New Social Security Card Procedures
Posted Sep 13, 2002

Effective September 1, 2002, the Social Security Administration (SSA) revised its procedures for processing applications for social security numbers (SSNs) for foreign nationals. Under the new system, SSA will have to verify a foreign national's immigration status with the INS through an INS database. SSA now has the capability of verifying the status of all foreign nationals using the INS' Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) database.

The MurthyBulletin covered the general Social Security card application process in our June 07, 2002 article, Social Security Cards: The Basics, available on MurthyDotCom. The procedures vary depending upon how long the individual has been in the U.S., and apply to both original and replacement card requests.

Persons Present Fewer than 30 Days

If an individual has been in the U.S. fewer than 30 days, SSA reviews the documents according to procedures set forth in an SSA "Confidential Memorandum." The review includes scrutinizing the documents for indications of forgery. If the documents appear to be genuine, SSA attempts to verify them using SAVE. If the SAVE system cannot verify the information, the application continues to be processed and a number issued, while SSA submits an official request to INS to verify the information. A separate procedure is followed for documents that are suspected to be invalid and the application in such a case is not processed while INS verification is pending.

Selected Countries of Origin

A more stringent procedure is followed for citizens or recent residents of Iran, Iraq, Sudan, and Libya. These individuals do not receive social security numbers until the INS provides the necessary verification of status. However, if individuals from the listed countries are U.S. citizens, permanent residents, or representatives of a foreign government or international organization (A or G visa status), they will be processed under the usual procedures.

More than 30 Days

If a foreign national has been in the U.S. for 30 days or longer, the same process is followed, except that a social security number will not be issued until the INS provides the needed verification, either through the SAVE system or, if that does not work, based upon a specific Document Verification Request. Therefore, individuals who are new to the U.S. could face a longer processing time if they wait beyond the 30-day point to apply for an SSN. It is important for human resources managers to bring this to the attention of newly arrived employees.