F-1 student visa holders are not eligible for Social Security Numbers unless they intend to engage in employment.
* If you are an F-1 visa holder with on-campus employment, take your passport, your I-20 visa document, your I-94 form, the HIO Social Security letter, and the job offer letter from your on-campus employer confirming your job offer to one of the Social Security Administration Offices listed below. (See the HIO web for a sample employer letter. Bring the employer offer letter to the HIO in order to obtain the HIO Social Security letter, which indicates on-campus employment authorization.)
* If you are an F-1 visa holder on OPT, take your passport, your I-20 visa document with the OPT recommendation, your I-94 form, and your EAD card to one of the Social Security Administration Offices listed below.
* If you are an F-1 visa holder on CPT, take your passport, your I-20 visa document showing your authorized CPT, and your I-94 form to one of the Social Security Administration Offices listed below.
* When to apply: You must have been in the United States for at least ten days in F-1 status. In addition, you must wait at least three days after checking in with the HIO. (This waiting period assures that the student’s record will have been updated in the Government’s database.)
At the Social Security Administration Office, you must complete an application form. You will receive notification of your Social Security Number in the mail. The process usually takes from four to eight weeks. If you have not heard within this time period, please contact the HIO. For more information, check the website:
http://www.ssa.gov or call the Social Security Administration at 1-800-772-1213.
