How to Get a Social Security Number: Visa, Work Permit or SSA Office

To get a Social Security number, you need US citizenship or work permission from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The number is free. Many new immigrants do not need to visit an office: they answer "Yes" to the SSN question on the DS-260 immigrant visa application or on Form I-765. Everyone else starts online and brings original documents to a local Social Security Administration (SSA) office.

An SSN is a 9-digit number that is unique to you. SSA lists the usual reasons you need one: filing taxes, starting a job, opening a bank account, applying for a loan, getting a passport and claiming benefits.

Who can get a Social Security number

All US citizens can request one. For noncitizens, SSA's general rule is that you need permission to work from DHS. Students qualify through on-campus work or CPT, and a number without work permission is issued only when a law requires one.

Documents must be current. A receipt showing you applied for a document is not accepted.

SSN for immigrants: getting it through your visa or green card

You file nothing separately; the agencies pass your data along. For Forms I-765 and I-485 SSA calls this automated process Enumeration Beyond Entry (EBE).

Immigrant visa from abroad. Form DS-260 asks whether you want SSA to assign you a number and issue a card. Answer "Yes" to that question and to the Consent To Disclosure. The consulate sends your data to DHS, and DHS sends it to SSA when you are admitted. If the card has not arrived within 3 weeks of entry, go to the nearest SSA office or Card Center with proof of age, identity and work authorization.

Form I-765 (work permit application). It has an SSA section. If you complete it and USCIS approves the application, your SSN card is mailed separately to the address on the form. SSA gives two figures: its EBE page says no later than 14 days after you receive the EAD, and its documents page says 7 to 10 business days.

Form I-485 (adjustment of status). Same process and the same SSA figures, counted from the day you receive the green card. Form N-400 (naturalization) lets you order a replacement card and update your citizenship on SSA records.

Do not skip the SSA section or leave its fields blank. SSA warns it may not finish the card without your name, date of birth, parents' names, country of birth and sex, even if the immigration document is approved.

Form SS-5 and applying at an SSA office

If you did not request a number through the visa, I-765 or I-485, apply yourself, but only after you have the EAD, green card or other status document in hand. If you are in the US, start on SSA's first-time number page, then book a visit to a local office and bring your documents. In-person help requires an appointment. The paper application is the Application for a Social Security Card (Form SS-5).

SSA takes only originals or copies certified by the issuing agency. Photocopies and notarized copies are refused. One document can serve two purposes (an EAD proves status and identity), but you need at least two separate documents. Anyone 12 or older applying for a first number must appear in person for an interview.

Cost and how long the card takes

Timelines checked on October 28, 2026 at ssa.gov.

Delays happen when SSA cannot verify your immigration document with USCIS right away, which can add two more weeks. If the time has passed, call SSA at 1-800-772-1213, weekdays 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.

SSN without a work permit, and ITIN vs SSN

Without work permission, you will almost never get a number. SSA says you do not need an SSN to open a bank account, enroll in school, buy private health insurance or apply for subsidized housing, and you cannot get one just for a driver's license. Our guide to opening a bank account without an SSN covers the banking side.

A "nonwork" SSN is issued only when a federal law requires a number for a specific benefit or service, or when a state or local law requires it for assistance you already qualify for (with a letter from the agency citing the law). You cannot work with it; if you do, SSA informs DHS.

If you need a number for taxes and are not eligible for an SSN, the IRS issues an ITIN (Individual Taxpayer Identification Number):

IRS timelines checked on October 28, 2026 at irs.gov.

An ITIN gives no immigration status, no work authorization and no Social Security benefits. You cannot hold both numbers: once you get an SSN, stop using the ITIN and tell the IRS so your records are combined. See our tax basics for new immigrants.

Replace a Social Security card and avoid phone scams

A replacement card is also free. Some people can order it online; others need an office appointment. The card arrives by mail 5 to 10 business days after approval, and the local office cannot print one for you. SSA notes that if you know your number, you usually do not need the physical card.

Scammers call, text and email pretending to be SSA. Red flags SSA lists:

• threats to suspend your SSN or have you arrested;
• pressure to act now and keep it secret;
• payment by gift card, wire transfer, cryptocurrency or cash;
• fees for forms or replacement cards that are actually free.

SSA never asks for sensitive information through social media, email or text. Hang up and report it at oig.ssa.gov/report. The FTC takes reports with an interpreter at (877) 382-4357, then press 3.

If your case is complicated (a denial, an overstay, mismatched records after a name change), talk to an immigration attorney from our directory. Once the number arrives, the next step is building a US credit history.

Questions people ask

Do I have to pay for an SSN or a replacement card?

No. SSA issues Social Security numbers and replacement cards for free. Anyone asking you to pay for an application, a form or a new card is showing a scam sign that SSA itself warns about. You can report it to the SSA Office of the Inspector General at oig.ssa.gov/report.

Can I get an SSN on a tourist visa?

Usually no. SSA issues numbers to noncitizens who have work permission from DHS. Without it, a number is issued only when a federal, state or local law requires an SSN for a benefit you already qualify for. For taxes, a person who cannot get an SSN can apply to the IRS for an ITIN with Form W-7.

What if my SSN card did not arrive after my green card?

If you requested the number on Form I-485 or I-765, SSA says the card should arrive 7 to 10 business days after the green card or EAD on one page and no later than 14 days on another. If you immigrated through DS-260, the guide is 3 weeks after entry. After that, contact your local SSA office and bring your original documents.

Can I work with an ITIN?

No. The IRS says an ITIN is for federal tax purposes only: it does not authorize work, give immigration status or qualify you for Social Security benefits. Work permission comes from your status or an EAD, and a job needs an SSN. Once you get an SSN, stop using the ITIN and notify the IRS.