If you receive income in the U.S., you must apply for a social security card for U.S. payroll procedures and for U.S. income tax reporting. The social security card is used as the taxpayer identification number.

If you do not receive income, the social security number is optional. You may want to apply for one for a bank account, driver’s license, etc. Once obtained, the social security number is yours for your lifetime.

Complete Form SS-5 "Application for a Social Security Card". You can download the form and instructions here.

You should not apply for your social security card until you submit your arrival report. ASF will then activate your record in SEVIS. Wait at least three business days.

You will need to visit the office of the Social Security Administration in your area to apply for your Social Security card. You can locate the Social Security Administration office nearest to you by calling the toll-free number at 1(800) 772-1213 or by using the office locator link. You will need to indicate your zip code.

When you go to the local Social Security Administration office to apply for your social security card, take with you:

• The letter of introduction to the Social Security Administrator from ASF (ASF sent this to you with arrival information shortly before you started your training. If you cannot locate the letter of introduction, contact ASF at: training@amscan.org)

• The completed Application for a Social Security Card

• Your passport with the Form I-94 stapled into it

• Your Certificate of Eligibility for Exchange Visitor (J-1) Status (Form DS-2019)

• A copy of your training plan from your trainer.

Please make sure to ask the Social Security officer to issue you a notice acknowledging a non-citizen’s SSN application while your documents are being verified. (You can use this document for payroll purposes until your card is issued.)

If you have a training period of only eight weeks, it is possible that you will not receive your social security card before your training ends. In that event, you should leave a written statement with your trainer, authorizing your trainer to open the envelope from the Social Security Administration, record your Social Security Number and then mail the card to the address that you provide.

Note: As a participant in ASF's Exchange Visitor Program, you do not pay Social Security, Medicare or Federal Unemployment taxes, per Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Codes Section 3121(b)(19) and 3306(c)(19).