There are many reasons you might want to change the name on your social security card. You might have just been married or have gone through a divorce and want to revert to your maiden name. Regardless of the situation, you need to know what you should take to change your name on your social security card.
Get Your Paperwork
The first step in changing your social security card will be to get all of your paperwork in order. The first piece of paperwork will be the documents that prove that you are a US citizen. This could be your current passport or a state-issued photo ID such as a driver’s license.
You must have the original document with you. Photocopies of these documents will not be accepted by the social security office even if they are notarized. If you are a foreign-born US citizen, you will also need to provide a citizenship certificate or a naturalization certification.
The next piece of paperwork that you need to get is something that proves your name’s change. This will need to be a recently issued document that proves that your name has now been changed. The document you can use will vary depending on why you are going to be changing your name.
If you are changing your name after getting married, you will need to provide the marriage certificate. It is important to note that a marriage license will generally not be accepted as this is not proof that the marriage took place. If you are changing your name because you got divorced, you will need to provide the divorce decree. A court order approving the name change will also have to be provided.
You will also need to have proof of your identity. This can be the same document you use to prove your citizenship, such as your driver’s license, US passport, or state-issued non-driver identification card. Other documents that can be used for this purpose will include employee identification cards, UK military identification cards, and a health insurance card as long as it is not a Medicare card.
Complete The Application
Once you have all of the documents you need, you will have to complete an application for the name change. There are 3 ways that you can get the application for a name change, which is Form SS-5. The first is to download and print the form from the Social Security website.
The second option will be to call the social security administration office and request a copy of the form. You will also be able to get one of these forms from the social security office closest to you. You can find the closest office by looking at the website or checking the local directory.
Once you have a copy of the application, you will need to complete the whole form. The application will be the same as the one for the replacement of a lost card. You need to fill in as much of the information as possible to ensure that the application process is smooth.
Submit The Application
After filling out the application at www.applicationfiling.com, you will need to submit it along with all of the relevant documentation. If you do not include all of the documents with your application, the application will be delayed or not processed at all. In these situations, the social security office will contact you or return your package and request that you resubmit all the necessary documents.
It is important to note that the application will be taken by all social security offices. For the fastest service, you should look at submitting the application at your local office. Some people find that submitting their application in person is the best solution, but you will also submit it by mail.
If you are submitting the application by mail, you still need to include all of your original documents. The social security office will return these documents to you when they send your new card. You should look at having this package tracked because you are including your original documents.
Wait For Your New Card
Once you have submitted all of the paperwork to the social security office, you will need to wait for your new card. Your replacement card will generally take around 10 business days to arrive after receiving and processing the application. When you receive the card, you should also receive all of your original documents as well.
It is important to note that your card could take longer than the stated 10 business days. Each state will have different processing times, and there could be a delay based on this. If you do not receive your new card within 10 business days, you should wait before contacting the social security office.
There are times when your original documents are not returned in the same package as your new social security card. If this happens, you will need to contact the social security administration. There is a special support number that you will be able to call in these situations.
Changing The Name For A Minor
If the name change is for the social security card of a minor who is under your care, there are a few steps that you need to take. The first relates to the documents that prove the name change. If you are changing the name after an adoption, you will have to provide the original adoption decree.
You will also need to provide a court order which states that the name change has been approved. An amended birth certificate can also be provided as proof of the name change. When changing the name of a minor, you will also need to ensure that your relationship with the minor is detailed in the application form.
You need to take several steps to change your name on your social security card. These steps have to be completed correctly, or the application will not be processed or could be delayed.