Social Security Numbers And Drivers Licenses
Many states require that you or your dependent have an SSN or have already applied for one before you apply for a driver’s license. In these states, if you or your dependents are not eligible to work but want to apply for a driver’s license, you must first apply for an SSN at the local SSA office and receive a Form SSA-L676, “Refusal to Process SSN Application.” To learn more, visit our Driving in the States page and talk with your DSO.
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Obtaining A Social Security Number
The Social Security Administration assigns nine-digit Social Security numbers to U.S. citizens, permanent residents and eligible nonimmigrant workers in the United States. SSA uses SSNs to report wages to the government, track Social Security benefits and for other identification purposes. Every F and M student who U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services grants employment authorization to needs an SSN.
Please note: If an F or M student is ineligible to receive an SSN, but receives non-wage income while in the United States , they must apply for an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number . For more information, please visit our What is an ITIN? resource page.
Apply For A Social Security Number For Immigrants
Apply for an SSN with your immigrant visa
Your may request a Social Security card as part of your visa application. When filing Form DS-230 or Form DS-260 , there is option to request a Social Security number. If you have selected this option, you do not need to submit a special application or go to a Social Security office to get a card.
The Social Security Administration will assign you an SSN and issue you a card after you arrive in the United States. They will mail the card to the same U.S. mailing address where the Department of Homeland Security will send your green card. You should receive your Social Security card within 3 to 4 weeks after you arrive in the United States. If you do not receive the card by mail, contact the Social Security at 1-800-772-1213.
Apply for an SSN when filing Form I-765
Your may be able to apply for a Social Security Number at the same time you apply for employment authorization. If you need to file Form I-765 with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services , you can request an SSN at the same time. Many adjustment of status applicants or DACA recipients use this method to request a Social Security Number.
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Obtain Proof Of Employment Eligibility
To be eligible for an SSN, you must provide proof of employment to the Social Security Administration. You must have this documentation in hand before you apply for an SSN. The type of proof varies with the type of work authorization you have:
Handling Ssn Assignment Problems
From the beginning, the process of assigning SSNs included quality checks. SSA employees had to account for every number and explain any missing serial numbers fully. Also, the SS-5s and the OA-702s were coded separately by different clerks and were later compared as a quality check .
Still, as one might expect, an undertaking as enormous as enumerating 35 million workers in one concentrated effort was bound to encounter some problems. Many individuals received multiple SSNs. Some people were under the impression that the more SSNs they received, the better. Others thought they needed a new SSN for each new job. Workers sometimes lost their original number and applied for a new one. Also, a great many unemployed and WPA employees applied for SSNs both during the initial registration and again through WPA or private employment registration. Sample studies in 1937 or early 1938 indicated that duplicate account numbers had been issued to not more than 3 or 4 percent of the applicants .
About a dozen similar cases of individuals adopting a made-up SSN shown on a facsimile card have occurred. In one case, the Social Security Board itself issued a pamphlet with the made-up number 219-09-9999 that was adopted by an individual .
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How Do I Find My Social Security Number
For security reasons, there may be instances where you are asked to supply your Social Security card when contacting Experian or when applying for services or employment. If you are unsure of your Social Security number and don’t have your card, you may be able to verify the number by looking at certain documents, such as your:
- Bank or other financial statements
If you don’t have a Social Security card, you can request a new one by contacting the Social Security Administration .
Expanding Uses Of The Ssn
The original purpose of the SSN was to enable the Social Security Board to maintain accurate records of the earnings of individuals who worked in jobs covered under the Social Security program. The card was never intended to serve as a personal identification documentthat is, it does not establish that the person presenting the card is actually the person whose name and SSN appear on the card. Although SSA has made the card counterfeit-resistant, the card does not contain information that would allow it to be used as proof of identity. However, the simplicity and efficiency of using a unique number that most people already possess has encouraged widespread use of the SSN by both government agencies and private enterprises, especially as they have adapted their recordkeeping and business systems to automated data processing. Use of the SSN as a convenient means of identifying people in large systems of records has increased over the years and its expanded use appears to be an enduring trend. Generally, there are no restrictions in federal law precluding the use of the SSN by the private sector, so businesses may ask individuals for an SSN whenever they wish .
With the many purposes legally requiring an SSN, the need for a U.S. resident to possess one has become nearly universal. The universality of SSN ownership has in turn led to the SSN’s adoption by private industry as a unique identifier.
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Protect Yourself From Identity Theft And Scams
It is important that you protect your Social Security number as criminals can use this information to pretend to be you . Do not carry your Social Security card or your Social Security number with you. Once you receive your card, memorize your number and store the card in a secure place.
Do not tell others your SSN unless it is absolutely required. You can learn more on our Safety webpage.
Maintaining The Ssn Records
Space to handle the SS-5 application forms was found on three floors of the Candler Building, a large warehouse converted from a Coca-Cola bottling factory on the harbor in downtown Baltimore . Here the Bureau installed a “great battery” of International Business Machines equipment9 and deployed over 2,300 machine workers and checkers by December 9, 1936, to handle the applications as quickly as they came in . At this time, a hiring “apportionment” was in effect, which meant the Bureau could only recruit a certain proportion of employees from each state. As a result, employees came from all parts of the country. It was thought that the central operation in the Candler building was temporary, and that the work would soon be dispersed to the 12 regions, so recruitment from distant states was logical . However, actual operations would reveal that decentralization was not really feasible.
The Baltimore Records Office used a nine-step process to create a permanent master record and to establish an earnings record for each individual.10 One hundred applications and office record cards, numbered consecutively, were sent through each operation together with a control unit of nine cards . The appropriate control card was removed at the end of a step and sent to a control file to track the status of each block .
In all, eight separate files were maintained:
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How The Social Security Numbers Work
With very few persons, all United States legal residents like Citizens, Permanent residents, and Temporary or Working residents have a Social Security number. Even the non-working residents like Citizens and Non-citizens alike will have Social Security Numbers.
Because of their usefulness to businesses and government existence, the legal platform for developing software applications for assigning an SSN is providing under Section 205. Of the Social Security Act of 42 U.S. Code, Chapter 7, Subsection 405.
The Social Security Administration issues the Social Security numbers and cards. The Social Security numbers are now making streams of digits. But before the year 2011, they were not at that time, and the first three digits represented the area in which the person was born.
Or he was from the next pair of numbers is censure initially to represent a year or month of birth.
Because they worried about this proving to be false, the Social Security Administration instead voted to represent a group number. Thus far, no Social Security Numbers have reused though there have been some cases where two people were issuing the same number.
How To Get A Ssn
A Social Security number and its corresponding card may be obtained by filling out Form SS-5: Application for a Social Security Card from the SSA. The form explains how to obtain an original card, replace a card, and change or correct SSN records.
A full list of requirements, such as documentation that proves age, identity, and U.S. citizenship or immigration status, is included on the form. There is no cost to obtain a number or card. In some circumstances, an individual may change their Social Security number.
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What Information Does The Number Not Provide
Most significantly, and perhaps surprisingly, criminal records are not tied to SSNs. An individuals criminal charge may or may not include their SSN, so a clean criminal record check using SSN alone is not particularly meaningful. Its a start, but its by no means the whole story. However, using information gleaned from an SSN check that includes names and aliases as well as former addresses, skilled background screeners can search criminal records databases to find evidence of an individuals criminal history. So, while your SSN by itself will not reveal a criminal history, its nonetheless very difficult to run a thorough criminal background check without the additional information provided by a thorough SSN trace.
Understanding The Us Social Security Number
Social Security Numbers in the United States are distributed by the Social Security Administration . Unlike in other countries where national identification numbers provide a wealth of information, such as Mexico or in the Balkans, an individuals SSN may not contain a great amount of personally identifiable information . However, it can provide the individuals state of application or mailing address at the time they applied for a SSN that was issued prior to the implementation of SSN Randomization on June 25, 2011.
Social Security Numbers are made up of nine digits split into three sections: an area number , a group number , and a serial number . The format for SSNs is:
AAA-GG-SSSS
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Here’s Where To Get More Information On Social Security Numbers
Identity Theft: If you think an identity thief is using your SSN to work or to collect benefits, call the Social Security Fraud Hotline at 1-800-269-0271. If you think someone may be using your SSN to work, check your Social Security Personal Earnings and Benefit Statement. You can get a copy by calling 1-800-772-1213, or online at www.ssa.gov/online/ssa-7004.pdf. Also see the Social Security Administration’s booklet “Identity Theft and Your Social Security Number,” at www.ssa.gov/pubs/10064.html.
History of SSNs: For a chronology of the laws relating to SSNs, see www.ssa.gov/history/ssn/ssnchron.html.
What the Numbers Mean: For an explanation of the meaning of the numbers in SSNs and answers to other questions about SSNs, see www.ssa.gov/ssnumber/.
More on Protecting your SSN: “Fact Sheet 10: My Social Security Number: How Secure Is It?” from the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse, at www.privacyrights.org.
Recommended Practices: For recommendations on how organizations can protect privacy in their handling of SSNs, see Recommended Practices for Protecting the Confidentiality of Social Security Numbers on the Business page at www.privacy.ca.gov.
What Is Proof Of Social Security Number
The answer is quite simple: a copy of the Social Security card or the copy of the original card itself. It is the most common document to prove that you are legally entitled to work in the United States.
There is more than one document that has their SSN. Someone will need a replacement card if other documents are not available.
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What Is Social Security Number
A Social Security number that is SSN is a numerical identifier that is assigning to United States citizens. Some residents track their income and ascertain benefits.
They created the Social Security number in the year 1935. As a part of The New Deal as a program to give for retirement and disability benefits for the old and not physically strong.
The programs original intention and the individually-assigned identification number were to track the earnings and give benefits. It is now also used for an extensive range of purposes like identifying the individuals for tax purposes to track their credit record.
Approve for the credit in the United States a person asks to provide an SSN to get the honor to open a bank account. They were obtaining the government benefits or private insurance to buy a home or a car, among many others, the action of pursuing someone.
There Are Two Types Of Ssns:
Unrestricted or valid SSN. This number can be used for work, school, government benefits, etc. In most cases, it can be given out to anyone who asks for it including employers, banks and other financial institutions.
Unrestricted or valid SSN: 8 digits in length contains any combination of numbers 0 through 9 cannot start with a number 0 or letter O must have at least one number after the hyphen but may also have more than one and is always exactly 9 digits long even if hyphenated on either side of the dash. Example: 123-45-6789
Restricted or invalid SSN: 8 digits in length contains only numbers 0 through 9 cannot start with a number 0 or letter O must have at least one number after the hyphen but may also have more than one and is always exactly 9 digits long even if hyphenated on either side of
When these numbers appear together as 555, they signify a stepping-out period for you. This is usually a time of positive changes in your life. It may also mean inner wisdom and intuition, freedom, adventure and movement. In some cases your life will be in transition or you will need to make adjustments to stay on track with your goals and dreams.
en these numbers appear together as 555, they signify a stepping-out period for you.
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How Old Does A Person Have To Be To Get A Social Security Card
There is no age requirement for obtaining a Social Security card. In fact, most parents request their childs Social Security number and card upon the childs birth. Many hospitals will help walk new parents through this process, and the Social Security card usually arrives in a few weeks. For people not born in the United States, a number and card may be requested depending on your immigration status. However, there are still no age requirements for obtaining a card and number. Some other criteria may need to be met though such as immigration status and identity verification. If you have lost your Social Security card, you can always request a new one from the Social Security office.
What Should You Do If Your Social Security Number Is Stolen
Identity thieves are everywhere. Contact the Social Security Administration if you suspect that your number is stolen. The agency can help fix problems related to income. If you have problems with your credit, you must contact your financial institution and the credit reporting agencies . You can also file complaints with IdentityTheft.gov, the Internal Revenue Service, and the Internet Crime Center to report any suspicious activity.
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Lost Or Stolen Federal Payments
Report your lost, missing, or stolen federal check to the agency that issued the payment. It’s usually one of these paying agencies. If your documentation indicates it’s a different agency, and you need its contact information, look in the A-Z Index of U.S. Government Departments and Agencies.
To get an update on your claim, contact the Treasury Department Philadelphia Financial Center at 1-855-868-0151, option 1.
How Social Security Numbers Work
With very few exceptions, all U.S. citizens, permanent residents, and temporary or working residents have a Social Security number. Even non-working residents can obtain an SSN, due to its use by businesses and government entities.
The legal framework for assigning a Social Security number is provided under Section 205 of the Social Security Act . Social Security numbers and cards are issued by the Social Security Administration .
Social Security numbers are now random streams of digits. However, prior to 2011, the numbers had specific purposes. In those years, the first three digits represented the area in which the individual was born or was from. The next pair of numbers was originally slated to represent a year or month of birth.
Due to concern that this could be falsified, the Social Security Administration instead voted to have it represent a group number. Thus far, no Social Security Numbers have been reused, though there have been some cases in which two people were issued the same number.
Scammers are everywhere, so it’s important that you keep your information safe and secure. You can avoid scams and report them directly to authorities through the Federal Trade Commission’s website.
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