 Getting
a Social Security NumberWhen you first arrive in the
United States you will need to get a social security card. It
contains the social security number, which you will need practically
for everything - from starting work to opening a bank account. You
will be asked for your social security number when applying for
various state or federal programs. If you are not a permanent
resident but have a work permit you will be issued a card containing
your social security number but with the legend "Valid for work only
with INS authorization." If you are legally in the United States
without the right to work, but you need a number because of a
federal, state or local law requiring a Social Security number to
get a benefit or service, you will receive a card that says "not
valid for employment." When you go to the Social Security Office
you will need to provide documents that show your identity, age, and
lawful alien status. What the numbers mean The nine-digit
Social Security number is divided into three parts. The first three
numbers generally indicate the state of residence at the time a
person applies for his or her card. Originally, the lowest numbers
were assigned to the New England states, and the numbers grew
progressively higher in the South and West. However, in recent
years, this geographical relationship has been disrupted somewhat by
the need to allocate numbers out of sequence as state populations
change. The middle two digits of a Social Security number have no
special significance, but merely serve to break the numbers into
blocks of convenient size. The last four characters represent a
straight numerical progression of assigned numbers. The Social
Security Administration (SSA) has issued more than 383 million
Social Security numbers, and about 6 million new numbers are
assigned each year. But even at this rate, there will be no need to
reissue the same numbers, revise the present system, or devise a new
numbering system for several generations. For this reason, SSA plans
to continue using the nine-digit number. Protecting your Social
Security Number and records The SSA has issued the following
guidelines to help you protect your social security against fraud.
When you work, your Social Security number is used to record your
earnings. Here are some things you can do to protect your Social
Security record and to make sure it is accurate.
- Show your Social Security card to your employer when you start
a job.
- Check the name and Social Security number on your pay stub and
W-2 form to make sure your name and number are correct.
- Keep your card in a safe place but don't rely on your memory
when furnishing your number. If you give your employer the wrong
Social Security number, your earnings may get credited to some
other worker.
- Send for an earnings statement at least every three years to make
sure your record is right.
Full text of this article appears in the April 2002 issue of
Immigration Times. Click here to subscribe |
