Getting a Social Security number from abroad

1Who needs one

Every U.S. citizen needs an SSN to file a U.S. tax return. That includes:

• Accidental Americans born abroad to a U.S. parent.
• People who left the U.S. as children and never applied.
• Children you want to claim for the child tax credit, which needs an SSN for each child.

The IRS's individual taxpayer identification number (ITIN) is only for people who can't get an SSN, so U.S. citizens can't use one.

2Where to apply

There are no Social Security offices outside the U.S. Applications go through U.S. embassies and consulates instead, which work with the Social Security Administration through regional Federal Benefits Units. If you live in Canada, Social Security offices near the border serve you.

Find your country on the Social Security Administration's international pages, contact the office listed, and ask for an appointment. Applicants 12 and older who have never had a number need an in-person interview. The form for applying from abroad is Form SS-5-FS.

3What to bring

Offices want original documents, or copies certified by the agency that issued them. Photocopies, even notarized ones, aren't accepted.

• Proof of U.S. citizenship: a U.S. passport, a Consular Report of Birth Abroad, a U.S. birth certificate, or a certificate of citizenship or naturalization.
• Proof of identity: usually your U.S. passport. Your office will tell you what else it accepts.
• Proof of age: your birth certificate.
• The completed Form SS-5-FS.

Born abroad to an American parent, with no U.S. documents at all? Proving citizenship comes first: a Consular Report of Birth Abroad if you're under 18, or a U.S. passport if you're an adult.

4Your children

Children under 12 can usually apply by mail, with the same kinds of documents. A child born abroad to a U.S. citizen usually gets a Consular Report of Birth Abroad first, and many consulates let you apply for the child's SSN at the same appointment.

For the child tax credit, the number must be issued before your return's due date, including extensions.

5A spouse who isn't American

A spouse who isn't a U.S. citizen usually can't get an SSN unless they're allowed to work in the U.S. If they need a number, for example because you file jointly, they apply for an ITIN with Form W-7, normally sent in with the tax return. More on filing with a non-American spouse.

6While you wait

Processing can take several months, and international mail is slow in some countries. You can prepare everything else for your catch-up filing in the meantime. Under the Streamlined procedures, every return needs a valid taxpayer ID, so the package goes in once your number arrives. The other routes are compared in IRS tax amnesty options for expats.

Common questions

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