How to Get a Social Security Number for Your Child
Your child needs an SSNSocial Security Number — A 9-digit number issued by the Social Security Administration. It is the main US identity number for work, taxes, and credit.Click for official info ↗ to claim them on your tax return, open accounts, and later work. The easiest route is checking the box on the birth registration form at the hospital — the SSASocial Security Administration — The agency that issues Social Security numbers/cards and pays retirement, disability (SSDI), and SSI benefits.Click for official info ↗ issues the number and card by mail within about 2 weeks. Missed that? Apply at a Social Security office with proof of the child's identity, age, and your relationship.
The Steps
Follow these in order
Each card shows the phase, expected time, and any cost. Data checked against official US sources(2025-Latest).
0 of 6 steps
- Before You Go 5 min
Use the hospital option if you still can
When you fill out the birth certificate worksheet at the hospital, check "YES" to request a Social Security number. The state vital records office sends the data to SSASocial Security Administration — The agency that issues Social Security numbers/cards and pays retirement, disability (SSDI), and SSI benefits.Click for official info ↗ automatically and the card arrives by mail in about 2 weeks — no office visit, no forms.
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- Go 30–60 min
Otherwise, apply at a Social Security office
Apply in person — child SSNSocial Security Number — A 9-digit number issued by the Social Security Administration. It is the main US identity number for work, taxes, and credit.Click for official info ↗ applications cannot be completed online. Both the child and the parent listed on the birth certificate must attend in most cases. Use the SSASocial Security Administration — The agency that issues Social Security numbers/cards and pays retirement, disability (SSDI), and SSI benefits.Click for official info ↗ office locator to find your nearest office and check walk-in hours.
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- Fill / Prepare 10 min
Complete Form SS-5
Fill out Application for a Social Security Card (Form SS-5) — one page. For a child under 12, a parent or legal guardian signs. The form asks for the child's name, birth details, and your SSNSocial Security Number — A 9-digit number issued by the Social Security Administration. It is the main US identity number for work, taxes, and credit.Click for official info ↗.
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- Submit & Pay
Show the required documents
You must prove the child's age (birth certificate), identity (birth certificate works for infants; older children may need a passport or medical record), and citizenship or immigration status. You also prove your own identity and relationship. Originals only — photocopies are rejected.
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- Wait About 2 weeks
Wait for the card by mail
The card arrives in about 2 weeks after the office verifies the documents. The SSASocial Security Administration — The agency that issues Social Security numbers/cards and pays retirement, disability (SSDI), and SSI benefits.Click for official info ↗ mails it to the address on the application. If documents need verification with immigration (foreign-born children), it can take longer.
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- Receive
Use it for the tax and benefit chain
The SSNSocial Security Number — A 9-digit number issued by the Social Security Administration. It is the main US identity number for work, taxes, and credit.Click for official info ↗ lets you claim the child as a dependent, claim the Child Tax Credit, add them to health insurance, and open a 529 or savings account. Store the card at home — schools and sports leagues do not need the actual number, and carrying it invites identity theft.
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FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
My child was born abroad to US citizen parents. How do we get an SSN?
First get the child a Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA) and US passport through the embassy, then apply for the SSNSocial Security Number — A 9-digit number issued by the Social Security Administration. It is the main US identity number for work, taxes, and credit.Click for official info ↗ — many embassies can take the SS-5 application at the same time as the CRBA. The child needs a US passport or CRBA as citizenship proof.
We adopted a child internationally. What documents do we need?
Bring the adoption decree, the child's foreign passport with the IR-3 or IR-4 immigrant visa, and your ID. With a full IR-3 adoption the child is a citizen automatically; the SSASocial Security Administration — The agency that issues Social Security numbers/cards and pays retirement, disability (SSDI), and SSI benefits.Click for official info ↗ can issue an SSNSocial Security Number — A 9-digit number issued by the Social Security Administration. It is the main US identity number for work, taxes, and credit.Click for official info ↗ with a number-only card and you can request a card showing citizenship later.
Do I really need the SSN right away?
For taxes, yes — you cannot claim the Child Tax Credit without it, and the IRSInternal Revenue Service — The US federal tax agency. It collects federal income taxes, issues refunds, and administers ITINs.Click for official info ↗ requires the number by the return due date. You can file your return and amend later using Form 1040US Individual Income Tax Return — The standard federal income tax form. Variants like 1040-SR (seniors) and schedules attach to it.Click for official info ↗-X once the number arrives, but getting it early avoids the hassle.
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