Not affiliated with the US Social Security Administration

Change name on a Social Security card

How do I change or correct the name on my Social Security card?

To change your name on your Social Security card:

  • Show documents proving:
    • Legal name change; and
    • Identity; and
    • U.S. citizenship (if you have not already established your citizenship with us), or immigration status if you are not a U.S. citizen.
    • All documents submitted must be either originals or copies certified by the issuing agency. The SSA cannot accept photocopies or notarized copies of documents.

Information about required documents

Identity

You must show a recently issued document as proof of your legal name change. Documents the SSA may accept to prove a legal name change include:

  • Marriage document;
  • Divorce decree;
  • Certificate of Naturalization showing a new name; or
  • Court order for a name change.

If the document you provide for a legal name change does not give enough information to identify you or if you legally changed your name more than two years ago, then you also must show two identity documents including:

  • One document in your old name; and
  • A second document with your new legal name.

In addition to your name, these documents also must contain identifying information or a recent photograph.

Citizenship

If you are a U.S. citizen born outside the United States and SSA records do not show you are a citizen, you will need to provide proof of your U.S. citizenship. If you are not a U.S. citizen, SSA will ask to see your current immigration documents.

The new card will have the same number as your previous card, but will show your new name.


Sponsored Links


Sponsored Links

There are 16 Comments

Submitted by Perla (not verified) on Tue, 02/08/2011 - 09:03

What happens when you do your parents do their tax refund one of them claims you and your social security comes up messed up . For example my middle name is being used as my last name when it is not so how can i fix that??

Submitted by maria t (not verified) on Mon, 02/21/2011 - 10:13

i wanted to know how to change my babys last name because my husband don't want to help me and he ain't even around for her she's only 2 1/2 months he didn't sign any papers agreeing with me puting his last name anyways and i would like for her to have the last name of the guy that has been there since i was pregnant and still is and he also wants her to have his last name just email me if theres something ya'll can help me with thanks

Submitted by Site Admin on Mon, 02/21/2011 - 21:20

You will need to legally change your child's name if you haven't yet done so. After the legal name change, you can apply to change the child's name with the SSA.

Submitted by Bianca (not verified) on Tue, 02/22/2011 - 16:26

My Social Security Card && My Birth Certificate Has Two Different Last Names How Do I Change The Last Name On My Social Security Card To My Legal Name??

Submitted by Site Admin on Tue, 02/22/2011 - 23:23

The procedure to change or correct the name on your Social Security card is described at the top of this page.

Submitted by meghan (not verified) on Wed, 02/23/2011 - 15:58

How much does it cost to change my name now that i am married...do i have to do my licenses first or my ssn??

Submitted by Site Admin on Wed, 02/23/2011 - 22:21

Driver's license procedures will vary from state to state.

There is no charge for a Social Security number and card. Social Security services are free.

In addition to showing the SSA a legal document proving your marriage, divorce or annulment, you must provide an identity document. That document must show your old name, as well as other identifying information or a recent photograph. (The SSA can accept an expired document as evidence of your old name.)

http://www.ssa.gov/pubs/10002.html#identity

Submitted by Marian (not verified) on Fri, 02/25/2011 - 10:07

Am on a K1 visa and just got married with my fiancee here in Saint Louis, Missouri last February 18, 2011, it was a civil wedding. Now I want to apply for SSN for me and my son ( he is a K2 visa holder). Would like to know how can we apply and what are the requirements for these. I want to use my husband's surname. Hoping for your kind reply. God bless!=)

Submitted by Site Admin on Fri, 02/25/2011 - 19:02

Looks like with your visa you should be able to obtain a Social Security number. The following is excerpted from SSA's Program Operations Manual :

https://secure.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0110211025


Aliens who submit evidence of lawful permanent resident LPR status are issued unrestricted SSN cards (without a legend) provided the evidence requirements for an SSN are met.
...
Under the alternate evidence of LPR status policy described in RM 10211.025C.4.a, in this section, if an I-766 card is submitted, on the face of the I-766 card the Category shown must be one of the following (status indicated in parenthesis):

* A3, A03 or A-3 (REFUGEE),
...
* A6, A06 or A-6 (FIANCEE – K1/CHILD – K2)
...

Submitted by Maria (not verified) on Sat, 02/26/2011 - 13:54

I am under F1 Visa until (June/2011) and I got married last October/2010. My husband is from St. Louis and we have submitted my application for the green card. I already got the work permit and our first interview with immigration is in April/2011.. I need to know how I change my last name to my husband’s?
Is it too late to do it since we have already submitted our forms for the green card and work authorization?
Thank you.

Submitted by Site Admin on Sat, 02/26/2011 - 23:16

We really only comment on name changes with respect to the SSA, and not INS.

However, assuming you have a marriage-based green card application, my sources indicate that taking your husband's surname should be a "plus" in the immigration process. I've heard you would only fax your name change to the INS, but again, we have no direct experience with this.

Submitted by mvz (not verified) on Thu, 03/03/2011 - 16:23

I got married outside the country, my husband is a US citizen and I have a greencard. Will the CA ss office accept our foreign marriage cert or are ther more steps to take before I come to you?

Submitted by Maria C (not verified) on Thu, 03/03/2011 - 20:06

I have been having a lot of problems with my boyfriend.He does not want to be with his daughter all the time he preferes to go out and get drunk so I decided I dont want him in our lives anymore so I dont want my daughter to have anything to do with him! I dont want her to see him drunk of not coming home because hes out getting drunk! My daughter is only 4 months old but but if I dont leave him now I feel like I wont later on and my daughter will see things thst she shouldn't! Can someone please tell me where I should go to get her last name taken off! & do I need hes aproval???


Sponsored Links

Not affiliated with the US Social Security Administration