Replacement Card For A Noncitizen Adult
You can replace your Social Security card for free if it is lost or stolen. However, you may not need to get a replacement card, knowing your Social Security number is what’s important. You are limited to three replacement cards in a year and 10 during your lifetime. Legal name changes and other exceptions do not count toward these limits. Also, you may not be affected by these limits if you can prove you need the card to prevent a significant hardship.
In general, only noncitizens who have permission to work from the Department of Homeland Security can apply for an SSN. If you do not have permission to work but need an SSN for other purposes, see “If you do not have permission to work” for further information.
Enumeration Beyond Entry
You may be eligible to apply using our automated process called Enumeration Beyond Entry if you are applying to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services for work authorization or lawful permanent resident status.
If you are unable to use Form I-765 or Form I-485, you will need to contact your local Social Security field office to apply for an SSN replacement card.
Important
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 . We cannot accept a receipt showing you applied for the document.
Corrected Card For A Us Born Adult
If you legally change your name because of marriage, divorce, court order or any other reason, you need to tell Social Security so that you can get a corrected card. If you are working, also tell your employer. If you do not tell us when your name changes, it may:
- Prevent your wages from being posted correctly to your Social Security record, which may lower the amount of your future Social Security benefits.
- Cause delays when you file your taxes.
Important
We cannot accept photocopies or notarized copies. We cannot accept a receipt showing you applied for the document. All documents must be current .
We may use one document for two purposes. For example, we may use your U.S. passport as proof of both citizenship and identity.
What If I Can’t Apply For A Card Online
If you can’t apply for a Social Security card online, then you will need to show the required documents in person at your local SSA office. The documents needed will depend on your current citizenship status and your age.
Different documents are needed if you are an adult and a U.S.-born citizen, a foreign-born U.S. citizen, or a noncitizen. Also, if you are replacing a Social Security card for a child, you’ll want to check the SSA website to determine which documents you will need.
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How To Receive Federal Benefits
To begin receiving your federal benefits, like Social Security or veterans benefits, you must sign up for electronic payments with direct deposit.
If You Have a Bank or Credit Union Account:
- Call the Go Direct Helpline at .
If You Don’t have a Bank or Credit Union Account:
- Direct Express debit card – a pre-paid debit card. Get help by calling the Go Direct Helpline at .
Make Changes to an Existing Direct Deposit Account:
Learn how to make changes to an existing direct deposit account. You also may contact the federal agency that pays your benefit for help with your enrollment.
How To Complete The Application

Smallpdf has the SS-5 form available to download. Click the image below to get started!
Note that the Social Security Administration requires the application to be completed in blue or black ink. Nows not the time to break out the gel pens!
Also note that if the applicant is 12 years of age or older and has never received a Social Security Card, the application must be completed in person.
For those who do not complete the form in person, here are the steps.
Only use blue or black ink, ensure you print the document on 8.5 by 11 paper.
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What Documents Do You Need
In order to apply for a replacement Social Security card, you will need some important documents to prove:
- U.S. citizenshipYou must show proof of your U.S. citizenship with a U.S. birth certificate or a U.S. passport.
- Your ageYou must show proof of your age with a birth certificate, U.S. hospital birth record, U.S. passport or religious record made before the age of 5.
- Your identityYou must prove your identity showing a U.S. driver’s license, state-issued ID card, U.S. passport or employee ID card, school ID card, military ID card or health insurance card .
You must submit either original documents or copies certified by the issuing agency. The SSA will not accept photocopies or notarized copies of documents. All of the documents must be up to date the SSA will not accept expired documents or receipts showing application for these documents.
If you dont have the original or certified documents, you can find out where to get a certificate of birth, marriage or divorce that took place in the United States from the Centers for Disease Controls National Center for Health Statistics.
How Can Thieves Profit From Stealing My Social Security Card
Fraud artists can manipulate a stolen or lost Social Security card in a lot of waysall of which can lead to you taking a major financial hit. Here are three ways they do it.
Knowing how to get a new Social Security card makes sense given the potential costs if yours is lost or stolen.
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And Now Replace Your Social Security Card
There is no charge for replacing a lost or stolen Social Security card, so watch out for scammers offering card replacement “services” for a fee. You can replace your own or your child’s card, but you are limited to three replacement cards in a year and 10 during your lifetime. Replacing a card because of legal name changes or changes in U.S. citizenship and naturalization status does not count against those limits.To get a replacement Social Security card you will need to:
- Complete Form SS-5 – Application for a Social Security Card.
- Present an unexpired original document, like a drivers’ license, with identifying information and preferably a recent photograph that proves your identity
- Show evidence of your U.S. citizenship if you were born outside the United States and did not show proof of U.S. citizenship when you got your original card and
- If you are not a U.S. citizen, show evidence of your current naturalization or lawful noncitizen status.
Replacement Social Security cards cannot be applied for online. You must either take or mail the completed SS-5 application and all required documents to your local Social Security Office. To find your local Social Security service center, see the SSA’s Local Office Search website.
Why Do You Need One
A Social Security number is important because you need it to get a job, collect Social Security benefits and get some other government services. You should keep your Social Security card in a safe place with your other important papers and avoid giving it out unnecessarily. Keep in mind that in many cases, even if you lost your card, you may not need a replacement. In most cases, simply knowing your Social Security number is enough. But if you do need a replacement, we make it easy.
Note:
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Submitting Your Application By Mail Or In Person
The final step is to submit the SS-5 form and your original or certified documents to your local Social Security office or card center, either by mail or in person. You can find the address online using the Social Security Administration’s Field Office Locator.
If you apply by mail, the office or center will mail your original documents back to you along with your new Social Security card.
One advantage of going in person is that you eliminate the possibility that sensitive or difficult-to-replace personal documents, such as your original birth certificate, driver’s license, or passport, will get lost or stolen in the mail. If you have any questions, you can also call that office beforehand and ask which documents you need to bring with you.
Generally, the Social Security Administration says, it will take two to four weeks to process your application and send you your card.
What Documents Do I Need To Prove My Identity
Social Security will ask to see your current U.S. immigration documents. Acceptable documents include:
- I-551 Permanent Resident Card
- I-94 Arrival/Departure Record with unexpired foreign passport, or admission stamp in the unexpired foreign passport or
- I-766 Employment Authorization Document, from DHS.
Important
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 . We cannot accept a receipt showing you applied for the document.
We may use one document for two purposes. For example, we may use your U.S. passport as proof of both citizenship and identity.
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Requirements For A Social Security Card
You can request a Social Security card online an get your Social Security number if you meet all of the following requirements:
- Are a U.S. citizen
- Age 18 years or older
- Have a U.S. mailing address
- Are not requesting a name change or other changes in your card
- Have a drivers license or a state-issued identification card from one of the participating states. Some states dont have this service yet.
To successfully get a Social Security Card replacement you can go directly to the Social Security Administration website, visit a local SSA office or request it by mail.
You should bear in mind that you are limited to three replacement cards per calendar year and 10 during your lifetime, though there are certain exceptions.
For example, if you have legally changed your name and need a replacement card, the first social security card issued with your new legal name would not count toward the 10 card limit.
If you cannot apply for a card online, you will need to provide a few documents to demonstrate your identity.
How To Replace A Social Security Card

If your Social Security card is lost or stolen, you can replace it for free through the Social Security Administration website, by visiting a local SSA office or through the mail. If you don’t need a card right away and you know your number, you may not want to go to the trouble, because you are not required to have an actual Social Security card.
You are limited to three replacement cards in a year and 10 during your lifetime, but there are some exceptions. For example, if you have a legal name change, this does not count toward the limit neither do changes in immigration status that require card updates.
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Where Can I Get A Social Security Card
If you have never been issued a Social Security card, you may apply for one at no cost at a local Social Security office. You will need to:
- Bring a completed Form SS-5 and,
- Provide at least two documents to confirm your age, identity and citizenship or legal presence.
Acceptable documents include but are not limited to an original birth certificate, valid U.S. driver’s license, state-issued identification card or U.S. passport. If a U.S. birth certificate exists you MUST submit it. See Learn What Documents You Need to find acceptable documents. Only originals or copies certified by the agency that issued the document will be accepted. Individuals who are not U.S. citizens must provide a current U.S. immigration document and foreign passport with biographical information or photograph.
Related Documents & Topics
If you have lost your Social Security card and need to get a replacement, you may be able to request a replacement online:
You can use a my Social Security account to request a replacement Social Security card online if you:
- Are a U.S. citizen age 18 years or older with a U.S. mailing address
- Are not requesting a name change or any other change to your card and
- Have a driver’s license or a state-issued identification card from Michigan or one of the other states listed.
How To Get A Social Security Card
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Corrected Card For A Foreign Born Us Citizen Adult
If you legally change your name because of marriage, divorce, court order, or any other reason, you need to tell Social Security so that you can get a corrected card. If you are working, you also need to tell your employer. If you do not tell us when your name changes, it may:
- Prevent your wages from being posted correctly to your Social Security record, which may lower the amount of your future Social Security benefits.
- Cause delays when you file your taxes.
Important
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 . We cannot accept a receipt showing you applied for the document.
We may use one document for two purposes. For example, we may use your U.S. passport as proof of both citizenship and identity.
Heres The Quick And Easy Way To Obtain Your Social Security Card In Albuquerque And Surrounding Areas:
In order to obtain a social security card, you must go to the Social Security Administration. Its located at 500 Lead Avenue Southwest, Suite 100, in Albuquerque, New Mexico, 87102. Theyre open Monday through Friday, from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM, except on Wednesdays, theyre open from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM. To obtain a replacement social security card, you must prove your identity and US citizenship. We recommend that you contact the Social Security Administration by phone to verify their hours and office visit procedures. You can reach them at .
Alternatively, you have the option of ordering a replacement social security card online using .
For more information, call us, your DMV specialists, at to speak with one of our friendly DMV specialists. Were happy to help!
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Lost Your Social Security Card Need To Make Changes Here’s How
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Many people find they need to change or correct their Social Security information when they get married or divorced and change their names. Or they need a replacement Social Security card when they realize theyve lost their original one or it’s been stolen. Here is how to deal with either of those situations.
How To Set Up A My Social Security Account
To set up a My Social Security account, go to the My Social Security web page.
To open the account, you must:
- Have a valid email address
- Have a Social Security number
- Have a U.S. mailing address
- Be at least 18 years of age
You can only create an account using your own personal information. You should not create an account using another person’s information or identity, even if you have that person’s written permission.
For example, you cannot create an account for another person:
- With whom you have a business relationship
- For whom you are a representative payee
- For whom you are an appointed representative
You can request a replacement Social Security card online if you are a U.S. citizen age 18 or older with a U.S. mailing address. You must also have a driver’s license or a state-issued identification card from one of the states listed above.
If you do not meet these requirements, print out the application and take it, along with the original documents you need, to your local SSA office. The online application site will link to a page where you can find the closest SSA office in your area. You can also submit your application using an online form, provided you meet certain criteria outlined below.
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