How To Get A Birth Certificate And A Social Security Card

As an adult there are a few things that you need in order to navigate in this world as we know it. You’re going to need a license/ID, job, a place to stay and many different things that will come along with simply living life. In order to do a good majority of the things you want in life; you’re going to more than likely need 2 documents. What are these documents you might be asking? A birth certificate and a social security card.

What Is A Birth Certificate And Why Do You Need One?

A birth certificate is considered a vital record that documents your birth date, who your parents are, and where you were born. This is a document that is usually used to identify who you are to whoever is requesting identification.

The reason you need this document is because it is the primary document that everyone asks for whenever they need to verify your identity. If you want the following: a passport, ID, insurance, an apartment/home, loan etc. You’re more than likely going need a birth certificate. It’s best to already have one with you ahead of time than to be scrambling to get one by a deadline.

How To Get A Birth Certificate

If you’re still in foster care, the best time to get ahold of you documents before you’re outside of the system is as soon as possible. Contact your case worker or if possible, ask your foster parents to get ahold of this document for you. This is the easiest way to get a birth certificate because they already have your information on hand, so you’ll probably get it free of charge without too much hassle. If you’re outside of the system already don’t worry, I’ve got your back!

Steps To Take

Firstly, find the vital records office in your birth state. You can do that here. If some of the links on the page are broken simply google the following: “vital records office near me” or ” vital records office in (insert state here)”.

When you find the correct site, look for what is required to request a birth certificate so that you can get one. There’s usually a list of documents or information needed that are acceptable to use in order to verify that the birth certificate belongs to you. If you’re unsure of what’s needed or can’t find that information call them! Please do not hesitate to call an office for whatever reason you have in mind. Typically, they’ll locate your information in the system using information like your full name at birth, parents’ names, where you were born etc.

If you do not know this information, get in contact with the agency that handled your case in foster care or any last known people who you remember talking to in the system. They should be able to provide you with that information or lead you to someone who does have that info.

Some states let you get one online, but it typically costs more because of a convivence fee that they add to the charge. States also let you mail in an order but that still has additional fees, and you usually have to mail in a check too, the wait time will also vary depending on different factors. The best way to go about it in my opinion is to call the office and see about setting up an appointment or just walk in, it’s easier to get it all done in one go but if you can’t make the drive, it’s probably best to go online. Consider the costs and do what’s best for you!

When you have all of the information needed to get a birth certificate, and you’ve picked the best way to get one for yourself, just do it. Just give them the info they need and whoever is in charge of giving you your birth certificate will do the rest.

If You’re Homeless

Depending on the state that you’re in, you might be eligible to receive a free birth certificate instead of having to pay for one. From what I’ve been reading, in order to be eligible for this assistance you might need to have proof of homelessness, but please contact any local homeless service provider or outreach program to see what resources they have available for you. I was able to find an article online about how to prove homelessness, I can’t verify that everything in the article is true, but it might be worth a read! Read here.

What Is A Social Security Card And Why Do You Need One?

A social security card is a document that has your social security number on it, it’s used to track your income and social security benefits. The card will just have your full name and your social security number on it.

You need your social security card for pretty much the same reason you need a birth certificate, it’s used to verify your identity. A social security card is important because it can also be used to verify whether or not the social security number that you use is actually yours. It helps to prevent theft. You might not need a social security card if you already know your number but you’re probably going to need it at some point in your life so it’s better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it.

How to Get A Social Security Card

There are 2 ways to request a social security card, you can do it online or in person for free! If you don’t know your social security number, try to check any documents you may have received while in foster care. Your social security number should be on any tax returns, bank statements or maybe some school documents. If you can’t find it call your old foster care caseworker, agency or foster family to see if they have this information to give you. If you can’t contact them and you have other means to verify your identity like an ID or birth certificate, go to your local office and tell them your situation, they might be able to find you in their system with your proof of identity.

Steps To Take : Option 1

The first way is in person at your local office. Go here at the official government website and scroll down to where it says visit a local office. You need to fill out the SS-5 document and bring it with you to the office in your area. You’ll also need to bring a form identification that is acceptable (you can bring your birth certificate!) and currently unexpired. If you can’t print the pdf document don’t worry! Simply call your local office and ask if they can provide the application for you when you come in, they’re typically able to, so try that.

Steps To Take: Option 2

The second way to get a social security card is to request/order one online. Go here at the official government website and create an account using your personal information. Once you finish you should be able to order a card online, but you might be asked to provide further identification so that your information can be protected from anyone who could be impersonating you. I’m not too familiar with ordering this card online but the information should be on your account, and it’ll walk you through the process. If you’re unsure, please call them! That’s what the customer service representatives are there for.

If You’re Homeless

A service provider/ social worker should be able to help you get your social security card. They should help you fill out the SS-5 document that I talked about earlier and make sure that you can get ahold of your card. The process should be the same as stated above, the only difference would be when it comes to receiving your card. You might have trouble because they typically try to mail it to you so going through a service provider would be best but if you have a place to collect mail just do the steps above.

You can typically find service providers at any organizations that do welfare services, outreach initiatives, or any kind of government assistance programs. If a social worker or service provider isn’t at one of those places, they might be able to get you into contact with someone who can get you the help you need.

If you know your social security number, you might be able to hold off on getting a social security until you’re in a more stable place. Traveling around with important documents can be risky so it might be best to wait until you have a safe place to keep it. Weigh the pros and cons and make the decision best for you!

Thank You For Reading!

Please let me know down below if I have any errors or if there’s any additional things I should add, feedback is important to me in order to make sure my posts are useful.

We’re going to make it in this world, we got this!

– Dove

This post is a part of my Aging Out Series, read the first post here!