NOTICE

Revised Procedures for the Social Security Pilot Program

          The Office of Foreign Missions (OFM) and the Social Security Administration (SSA) currently manage a pilot program to assist diplomats, consular officers and administrative and technical staff in obtaining Social Security numbers (SSNs). Eligible foreign nationals who wish to obtain a Social Security number must fill out the necessary form and present proper documentation to an SSA officer for processing at one of two convenient locations:

1. OFM, 3507 International Place, NW (SA-33). A Social Security Administration officer will process requests on a walk-in basis on the last Wednesday of each month between the hours of 10 AM and 12 PM.  The office will not receive scheduled appointments, and customers will be served in the order of their arrival.  
2. The SSA office, 2100 M Street, NW (on the corner of 21^st Street and M Street) Appointments may be scheduled every Thursday morning between the hours of 10 AM and 11:30 AM.

Foreign diplomats, consular officers, and administrative and technical staff must send an email to ofmsocialsecurity@state.gov to arrange for one of the four half-hour appointments available at the Social Security Administration?s M Street Office each Thursday.  In this email the applicant must state their requested date and time, name, mission, and telephone number.  Since appointments are often booked well in advance, it is advised that applicants request a series of dates and times.

Once an appointment is secured for an applicant, OFM will provide an email confirmation of the date and time of the appointment.

Eligibility Requirements

Prospective applicants to this program must meet the following criteria in order to be approved for a Social Security number: 

1. Persons who have entered the U.S. on an A-1, A-2, G-1, G-4 and certain types of G-3 visas, and
2. Are a "principal diplomatic agent" (not a dependent), and,
3. Have been issued an identity card with a Personal Identification Number assigned by the Office of Protocol in the Department of State. 

Dependents of principal diplomatic agents may apply for a Social Security number ONLY if they already have papers issued by the U.S. Immigration Service that grant them permission to work in the U.S.  No other persons may apply for a Social Security number under this program. 

It is mandatory that the following items be available during your appointment:

?        Valid Passport

?        Valid US Visa (A-1, A-2, G-1, G-4 and certain types of G-3)

?        Copy of original Form I-94

?        Valid Protocol Identification Card issued by the Department of State

Completed Form SS-5  ?Application for Social Security Card? http://www.ssa.gov/online/ss-5.pdf (must have Adobe Acrobat to open).  See attached SS-5 example to determine the necessary information needed to consider a diplomatic application complete.

What if I do not receive my card within 2 months?

The Office of Foreign Missions can no longer assist the diplomatic and consular communities with problems surrounding the issuance of a Social Security Card.  All inquires regarding this matter should be addressed directly with the Social Security Administration.

The Social Security Administration can be contacted through their website http://www.ssa.gov or through their toll-free customer service phone number

1-800-772-1213.

December 19, 2003