How To Replace Your Child’s Social Security Card

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There is nothing worse than not being able to find a social security card. This can be even worse when it is your child’s social security card. If you cannot find your child’s social security card, you will need to look at getting a replacement. The problem is that most people do not know what to do to replace a child’s social security card.

Explain The Loss

Before you start looking at the other steps that you need to complete, you should realize that you have to explain the loss. This is the very first step that you have to take when you lose any social security card. The reason why you have to do this is to get better information about any additional steps that need to be taken in the event of certain types of losses.

If the social security card has been stolen, there are additional steps that you need complete before you get a replacement. To explain the loss, you will need to go to your local social security office. Once you have told them about the reason for the loss, you will be provided with the information that you need and any forms that you have to complete.

Gather Your Child’s Documents

Gathering the necessary documents is something that you can do before you head to the social security office to explain the loss. This is something that you should consider if the social security card has been misplaced and not stolen. This is due to the fact that you will not have to complete additional steps which might require additional information.

The first step in gathering your documents is to get the information regarding your child. These documents will vary depending on the citizenship of the child and where they were born. The first document is a proof of citizenship.

If your child was born in the US, you can use a US birth certificate or a US passport as proof. These are the only documents that you will be able to use. If your child was born outside the US but is a US citizen, you will need to use a certificate of the report of birth, a US passport or certificate of citizenship or a consular report of a birth abroad.

If your child is not a US citizen, you will need to prove the immigration status of the child. This can be done with a lawful permanent resident card or an arrival and departure report. If your child is an F-1 or M-1 student, you have to provide the I-20. The DS-2019 is required if your child is a J-1 or a J-2 exchange visitor.

After gathering these documents, you need to get identification documents for your child. You will not be able to use the birth certificate of the child as a proof of identification as social security needs to see that the child lived after their date of birth. The document that you provide will need to have your child’s name, some identifying information and a recent photograph.

The document that is most commonly used will be your child’s US passport. If you do not have a passport, you can use an adoption decree, religious record, medical record, school identification card or a school daycare center record. If your child has a state-issued non-driver’s identification card, you can also use this.

If your child is not a US citizen, you will need to provide the DHS document for your child. Other acceptable documents will include their permanent resident card or their arrival and departure record with an unexpired foreign passport. If your child does not have a current DHS document, other documents can be used which are the same as those for US citizens.

Gather Your Documents

After getting all of your child’s documents in order, you need to get your own documents. Social security will want to have all of your documents at the same time as your child’s. It is important to note that the documents you provide to social security for you and your child will need to be the originals. Social security does not accept copies or certified copies.

You will need to provide documents that show your identity. The document must be current and have your name, identifying information and a recent photograph. The documents that are accepted by social security will be your US driver’s license, your US passport and your state-issued non-driver identification card.

If you are not a US citizen, you will need to provide a current DHS document. The accepted documents will include your permanent resident card, your employment authorization document or your admission stamp in a current foreign passport. Other documents will not be accepted in these cases.

Complete The Application

Once you have all of your documents in place, you need to fill out the application for a replacement social security card. This is the same application form that you would use to get the initial social security card. The form that you need to complete will be the SS-5 which can be found online or you can get one from the local social security office.

Submitting The Application

Once you have all the documents and filled in the application, you will need to submit this. This can be done in your local social security office, the local social security card center or by post. It is recommended that you complete this by post as waiting at the social security office can take a lot of time.

Getting The Replacement Card

After submitting the application for your child’s replacement SS card, you will need to wait for the card to be sent via the post. This will generally occur within 10 days of the social security office receiving your application. The card that you get will have the same number as the previous card. Getting a replacement social security card for your child is not much different from getting one for yourself. The only difference is that you need to provide documentation for both you and your child.

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Melissa Thompson

Melissa is a mother of 2, lives in Utah, and writes for a multitude of sites. She is currently the EIC of HarcourtHealth.com and writes about health, wellness, and business topics.