Will I get a new social security card?

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CalGreenCard

Registered Users (C)
I recently became a US citizen and got my first US passport. Soon I will need to update my records with the SSA to show that I am now a US citizen. I'm wondering whether I can expect to get a new social security card and, if so, whether I will need to surrender my existing card.

I have NOT updated my SSA records since 1987 when I first came to the USA in F-1 student status. My card does NOT show any restrictive message like "VALID FOR WORK ONLY WITH INS/DHS AUTHORIZATION" since the SSA only began printing such messages on social security cards in 1992. However it only shows my middle initial, not my full middle name, which is one reason I'm wondering if it might need to be replaced.

Should I expect to get a new card and, if so, how long will it take?
 
You don't have to surrender your existing card when you update your records at SSA. They will send you a new card (your number will not change) unless you request them not to send you one. Getting a new card will also be proof that your records have been updated.
It should take 4-6 weeks to get it.
 
I updated my record with SSA on the day I became a citizen last summer. I got my new SS card nine months later.
 
Curious

Hi. I am curious. Do we really have to update our status with the SSA after being a USC? Are there advantages compared to being just a permanent resident? Thanks!
 
realnewbie said:
Wow! I presume that the new card was a surprise for you... or were you expecting it?


-RN
Click to expand...
I had asked this forum whether to expect a new SS card when I updated my SSA records to reflect that I was now a USC and was told that I wouldn't be getting a new one. So after I had updated things and did not get any new SS card right away, I had thought that this was as was expected. Yeah, I was a bit surprised to see the new SS card in the mail nine months later. Funny thing is that the card itself is no different from the last updated SS card I had gotten after I gotten my GC and had updated the SSA with my GC status (i.e., it has none of that "USCIS authorization needed for work" text or anything).
 
I went to the SSA office today. I told the lady at the counter that I wanted to update my SSN status and she took the old one and said that I will get a new one in the mail 2 weeks later.
 
gcbayarea said:
I went to the SSA office today. I told the lady at the counter that I wanted to update my SSN status and she took the old one and said that I will get a new one in the mail 2 weeks later.
Click to expand...

That's what happened to me. I was given a receipt for the old card (actually cards; my daughter's card as well as mine) and the new cards arrived by mail in a week or two.

I hadn't bothered to update the cards after GC, to remove the restrictive message, so we did need new cards.
 
I updated my info with the SSA at the oath ceremony
- the SSA sent 3 reps there to accommodate us, they provided us with pre-filled forms and pens before the ceremony and we returned the finished forms to them after the ceremony (they only took a glance at our naturalization certificates to verify our identifies, never asked for the old card). About 2 wks later I received a letter from the SSA notifying me the soon-arrival of my new card. 5 days later the card was in my mailbox.
 
nozid said:
Hi. I am curious. Do we really have to update our status with the SSA after being a USC? Are there advantages compared to being just a permanent resident? Thanks!
Click to expand...

If your current SSN card has a "not valid for work" "aothorization for work needed" legend, the one benefit
is getting a SSN without such legend. Such card with a driver license can be used as work eligibility
document for I-9 process during hiring process. of course yoour current card may be alsready a no such legend card or even it has such work restriction legend, you can use other document (US passport)
to establish work eligibility. So this benefit is minimal.

Another benefit is that if Social security benfit is different between PR and citizens, then you need to update
with SSA office. But it seems there is no such difference based on current laws. The new laws that will
give more benefits to citizens than PRs is very unlikely and you can wait until such law really comes.

So benefits with updating with SSA record is noneor very little. I think most of people do it just for the fun of it or some sentimental values or for the sake of spirity of having everything corrrect.

The bottomline is : tangible benefit is not worth effort even as much as my effort of writing this post
or even your effoort of writing yoru question. But you made your effort to write your question and I
made my effort to write my answer :)
 
WBH said:
So benefits with updating with SSA record is noneor very little. I think most of people do it just for the fun of it or some sentimental values or for the sake of spirity of having everything corrrect.

The bottomline is : tangible benefit is not worth effort even as much as my effort of writing this post
or even your effoort of writing yoru question. But you made your effort to write your question and I
made my effort to write my answer :)
Click to expand...

Strongly disagree! I would highly recommend anyone who becomes a US citizen to update his or her record with the Social Security Administration (SSA). It is not a big burden and will not take much of your time. Just consider how much time you spent becoming a citizen and how long the process with the USCIS was. Updating with SSA took for me about only one hour including the drive to and from their office. It is always good to be on the safe side and have up-to-date records with any government agency. Once you update your records with SSA, you will be showing up as a citizen in their e-Verify system.
 
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