Paperwork
Applying for an SSN or an ITIN
Who qualifies for a Social Security number, who needs an ITIN instead, what documents each takes, and how to keep your number safe from fraud.
These two numbers are easy to confuse, but they do different jobs and come from different agencies.
- An SSN is a Social Security number, issued by the Social Security Administration (SSA). It is what lets you work legally, build up retirement credits, and complete almost any official process.
- An ITIN is an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number, issued by the IRS. It exists only for filing taxes. An ITIN does not give you permission to work and is not an immigration status.
The rule is simple: if you are eligible for an SSN, apply for an SSN. Only apply for an ITIN if you are not eligible for one but still have to file a tax return. If US tax paperwork is new to you, read understanding your pay stub and W-2 alongside this.
Who is eligible for an SSN
You are eligible if you are a US citizen, a lawful permanent resident (green card holder), or someone with work authorization from immigration services. Work visa holders, refugees, people granted asylum, and EAD card holders all fall into this group.
How to apply for an SSN
What you need
- Form SS-5, downloaded from ssa.gov/number-card
- Proof of immigration status: green card, EAD card, or passport with your I-94
- Proof of identity, usually your passport
- A birth certificate as well, if you were born outside the US and are under 18
Once you have an SSN, the next step for most new arrivals is a driver's license or state ID card, which is the document you will be asked for most often. If you have school-age children, it is also the number a district usually asks for when enrolling your child in public school, although a school may not turn your child away for not having one.
Documents must be originals or copies certified by the issuing agency. SSA does not accept ordinary photocopies. They give your originals back to you.
Where to file
In person at your nearest SSA office. Find it through ssa.gov. Many offices take walk-ins, but an appointment saves a long wait.
How long it takes
The card usually arrives within two to four weeks of approval. It is completely free. Nobody is allowed to charge you for getting an SSN.
How to apply for an ITIN
An ITIN is for people with a US tax filing obligation who cannot get an SSN. The common cases are a spouse or child of a filer who is not themselves authorized to work, and people with US income but no work authorization.
What you need
- Form W-7, from irs.gov
- That year's federal tax return, filed together with the W-7. This trips people up: you normally cannot send a W-7 on its own
- Your original passport, or two other documents from the IRS list of accepted proofs
Three ways to file
- By mail to the IRS. Cheapest, but you have to send your original passport away and wait for it to come back. Many people are not willing to do that.
- Through a Certifying Acceptance Agent (CAA). They verify your documents in person so your passport stays with you. They charge a fee. The IRS site lists agents by area.
- At an IRS Taxpayer Assistance Center. Free, your passport stays with you, but you need an appointment and not every area has one.
How long it takes
Around seven weeks, and considerably longer during the January to April filing season. File early if you need the ITIN for a deadline.
Once the ITIN is in hand, the next question most families have is what the return can actually claim. What an ITIN household can and cannot claim is the subject of the Child Tax Credit and the EITC.
Keeping your number safe
A Social Security number is the key to your entire financial record. Someone who has it can open credit cards in your name.
- Do not carry the card around day to day. Keep it somewhere safe at home
- Give the number only where it is genuinely needed: employer, bank, government agency, doctor
- No government agency phones you and asks you to read out your Social Security number. A call like that is always a scam, even when the caller ID shows an official name
- Never send the number by text, email, or social media
What to do next
- Work out which group you are in: SS-5 if you are eligible for an SSN, W-7 if you are not
- Put your original documents in one folder before you travel
- If you need an ITIN, find a local CAA or IRS center first, so your passport never has to go in the mail
Common questions
Does it cost anything to get a Social Security number?
No. It is completely free. Nobody is permitted to charge you to apply, including for a promise to speed it up. Anyone asking for money for this is defrauding you.
I have an ITIN. Can I switch to an SSN later if I become eligible?
Yes. Once you are issued an SSN, tell the IRS so they can merge your earlier ITIN tax records into the new number. From then on you use the SSN for everything and stop using the ITIN.
Does an ITIN let me work legally?
No. An ITIN exists only for filing taxes. It is not work authorization and it does not change your immigration status.
What should I do if I lose my Social Security card?
A replacement uses the same form SS-5 and is also free. But most processes only need the number rather than the physical card, so it is worth asking whether you actually need a new one.
Sources / Nguồn
Official US government pages. If anything here disagrees with the official page, trust the official page.
- Social Security Administration - Social Security number and cardwww.ssa.gov
- IRS - Individual Taxpayer Identification Numberwww.irs.gov
- IRS - About Form W-7www.irs.gov