No earlier than 10 days after your arrival in the U.S. in J-1 status and no sooner than one day after you attend scholar orientation, you must present the following documents in person at a local SSA (Social Security Administration) office to apply for the SSN:
• A completed Form SS-5, Application for Social Security number, available at SSA, which must include your legal name as the name to be printed on your Social Security Card. Your legal name is the name in your passport. The name you enter on Form SS-5 must EXACTLY match the name reflected in your passport;
• At least two documents that establish your age and identity including a passport and one additional document establishing identity;
• SEVIS Form DS-2019;
• Form I-94; and
• Offer of employment or invitation letter from your University of Miami host department.
It takes approximately two weeks for SSA to issue the SSN but the process may take up to one month if your records do not immediately appear in CIS’s pre-processing immigration document/status verification check called “SAVE” (Systematic Alert Verification for Entitlements). For those who need immediate verification that they have applied for a Social Security card, the Social Security office can issue a receipt. You should request a receipt at the time that you apply for the SSN.
If you have applied for the Social Security number and have not received it a month after submitting the application to a Social Security Administration office, then you should go back to the Social Security Administration where you applied, inquire about the status of your application, and report what you were told about the status of your application to ISSS in case any follow-up is required.
In order to find the Social Security Administration office closest to your location, please visit the Social Security Administration’s website: www.ssa.gov
