How to apply for social security card lost

You can replace a lost or stolen Social Security card up to three times in a year and up to 10 times during your lifetime. Getting a new card because of a change in your legal name or citizenship status does not count toward the limits. 

You can request a placement card online, by mail or in person at a local Social Security office. 

Replacing your Social Security card online

To request a replacement card online, you must have a My Social Security account and meet these requirements:

• You are a U.S. citizen age 18 or older.
• You are not changing the name on the card.
• You have a U.S. mailing address (military and diplomatic addresses count).
• You live in a state that shares its computer data with Social Security. As of April 2022, 46 states and the District of Columbia do so. (Alaska, New Hampshire, Oklahoma and West Virginia are the exceptions.) The list is updated regularly, so check the Social Security website to see if your state's status has changed.

Replacing your card by mail or in person

If you don’t have an online account or don’t meet any one of the other criteria listed above, you’ll have to fill out an application form and either mail it or take it to your local Social Security office.

Local offices fully reopened April 7 after being closed to walk-in traffic for more than two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but the Social Security Administration (SSA) recommends calling in advance and scheduling an appointment to avoid long waits.

You’ll need to provide what the SSA calls "primary" proof of identity — either a passport, a driver’s license or a state-issued photo ID card. If you don’t have any of those, Social Security will ask to see a current, “secondary” ID that shows your name; identifying information such as age or date of birth; and, preferably, a recent photograph — for example, an employee, student or U.S. military ID or a health insurance card (but not a Medicare card). 

Social Security typically requires the original of your primary ID document, or a copy certified by the agency that issued it. Photocopies, even if notarized, are not accepted.  

However, the SSA advises against mailing “original primary documents that should be kept secure in your possession.” As an alternative, you may send secondary evidence of identity, or contact your local office about dropping off your evidence or making an appointment. Social Security will return any documents you do submit once they process your new card.  

Your new Social Security card should arrive in the mail in 10 to 14 days. There is no charge. 

Keep in mind

To change the name on your Social Security card, you will need to provide proof of your new name — for example, a marriage certificate, adoption papers or a court order granting the change — and proof of identity and citizenship. These must be originals or certified copies. If you don’t have any of those documents, Social Security may accept an unexpired, state-issued identity document in your new name, provided they can match it to your old name in their records. 

The SSA deals with claims for retirement, disability and survivor benefits, Social Security number applications as well as all post-entitlement issues such as direct deposit information,  changes of address, non-receipt of checks, and termination of benefits due to death. For detailed information on benefits and how to apply visit the Social Security Administration website.

The SSA’s regional office for EAP is in Manila. For social security claims and other questions, please contact SSA Manila directly.

EAP Regional SSA Contact Information:
Social Security Administration
United States Embassy
1201 Roxas Boulevard
Ermita, Manila, Philippines 0930

Inquiry Line: +63-2-5301-2000 option 9
(Open from 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Tuesday & Thursday – Manila Time)

Fax: +63-2-8708-9723
E-Mail: 
Website: Social Security Administration

U.S. Embassy Singapore is not a Social Security claims-processing post. However, we can assist with certifying copies that you will need to forward the documents to SSA Manila for the following services:

• First time SSN Application
• Replacement SSN Card
• Name Change on SSN Card

SSA Manila will mail the SSN card to the address indicated on the application. The entire process can take 2-3 months.

First Time SSN Application

If you are applying for a Social Security number (SSN) for the first time, you will need to submit the following (Original and copy – We will certify the copies and return the documents to you to mail to SSA Manila):

• Form SS-5FS (PDF 122KB);
• Evidence of age (such as birth certificate or Consular Report of Birth Abroad);
• Evidence of identity (such  as passport);
• Evidence of U.S. citizenship (such as a U.S. birth certificate, U.S. passport, Certificate of Naturalization or Certificate of Citizenship), or
• Evidence of immigration status, for Legal Permanent Residents, (such as Form I-551 or I-94);
• Evidence of the identity ( such as passport) of the  parent who signs the Form SS-5FS (for applicants under 12 years of age)
• Adoption Decree ( if applicable for applicants under the age of 12);
• Anyone age 12 or older must appear in person for an interview, and must submit documentation showing that absence from the U.S. was the reason a SSN was never assigned. The documentation (such as school and/or employment records) must be comprehensive, and date from the time the person departed the U.S. to the present.
• Official English translation of any documents in a foreign language.

Replacement SSN Card

If you know your SSN, you will need to submit the following (Original and one copy – We will certify the copies and return the documents to you to mail to SSA Manila):

• a completed Form SS-5FS (PDF 122KB)
• Applicant’s  passport
• Evidence of the identity  (such as passport)of the  parent who signs the Form SS-5FS (for applicants under 12 years of age)

If you don’t know your SSN, please contact the SSA Manila at .

Note: Knowing your SSN number is more important than having the actual card.  The IRS, employers and financial/educational institutions verify the SSN with the Social Security Administration, regardless of whether or not a Social Security Card is presented.

Name Change on SSN Card

If you need to change your name on your Social Security records, you will need to submit the following (Original and one copy – We will certify the copies and return the documents to you to mail to SSA Manila):

• a completed Form SS-5FS (PDF 122KB)
• Proof of the name change (such as marriage or divorce  decree)
• Applicant’s  passport indicating new name

Visit the Social Security Administration website for further information on their services.