A Social Security card is a card that shows your Social Security number. This number is used to identify you for tax purposes. You may need to apply for a replacement Social Security card if you have lost your existing one, or if you have changed your name. You will also need a new card if your immigration or citizenship status has changed. However, applying for your new card may not be an urgent matter since it is your Social Security number and not the card itself that is important. You may need to show your Social Security card if you are applying for a new job, however.

Whether you are applying for a new Social Security card or a replacement for an old card, you will need to fill in the same application form, which is known as SS-5. You can obtain this form online from the Social Security agency's website. You apply through a similar process whether you are obtaining your first Social Security card, applying for one on behalf of your child, or obtaining a replacement card. Whatever your reasons for applying, you will be required to submit a completed application form and to provide some form of documentary evidence to support your application.

As well as completing your application form, you will need to provide documentary proof of identity in order to obtain your Social Security card. It is important to ensure that you send the right types of documents when you make your application, otherwise you will not be issued a new card. You will need to send either the original documents or certified copies of them. These copies must be certified by the agency that issued the document. You cannot just photocopy your documents and send the copies.

To obtain a replacement, you need to show recent documentary proof of identity. If you are a US citizen, you will need to provide documentary proof of this only if you did not do so when you first applied for a card. If you are not a US citizen, you will need to provide evidence of your immigration status. Acceptable forms of identification include a US passport or driver's license, or a non-driver IS card issued by your state. The document you show as proof of identity must be current and it must include your name and identifying information such as your date of birth, together with a photo. If you are not a US citizen, you should provide a DHS document as proof of identity. An I 551 or I 94 together with your passport, or a work permit card, will be acceptable.

Proof of citizenship can be provided by a US birth certificate or passport, a US consular report of birth, or a Citizenship or Naturalization certificate. If you are not a citizen, you will need to provide documentary evidence that shows your immigration status, such as an I 94 or a DS 2019. You may also need to provide your DHS work permit. If you are on a student visa, you will need to show your I 20 and proof of employment, such as a pay slip or a letter written by your employer, and a DHS Employment Authorization Document or letter from your sponsor, if applicable.

If you are applying for a replacement card due to a change of name, you will need to provide evidence of the change, such as a marriage document, court order or a divorce decree in addition to documentary proof of your old name or identity. Once your form is completed, you will need to send it, together with the necessary documents, to the Social Security office. You may send it by mail or deliver it in person to your local office. Social Security card replacements are provided free of charge. Replacement cards, unless you have changed your name, will show the same name as your old card. You will also keep your original Social Security number. There are three different types of Social Security cards. The type you will receive depends upon your eligibility to work in the US.

You are only entitled to receive a certain number of replacement Social Security cards due to theft or loss. New cards that you receive because of a reason such as a name change do not count towards this limit. You can obtain up to ten replacements during your lifetime, with a maximum of three replacement cards in any one year.

You should keep your Social Security card in a safe place. Although you may need your Social Security number for various purposes, notably when you are applying for a new job or collecting your Social Security benefits, you do not need to carry your card with you. Social Security numbers are sometimes used as an identifying number, but you cannot show your Social Security card as proof of your identity. You should therefore store it in a safe place, together with your other important documents.