SSN

Ok, this is totally inappropriate for UKY, but you guys are gems so I thought I'd throw it out there.

I have a friend, Penny, and she was living in the States for a while (legally, as a registered alien).  While there she had a son.  They lived in the States till he was 2.  He is now 21, and has both an American and British passport.  He is hoping to go into the USA to live and work for a little while, but is unsure about the whole SSN thing... like if/when it was assigned to him.  If it was, how could he go about finding out?

Having no kids myself, I don't know if babies are automatically assigned an SSN, or if parents have to apply and maybe Penny didn't... I just know I have mine... no idea how I got it.  

No worries if noone knows.  Thanks!!

-Lisa-  

The ssn needs to be applied for.  We filled that out at the hospital, at the same time as the birth certificate (the hospital actually did it for us, we just signed it) but I know it was not always so...we applied for mine when I was 8 or 9, that is the year they made it law that any child claimed as a dependant on your income tax must have a ssn...
I would recommend that he call them or look online.

Chances are if it was 21 years ago it wasn't automatically assigned to him. :-/

My eldest son is 16 and we had to apply for his after he was born. But when my youngest who is 9 was born like SAF said they automatically did the paperwork in the hospital and we just signed it and a few weeks later received the card in the mail.

I think I recall them saying it's a law now that before they leave the hospital the SSN has to be applied for.

Try looking on http://www.ssa.gov and see what you can find there...maybe it tells how to find out if you have a SSN or not.

Thanks so much you guys... I really appreciate all your help!!!

-Lisa-  

Don't forget that there IS a SS office at the Embassy in London.  One could probably go there if needed to procure a new card or even just to apply for a number.