Form SS-5, Application for a Social Security Card Instructions
This form contains 70 fields organized into 19 sections. Below is a complete list of every field, its type, and what information is expected.
| Field Name | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Birth Information | ||
| 3. Place of birth (do not abbreviate). city | Text |
Enter the city where you were born. Do not use abbreviations.
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| State or Foreign Country | Text |
Enter the state or foreign country where you were born.
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| begin office use only section. F C I. end office use only section. 4. Date of Birth (M M/D D/ Y Y Y Y ) | Text |
Enter your date of birth in the format MM/DD/YYYY.
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| Citizenship Information | ||
| 5. Citizenship (check one). U.S. Citizen | CheckBox |
Check this box if you are a U.S. citizen.
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| Legal Alien Allowed To Work | CheckBox |
Check this box if you are a legal alien allowed to work in the U.S.
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| Legal Alien Not Allowed To Work(See Instructions On Page 3) | CheckBox |
Check this box if you are a legal alien not allowed to work in the U.S. Refer to instructions on page 3 for more details.
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| Other (See Instructions On Page 3) | CheckBox |
Check this box if your citizenship status is not listed above. Refer to instructions on page 3 for more details.
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| Contact Information | ||
| 15. Daytime Phone Number. Area Code | Text |
Enter the area code of your daytime phone number.
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| Number | Text |
Enter the number of your daytime phone number.
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| Current Application Information | ||
| 14. Today's Date M M/D D/ Y Y Y Y | Text |
Enter today's date. Use the format MM/DD/YYYY.
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| Declaration | ||
| 17. I declare under penalty of perjury that I have examined all the information on this form, and on any accompanying statements or forms, and it is true and correct to the best of my knowledge. your signature. a wet signature is required. print the form and sign | Text |
Sign your name here to declare under penalty of perjury that all the information provided is true and correct to the best of your knowledge. A wet signature is required, so print the form and sign it.
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| Demographic Information | ||
| Alaska Native | CheckBox |
Check this box if you identify as Alaska Native.
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| Asian | CheckBox |
Check this box if you identify as Asian.
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| American Indian | CheckBox |
Check this box if you identify as American Indian.
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| Black/African American | CheckBox |
Check this box if you identify as Black or African American.
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| other pacific islander | CheckBox |
Check this box if you identify as Other Pacific Islander.
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| White | CheckBox |
Check this box if you identify as White.
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| Ethnicity Information | ||
| 6. Ethnicity. Are You Hispanic or Latino? (Your Response is Voluntary). Yes | CheckBox |
Check 'Yes' if you are Hispanic or Latino. This response is voluntary.
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| no | CheckBox |
Check 'No' if you are not Hispanic or Latino. This response is voluntary.
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| Evidence Documents | ||
| Page 2 of 5 EVIDENCE DOCUMENTS The following lists are examples of the types of documents you must provide with your application and are not all inclusive. Call us at 1-800-772-1213 if you cannot provide these documents. IMPORTANT : If you are completing this application on behalf of someone else, you must provide evidence that shows your authority to sign the application as well as documents to prove your identity and the identity of the person for whom you are filing the application. We can only accept original documents or documents certified by the custodian of the original record. Notarized copies or photocopies which have not been certified by the custodian of the record are not acceptable. Evidence of Age In general, you must provide your birth certificate. In some situations, we may accept another document that shows your age. Some of the other documents we may accept are: bullet U.S. hospital record of your birth (created at the time of birth) bullet Religious record established before age five showing your age or date of birth bullet Passport bullet Final Adoption Decree (the adoption decree must show that the birth information was taken from the original birth certificate) | Text |
This section provides examples of the types of documents you must provide with your application to prove your age. Generally, a birth certificate is required, but other documents such as a U.S. hospital record of birth, a religious record established before age five, a passport, or a final adoption decree may also be accepted.
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| Evidence of Identity You must provide current, unexpired evidence of identity in your legal name. Your legal name will be shown on the Social Security card. Generally, we prefer to see documents issued in the U.S. Documents you submit to establish identity must show your legal name AND provide biographical information (your date of birth, age, or parents' names) and/or physical information (photograph, or physical description - height, eye and hair color, etc.). If you send a photo identity document but do not appear in person, the document must show your biographical information (e.g., your date of birth, age, or parents' names). Generally, documents without an expiration date should have been issued within the past two years for adults and within the past four years for children. As proof of your identity, you must provide a: bullet U.S. driver's license; or bullet U.S. State-issued non-driver identity card; or bullet U.S. passport If you do not have one of the documents above or cannot get a replacement within 10 work days, we may accept other documents that show your legal name and biographical information, such as a U.S. military identity card, Certificate of Naturalization, employee identity card, certified copy of medical record (clinic, doctor or hospital), health insurance card, Medicaid card, or school identity card/record. For young children, we may accept medical records (clinic, doctor, or hospital) maintained by the medical provider. We may also accept a final adoption decree, or a school identity card, or other school record maintained by the school. If you are not a U.S. citizen, we must see your current U.S. immigration document(s) and your foreign passport with biographical information or photograph. WE CANNOT ACCEPT A BIRTH CERTIFICATE, HOSPITAL SOUVENIR BIRTH CERTIFICATE, SOCIAL SECURITY CARD STUB OR A SOCIAL SECURITY RECORD as evidence of identity. Evidence of U.S. Citizenship In general, you must provide your U.S. birth certificate or U.S. Passport. Other documents you may provide are a Consular Report of Birth, Certificate of Citizenship, or Certificate of Naturalization. Evidence of Immigration Status You must provide a current unexpired document issued to you by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) showing your immigration status, such as Form I-551, I-94, or I-766. If you are an international student or exchange visitor, you may need to provide additional documents, such as Form I-20, DS-2019, or a letter authorizing employment from your school and employer (F-1) or sponsor (J-1). We CANNOT accept a receipt showing you applied for the document. If you are not authorized to work in the U.S., we can issue you a Social Security card only if you need the number for a valid non-work reason. Your card will be marked to show you cannot work and if you do work, we will notify DHS. See page 3, item 5 for more information | Text |
This section outlines the types of documents you must provide to prove your identity, U.S. citizenship, and immigration status. For identity, you need a current, unexpired document such as a U.S. driver's license, state-issued ID card, or passport. For U.S. citizenship, a birth certificate or passport is generally required. For immigration status, a current document issued by the Department of Homeland Security is needed.
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| Information | ||
| Page 4 of 5 PROTECT YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER AND CARD Protect your SSN card and number from loss and identity theft. DO NOT carry your SSN card with you. Keep it in a secure location and only take it with you when you must show the card; e.g., to obtain a new job, open a new bank account, or to obtain benefits from certain U.S. agencies. Use caution in giving out your Social Security number to others, particularly during phone, mail, email and Internet requests you did not initiate. PRIVACY ACT STATEMENT Collection and Use of Personal Information Sections 205 and 702 of the Social Security Act, as amended, allow us to collect this information. Furnishing us this information is voluntary. However, failing to provide all or part of the information may prevent us from assigning you a Social Security number and issuing you a new or replacement Social Security card. We will use the information you provide to issue you a replacement Social Security card. We may also share your information for the following purposes, called routine uses: • To Federal, State, and local entities to assist them with administering income maintenance and health maintenance programs, when a Federal statute authorizes them to use the Social Security number; and • To student volunteers, persons working under a personal services contract, and others when they need access to information in our records in order to perform their assigned agency duties. In addition, we may share this information in accordance with the Privacy Act and other Federal laws. For example, where authorized, we may use and disclose this information in computer matching programs, in which our records are compared with other records to establish or verify a person’s eligibility for Federal benefit programs and for repayment of incorrect or delinquent debts under these programs. A list of additional routine uses is available in our Privacy Act System of Records Notices (S O R N ) 60-0058, entitled Master Files of Social Security Number (S S N) Holders and S S N Applications, as published in the Federal Register (FR) on December 29, 2010, at 75 FR 82121. Additional information, and a full listing of all of our S O R N s, is available on our website at www.ssa.gov/privacy | Text |
This section provides important information on how to protect your Social Security Number (SSN) and card from loss and identity theft. It also includes the Privacy Act Statement, explaining how your personal information will be used and shared.
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| Paperwork Reduction Act Statement - This information collection meets the requirements of 44 U.S.C. § 3507, as amended by section 2 of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. You do not need to answer these questions unless we display a valid Office of Management and Budget control number. We estimate that it will take between 5 and 60 minutes to read the instructions, gather the facts, and answer the questions. SEND OR BRING THE COMPLETED FORM TO YOUR LOCAL SOCIAL SECURITY OFFICE. You can find your local Social Security office through SSA’s website at www.socialsecurity.gov. Offices are also listed under U. S. Government agencies in your telephone directory or you may call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778). You may send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection, including suggestions for reducing this burden to: SSA, 6401 Security Blvd, Baltimore, MD 21235-6401. Send only comments relating to our time estimate to this address, not the completed form | Text |
This section contains the Paperwork Reduction Act Statement, which explains the legal requirements for information collection and provides an estimate of the time needed to complete the form. It also includes instructions on where to send or bring the completed form.
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| Instructions | ||
| Page 3 of 5 HOW TO COMPLETE THIS APPLICATION Complete and sign this application LEGIBLY using ONLY black or blue ink on the attached or downloaded form using only 8 ½” x 11” (or A4 8.25” x 11.7”) paper. GENERAL: Items on the form are self-explanatory or are discussed below. The numbers match the numbered items on the form. If you are completing this form for someone else, please complete the items as they apply to that person. 4. Show the month, day, and full (4 digit) year of birth; for example, “1998” for year of birth. 5. If you check “Legal Alien Not Allowed to Work” or “Other,” you must provide a document from a U.S. Federal, State, or local government agency that explains why you need a Social Security number and that you meet all the requirements for the government benefit. NOTE: Most agencies do not require that you have a Social Security number. Contact us to see if your reason qualifies for a Social Security number. 6., 7. Providing race and ethnicity information is voluntary and does not affect decisions on your application. We request this information for research and statistical purposes, to ensure all our customers receive fair and equal treatment. 9.B., 10.B. If you are applying for an original Social Security card for a child under age 18, you MUST show the parents' Social Security numbers unless the parent was never assigned a Social Security number. If the number is not known and you cannot obtain it, check the “unknown” box. 13. If the date of birth you show in item 4 is different from the date of birth currently shown on your Social Security record, show the date of birth currently shown on your record in item 13 and provide evidence to support the date of birth shown in item 4. 16. Show an address where you can receive your card 7 to 14 days from now. 17. WHO CAN SIGN THE APPLICATION? If you are age 18 or older and are physically and mentally capable of reading and completing the application, you must sign in item 17. If you are under age 18, you may either sign yourself, or a parent or legal guardian may sign for you. If you are over age 18 and cannot sign on your own behalf, a legal guardian, parent, or close relative may generally sign for you. If you cannot sign your name, you should sign with an "X” mark and have two people sign as witnesses in the space beside the mark. Please do not alter your signature by including additional information on the signature line as this may invalidate your application. Call us if you have questions about who may sign your application. HOW TO SUBMIT THIS APPLICATION In most cases, you can take or mail this signed application with your documents to any Social Security office. Any documents you mail to us will be returned to you. Go to https://secure.ssa.gov/apps6z/FOLO/fo001.jsp to find the Social Security office or Social Security Card Center that serves your area | Text |
This section provides detailed instructions on how to complete the application for a Social Security Card. It includes guidelines on how to fill out the form, what information is required, and how to submit the application. Make sure to read this section carefully to ensure your application is completed correctly.
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| Mailing Address | ||
| 16. Mailing address. (do not abbreviate). street address, Apartment Number, P O Box, Rural Route Number | Text |
Enter your complete mailing address, including street address, apartment number, P.O. Box, or rural route number. Do not use abbreviations.
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| city | Text |
Enter the city of your mailing address.
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| State/Foreign Country | Text |
Enter the state or foreign country of your mailing address.
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| ZIP Code | Text |
Enter the ZIP code of your mailing address.
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| Parent Information | ||
| last | Text |
Enter the last name of the father.
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| B. PARENT/ FATHER'S SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER (See instructions for 10B on Page 3). First three digits of Social Security Number | Text |
Enter the first three digits of the father's Social Security Number.
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| Second 2 digits of Social Security Number | Text |
Enter the second two digits of the father's Social Security Number.
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| Last 4 digits of Social Security Number | Text |
Enter the last four digits of the father's Social Security Number.
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| unknown | CheckBox |
Check this box if the father's information is unknown.
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| Parental Information | ||
| 9. Ay. Parents/mothers name at her birth. first | Text |
Enter your mother's first name as it was at her birth.
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| full middle name | Text |
Enter your mother's full middle name.
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| last | Text |
Enter your mother's last name.
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| B. PARENT/ MOTHER'S SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER (See instructions for 9 B on Page 3). First three digits of Social Security Number | Text |
Enter the first three digits of your mother's Social Security Number.
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| Second 2 digits of Social Security Number | Text |
Enter the second two digits of your mother's Social Security Number.
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| Last 4 digits of Social Security Number | Text |
Enter the last four digits of your mother's Social Security Number.
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| unknown | CheckBox |
Check this box if your mother's information is unknown.
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| 10. ay. parent/father's name. First | Text |
Enter your father's first name.
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| full middle name | Text |
Enter your father's full middle name.
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| Personal Information | ||
| Form SS-5 (10-2021) U F Use (11-2019) U F Until Stock Is Exhausted SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION Page 1 of 5 O M B Number . 0960-0066 Application for a Social Security Card Applying for a Social Security Card is free! USE THIS APPLICATION TO: bullet Apply for an original Social Security card bullet Apply for a replacement Social Security card bullet Change or correct information on your Social Security number record IMPORTANT: You MUST provide a properly completed application and the required evidence before we can process your application. We can only accept original documents or documents certified by the custodian of the original record. Notarized copies or photocopies which have not been certified by the custodian of the record are not acceptable. We will return any documents submitted with your application. For assistance call us at 1-800-772-1213 or visit our website at www.socialsecurity.gov. Original Social Security Card To apply for an original card, you must provide at least two documents to prove age, identity, and U.S. citizenship or current lawful, work-authorized immigration status. If you are not a U.S. citizen and do not have DHS work authorization, you must prove that you have a valid non-work reason for requesting a card. See page 2 for an explanation of acceptable documents. NOTE: If you are age 12 or older and have never received a Social Security number, you must apply in person | Text |
This field is for entering the first name of the applicant. Ensure that the name matches the one on your legal documents.
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| Replacement Social Security Card. To apply for a replacement card, you must provide one document to prove your identity. If you were born outside the U.S., you must also provide documents to prove your U.S. citizenship or current, lawful, work-authorized status. See page 2 for an explanation of acceptable documents. Changing Information on Your Social Security Record. To change the information on your Social Security number record (i.e., a name or citizenship change, or corrected date of birth) you must provide documents to prove your identity, support the requested change, and establish the reason for the change. For example, you may provide a birth certificate to show your correct date of birth. A document supporting a name change must be recent and identify you by both your old and new names. If the name change event occurred over two years ago or if the name change document does not have enough information to prove your identity, you must also provide documents to prove your identity in your prior name and/or in some cases your new legal name. If you were born outside the U.S. you must provide a document to prove your U.S. citizenship or current lawful, work-authorized status. See page 2 for an explanation of acceptable documents. LIMITS ON REPLACEMENT SOCIAL SECURITY CARDS. Public Law 108-458 limits the number of replacement Social Security cards you may receive to 3 per calendar year and 10 in a lifetime. Cards issued to reflect changes to your legal name or changes to a work authorization legend do not count toward these limits. We may also grant exceptions to these limits if you provide evidence from an official source to establish that a Social Security card is required. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS. If you have any questions about this form or about the evidence documents you must provide, please visit our website at www.socialsecurity.gov for additional information as well as locations of our offices and Social Security Card Centers. You may also call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213. You can also find your nearest office or Card Center in your local phone book | Text |
This field is for entering the last name of the applicant. Ensure that the name matches the one on your legal documents.
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| Form SS-5 (10-2021) U F Use (11-2019) U F Until Stock Is Exhausted SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION Page 5 of 5 O M B Number. 0960-0066 Application for a Social Security Card 1 Name to be shown on card First | Text |
Enter the first name that you want to be shown on your Social Security card.
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| Full Middle Name | Text |
Enter your full middle name as it should appear on your Social Security card.
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| Last | Text |
Enter your last name as it appears on your current legal documents.
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| FULL NAME AT BIRTH IF OTHER THAN ABOVE. First | Text |
Enter your full first name at birth if it is different from your current first name.
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| Full Middle Name | Text |
Enter your full middle name as it appears on your current legal documents.
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| Last | Text |
Enter your last name at birth if it is different from your current last name.
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| OTHER NAMES USED | Text |
Enter any other names you have used in the past.
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| 8. Sex. Male | CheckBox |
Check this box if you are male.
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| Female | CheckBox |
Check this box if you are female.
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| Previous Application Information | ||
| 11. Has the person listed in item 1 or anyone acting on his/her behalf ever filed for or received a Social Security number card before? Yes (If "yes" answer questions 12 dash 13) | CheckBox |
Check this box if the person listed in item 1 or anyone acting on their behalf has ever filed for or received a Social Security number card before.
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| no | CheckBox |
Check this box if the person listed in item 1 or anyone acting on their behalf has never filed for or received a Social Security number card before.
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| Don't Know (If "don't know," skip to question 14.) | CheckBox |
Check this box if you do not know whether the person listed in item 1 or anyone acting on their behalf has ever filed for or received a Social Security number card before.
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| 12. Name shown on the most recent Social Security card issued for the person listed in item 1. first | Text |
Enter the first name shown on the most recent Social Security card issued for the person listed in item 1.
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| full middle name | Text |
Enter the full middle name shown on the most recent Social Security card issued for the person listed in item 1.
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| last | Text |
Enter the last name shown on the most recent Social Security card issued for the person listed in item 1.
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| 13. Enter any different date of birth if used on an earlier application for a card. M M/D D/Y Y Y Y | Text |
Enter any different date of birth if used on an earlier application for a Social Security card. Use the format MM/DD/YYYY.
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| Race Information | ||
| 7. Race. Select One or More (Your Response is Voluntary). Native Hawaiian | CheckBox |
Check this box if you identify as Native Hawaiian. You may select more than one race. This response is voluntary.
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| Relationship to Applicant | ||
| 18. Your relationship to the person in item 1 is: Self | CheckBox |
Check this box if you are the person listed in item 1.
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| Natural Or Adoptive Parent | CheckBox |
Check this box if you are a natural or adoptive parent of the person listed in item 1.
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| Legal Guardian | CheckBox |
Check this box if you are the legal guardian of the person listed in item 1.
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| Other | CheckBox |
Check this box if your relationship to the person listed in item 1 is not listed and specify the relationship in the provided field.
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| Specify other selection | Text |
Specify your relationship to the person listed in item 1 if you selected 'Other'.
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| Social Security Number | ||
| 2. Social Security number previously assigned to the person listed in item 1. First three digits of SSN | Text |
Enter the first three digits of the Social Security number previously assigned to the person listed in item 1.
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| Last four digits of SSN | Text |
Enter the last four digits of the Social Security number previously assigned to the person listed in item 1.
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| Second two digits of SSN | Text |
Enter the middle two digits of the Social Security number previously assigned to the person listed in item 1.
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| SSA Use Only | ||
| DO NOT WRITE BELOW THIS LINE (FOR SSA USE ONLY). N P N. D O C. N T I, C Ay N. I T V. P B C. E V I. E V Ay. E V C. P R Ay. N W R. D N R. Unit. Evidence submitted. SIGNATURE AND TITLE OF EMPLOYEE(S) REVIEWING EVIDENCE AND/OR CONDUCTING INTERVIEW. Date. D C L. Date. End SSA use Only section. If you tab out of this field you will return to the beginning of the form | Text |
This section is for SSA use only. Do not write in this area.
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