Documents for corrected social security card (Child application) – Simple Doc Filings

U.S. Born Child

If you legally change your child's name because of adoption, court order, or any other reason, you need to tell Social Security so that you can get a corrected card. If your child is working, also tell your child's employer. If you do not tell us when your child's name changes, it may:

Delay your tax refund or your child's refund; and
Prevent your child's wages from being posted correctly to your child's Social Security record, which may lower the amount of your child's future Social Security benefits.

You must present original documents or copies certified by the agency that issued them. We cannot accept photocopies or notarized copies. All documents must be current (not expired). Social Security cannot accept a receipt showing you applied for the document.

What original documents do I need?

Citizenship

If you have not already established your child's U.S. citizenship with Social Security, they need to see proof of U.S. citizenship. They can accept only certain documents as proof of U.S. citizenship. These include a U.S. birth certificate or U.S. passport.

Important!

This documentation is only required if your child has NOT already established citizenship with us.

Name change

If you need to change the name on your child's Social Security card, you must show Social Security proof of your child's legal name change. Documents Social Security may accept to prove your child's legal name change include:

Final adoption decree with the new name;
Court order approving the name change; or
Amended birth certificate with the new name.

If the document you provide as evidence of your child's legal name change does not give them enough information to identify your child in their records or if you changed your child's name more than four years ago, you must show them an identity document in your child's prior name (as shown in our records). Social Security will accept an identity document in your child's old name that has expired.

If you do not have an identity document in your child's prior name, they may accept an unexpired identity document in your child's new name, as long as they can properly establish your child's identity in our records.

Identity

Your child: Social Security can accept only certain documents as proof of your child's identity. An acceptable document must show your child's name, identifying information (i.e., age, date of birth, or parents' names), and preferably a recent photograph. They generally can accept a non-photo identity document if it has enough information to identify the child (such as the child's name and age, date of birth, or parents' names). Social Security prefers to see the child's U.S. passport. If that document is not available, they may accept the child's:

State-issued non-driver's identification card;
Adoption decree;
Doctor, clinic, or hospital record;
Religious record;
School daycare center record; or
School identification card.

You: Social Security also must see proof of your identity. An acceptable document must be current (not expired) and show your name, identifying information (date of birth or age), and preferably a recent photograph. For example, as proof of identity, Social Security must see your:

U.S. driver's license;
State-issued non-driver identification card; or
U.S. passport.

If you do not have one of these specific documents or you cannot get a replacement for one of them within 10 days, they will ask to see other documents. Any documents submitted, including the following, must be current (not expired) and show your name, identifying information (date of birth or age), and preferably a recent photograph:

Employee identification card;
School identification card;
Health insurance card (not a Medicare card); or
U.S. military identification card.

Your child's new card will have the same number as your child's previous card but will show a new name. We will mail your child's card as soon as we have all of your child's information and have verified your child's documents.

Foreign Born U.S. Citizen Child

If you legally change your child's name because of adoption, court order, or any other reason, you need to tell Social Security so that your child can get a corrected card. If your child is working, also tell your child's employer. If you do not tell them when your child's name changes, it may:

Delay your tax refund or your child's refund; and
Prevent your child's wages from being posted correctly to your child's Social Security record, which may lower the amount of your child's future Social Security benefits.

What original documents do I need?

Citizenship

If you have not previously established your child's U.S. citizenship with Social Security, they need to see proof of U.S. citizenship. They can accept only certain documents as proof of U.S. citizenship. These include:

Certification of Report of Birth (DS-1350);
Consular Report of Birth Abroad (FS-240);
U.S. passport;
Certificate of Naturalization (N-550/N-570); or
Certificate of Citizenship (N-560/N-561).

Name change

Final adoption decree with the new name;
Certificate of Naturalization showing the new name; or
Court order approving the name change.

If the document you provide as evidence of your child's legal name change does not give us enough information to identify your child in our records or if you changed your child's name more than four years ago, you must show them an identity document in your child's prior name (as shown in our records). They will accept an identity document in your child's old name that has expired.

If you do not have an identity document in your child's prior name, Social Security may accept an unexpired identity document in your child's new name as long as we can properly establish your child's identity in our records.

Identity

Your child: Social Security can accept only certain documents as proof of your child's identity. An acceptable document must show your child's name, identifying information (i.e., age, date of birth, or parents' names), and preferably a recent photograph. They generally can accept a non-photo identity document if it has enough information to identify the child (such as the child's name and age, date of birth, or parents' names). They prefer to see the child's U.S. passport. If that document is not available, we may accept the child's:

State-issued non-driver's identification card;
Adoption decree;
Doctor, clinic or hospital record;
Religious record;
School daycare center record; or
School identification card.

U.S. driver's license;
State-issued non-driver identification card; or
U.S. passport.

If you do not have one of these specific documents or you cannot get a replacement for one of them within 10 days, Social Security will ask to see other documents. Any documents submitted, including the following, must be current (not expired) and show your name, identifying information (date of birth or age), and preferably a recent photograph:

Employee identification card;
School identification card;
Health insurance card (not a Medicare card); or
U.S. military identification card.

Noncitizen Child

If you legally change your child's name because of adoption, court order, or any other reason, you need to tell Social Security. If your child is working, also tell your child's employer. If you do not tell them when your child's name changes, it may:

Delay your tax refund or your child's refund; and
Prevent your child's wages from being posted correctly to your child's Social Security record, which may lower the amount of your child's future Social Security benefits.

What original documents do I need?

Immigration status

To prove your child's U.S. immigration status, you must show Social Security your child's current U.S. immigration document, such as:

Form I-551 (Lawful Permanent Resident Card, Machine Readable Immigrant Visa);
I-766 (Employment Authorization Document, EAD, work permit); or
I-94 (Arrival/Departure Record) or admission stamp in the unexpired foreign passport.

If your child is an F-1 or M-1 student, they must see your child's I-20 (Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant Student Status).

If your child is a J-1 or J-2 exchange visitor, you must see your child's DS-2019 (Certificate of Eligibility for Exchange Visitor Status).

Work eligibility

In general, only noncitizens who have permission to work from DHS can apply for a Social Security number. If you are a foreign worker, Social Security only needs to see an I-94 (Arrival/Departure Record) or admission stamp in the unexpired foreign passport, showing a class of admission permitting work. Some foreign workers must show their I-766 (Employment Authorization Document, EAD, work permit) from DHS.

If you submit evidence of lawful work-authorized status for your child along with evidence of name change, they can issue your child a corrected card with his or her new name.

However, if they assigned your child a Social Security number for non-work purposes, special rules apply. If your child is not authorized to work by DHS, Social Security will change your child's name on their records, but they cannot issue a corrected card. Your child cannot use a Social Security number assigned for non-work purposes to work. If your child does use it to work, Social Security will inform DHS.

Student: If you are an F-1 student and eligible to work on campus, you must provide a letter from your designated school official that:

Identifies you;
Confirms your current school status; and
Identifies your employer and the type of work you are, or will be, doing.

Social Security also needs to see evidence of that employment, such as a recent pay slip or a letter from your employer. Your supervisor must sign and date the letter. The letter must describe:

Your job;
Your employment start date;
The number of hours you are, or will be, working; and
Your supervisor's name and telephone number.

If you are an F-1 student authorized to work in curricular practical training (CPT), you must provide them your Form I-20 with the employment page completed and signed by your designated school official.

If you are an F-1 student and have a work permit (I-766) from DHS, you must present it.

If you are a J-1 student, student intern, or international visitor, you must provide a letter from your sponsor. The letter should be on sponsor letterhead with an original signature that authorizes your employment.

Name change

If you need to change the name on your child's Social Security record, you must show Social Security proof of your child's legal name change. Documents Social Security may accept to prove your child's legal name change include:

Final adoption decree with the new name;
Court order approving the name change.

If the document you provide as evidence of your child's legal name change does not give them enough information to identify your child in their records or if you changed your child's name more than four years ago, you must show them an identity document in your child's prior name (as shown in our records). They will accept an identity document in your child's old name that has expired.

If you do not have an identity document in your child's prior name, Social Security may accept an unexpired identity document in your child's new name, as long as we can properly establish your child's identity in our records.

Identity

Your child: Social Security will ask to see your child's current U.S. immigration document from DHS. Acceptable immigration documents include your child's:

I-551 Permanent Resident Card;
I-94 Arrival/Departure Record with an unexpired foreign passport or admission stamp in the unexpired foreign passport; or
I-766 Employment Authorization Document, (EAD, work permit) from DHS.

U.S. driver's license;
State-issued non-driver identification card; or
U.S. passport.

Employee identification card;
School identification card;
Health insurance card (not a Medicare card);
U.S. military identification card; or
Doctor, clinic, or hospital record.

If you are not a U.S. citizen, Social Security will ask to see your current U.S. immigration document from DHS. Acceptable immigration documents include you:

Form I-551 (includes machine-readable immigrant visa) with an unexpired foreign passport;
I-94 or admission stamp in the unexpired foreign passport; or
I-766 Employment Authorization Document, (EAD, work permit) from DHS.

If Social Security issues your child a new card, it will have the same number as your child's previous card but will show a new name. We will mail your child's card as soon as we have all of your child's information and have verified your child's immigration documents.

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