[Code of Federal Regulations] [Title 20, Volume 2] [Revised as of April 1, 2004] From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access [CITE: 20CFR422.107] [Page 1071-1073] TITLE 20--EMPLOYEES' BENEFITS CHAPTER III--SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION PART 422_ORGANIZATION AND PROCEDURES--Table of Contents Subpart B_General Procedures Sec. 422.107 Evidence requirements. (a) General. An applicant for an original social security number card must submit documentary evidence that the Commissioner of Social Security regards as convincing evidence of age, U.S. citizenship or alien status, and true identity. An applicant for a duplicate or corrected social security number card must submit convincing documentary evidence of identity and may also be required to submit convincing documentary evidence of age and U.S. citizenship or alien status. An applicant for an original, duplicate, or corrected social security number card is also required to submit evidence to assist us in determining the existence and identity of any previously assigned number(s). A social security number will not be assigned, or an original, duplicate, or corrected card issued, unless all the evidence requirements are met. An in-person interview is required of an applicant who is age 12 or older applying for an original social security number except for an alien who requests a social security number as part of the immigration process as described in Sec. 422.103(b)(3). An in-person interview may also be required of other applicants. All documents submitted as evidence must be originals or copies of the original documents certified by the custodians of the original records and are subject to verification. (b) Evidence of age. An applicant for an original social security number is required to submit convincing evidence of age. An applicant for a duplicate or corrected social security number card may also be required to submit evidence of age. Examples of the types of evidence which may be submitted are a birth certificate, a religious record showing age or date of birth, a hospital record of birth, or a passport. (See Sec. 404.716.) (c) Evidence of identity. An applicant for an original social security number or a duplicate or corrected social security number card is required to submit convincing documentary evidence of identity. Documentary evidence of identity may consist of a driver's license, identity card, school record, medical record, marriage record, passport, Department of Homeland Security document, or other similar document serving to identify the individual. The document must contain sufficient information to identify the applicant, [[Page 1072]] including the applicant's name and (1) the applicant's age, date of birth, or parents' names; and/or (2) a photograph or physical description of the individual. A birth record is not sufficient evidence to establish identity for these purposes. (d) Evidence of U.S. citizenship. Generally, an applicant for an original, duplicate, or corrected social security number card may prove that he or she is a U.S. citizen by birth by submitting a birth certificate or other evidence, as described in paragraphs (b) and (c) of this section, that shows a U.S. place of birth. Where a foreign-born applicant claims U.S. citizenship, the applicant for a social security number or a duplicate or corrected social security number card is required to present documentary evidence of U.S. citizenship. If required evidence is not available, a social security number card will not be issued until satisfactory evidence of U.S. citizenship is furnished. Any of the following is generally acceptable evidence of U.S. citizenship for a foreign-born applicant: (1) Certificate of naturalization; (2) Certificate of citizenship; (3) U.S. passport; (4) U.S. citizen identification card issued by the Immigration and Naturalization Service; (5) Consular report of birth (State Department form FS-240 or FS- 545); or (6) Other verification from the Immigration and Naturalization Service, U.S. Department of State, or Federal or State court records confirming citizenship. (e) Evidence of alien status. When a person who is not a U.S. citizen applies for an original social security number or a duplicate or corrected social security number card, he or she is required to submit, as evidence of alien status, a current document issued by the Immigration and Naturalization Service in accordance with that agency's regulations. The document must show that the applicant has been lawfully admitted to the United States, either for permanent residence or under authority of law permitting him or her to work in the United States, or that the applicant's alien status has changed so that it is lawful for him or her to work. If the applicant fails to submit such a document, a social security number card will not be issued. If the applicant submits an unexpired Immigration and Naturalization Service document(s) which shows current authorization to work, a social security number will be assigned or verified and a card which can be used for work will be issued. If the authorization of the applicant to work is temporary or subject to termination by the Immigration and Naturalization Service, the SSA records may be so annotated. If the document(s) does not provide authorization to work and the applicant wants a social security number for a work purpose, no social security number will be assigned. If the applicant requests the number for a nonwork purpose and provides evidence documenting that the number is needed for a valid nonwork purpose, the number may be assigned and the card issued will be annotated with a nonwork legend. The SSA record will be annotated to show that a number has been assigned and a card issued for a nonwork purpose. In that case, if earnings are later reported to SSA, the Immigration and Naturalization Service will be notified of the report. SSA may also notify that agency if earnings are reported for a social security number that was valid for work when assigned but for which work authorization expired or was later terminated by the Immigration and Naturalization Service. SSA may also annotate the record with other remarks, if appropriate. (f) Failure to submit evidence. If the applicant does not comply with a request for the required evidence or other information within a reasonable time, SSA may attempt another contact with the applicant. If there is still no response, a social security number card will not be issued. (g) Invalid or expired documents. SSA will not issue an original, duplicate, or corrected social security number card when an applicant presents invalid or expired documents. Invalid documents are either forged documents that supposedly were issued by the custodian of the record, or properly issued documents that were improperly changed [[Page 1073]] after they were issued. An expired document is one that was valid for only a limited time and that time has passed. [55 FR 46665, Nov. 6, 1990, as amended at 60 FR 32446, June 22, 1995; 62 FR 38456, July 18, 1997; 63 FR 56555, Oct. 22, 1998; 68 FR 55308, Sept. 25, 2003]