Using US Birth Certificate as Evidence of US Citizenship for Social Security Card

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Social Security offices only accept two documents as proof of citizenship in the United States. These documents are:

  • A US birth certificate
  • A US passport

For those who don’t have a US passport, a birth certificate is the most viable option. The birth certificate also serves as evidence of your age.

How US Birth Certificates are Used for Determining US Citizenship

Birth certificates are important in determining US citizenship because they show where the applicant was born. If a birth certificate shows that the applicant was born in one of 50 states or a United States territory, they are eligible to receive a social security card since it is valid proof of their citizenship.

Other Ways that the SSA Uses a Birth Certificate

Your birth certificate is not only a way to prove citizenship, but it also proves to the Social Security Office that you are the age that you claim to be. This is important in preventing social security fraud and disallowing anyone from reaping social security benefits early.

What your Birth Certificate is Not Used for

All of the application requirements are not fulfilled using only a birth certificate. For example, a birth certificate is not a viable option for confirming your identity to the office. For that, you would need to have additional documents, such as a state-issued non-driver identity card, health insurance card, or a school ID. For non-citizens, a birth certificate would not be an acceptable way to confirm your immigration status since it would not be certified by any United States registrars.

Types of Birth Certificates Accepted when Applying for a Social Security Card

When providing a birth certificate as evidence of citizenship, the Social Security office does not accept photocopies or notarized copies. For this reason, it is important to make sure that you have a certificate that is an original or certified copy when applying. If the original is not available, then a certified copy will suffice.

A certified copy is a copy of your birth certificate that has been issued by the state in which your birth was recorded. This type of copy will have a raised, embossed, impressed, or multicolored seal, the official registrar’s signature, and the date that the certificate was filed with the registrar’s office.

Submitting Birth Certificate as Evidence of Citizenship

By using our service, you simply must fill out our application, answer the designated prompts in our SS-5 form, and submit your birth certificate as well as other documents along with your SSA application to the address we provide you. The process is accurate, convenient, and makes the application process go by quickly.

If you plan to get your Social Security card on your own, then there are steps that you must go through depending on the situation.

If this is your first time applying to receive a social security card, then you must submit your birth certificate in addition to all other acceptable documents that are needed in person at the Social Security Office if you are over the age of 12.

However, those who have who are simply looking for a replacement card may be eligible to apply online depending on their state’s regulations or by sending an application through the mail.

Once the application been received and the Social Security Administration has verified that all of the required documents are legitimate, you will receive your card in the mail along with a receipt within 10 business days.


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