SSA document selector: Learn what documents you will need to get a Social Security Card
- Form SS-5: Application for a Social Security Card
- SSA Publication No. 05-10023: Social Security Numbers for Children
- SSA FAQ: What is Enumeration at Birth and how does it work?
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