U.S. Embassy & Consulate
in Spain and Andorra

How do I apply for a Social Security number for my child under the age of 12?

Complete an Application for a Social Security Card, Form SS-5-FS. All questions must be answered and legible.

All supporting documents submitted with your application must be either originals or copies certified by the issuing agency. We cannot accept photocopies. 

This type of applications do not require a personal interview and you do not need to visit the Embassy. You may file your application by registered mail (‘correo certificado’).

Depending on where you live, if you do not wish to mail us your U.S. passport or U.S. Consular Report of Birth Abroad, you may obtain certified copies of these documents, free of charge, at the U.S. Consulate General in Barcelona, or at one of the the five consular agencies in Spain. You must make a notary appointment with the relevant office to obtain the certified copy. For more information, see our page on notary services.

Once you have the certified copies, you must mail them to the Federal Benefits Unit at the U.S. Embassy in Madrid along with the completed application form. Our address is Federal Benefits Unit, American Embassy, Serrano 75, 28006 Madrid.

Please provide us with the following documents (or copies certified by the issuing agency):

1. Proof of the child’s birth
   • Original U.S. birth certificate or original U.S. Consular Report of Birth Abroad; or
   • If the child is a U.S. Resident, original foreign birth certificate.
2. Proof of the child’s U.S. Citizenship or U.S. Resident status
   • Original U.S. birth certificate; or
   • Original U.S. Consular Report of Birth Abroad; or
   • Original U.S. Passport; or
   • If the child is a U.S. Resident, Permanent Resident Card.
3. Proof of the child’s identity 
   • Original U.S. Passport, must be current and signed; or
   • Original Spanish Passport or DNI, must be current; or
   • If the child is a U.S. Resident, Permanent Resident Card. We may accept other documents that show the applicant’s legal name and biographical information, such as a passport or national identity card issued by a third country, so long as the preponderance of evidence can conclude that the individual is who they are presenting themselves as.
4. Proof of the identity of the parent signing the application
   • Original U.S. Passport, must be current and signed; or
   • Original Spanish Passport or DNI, must be current. We may accept other documents that show the applicant’s legal name and biographical information, such as a passport or national identity card issued by a third country, so long as the preponderance of evidence can conclude that the individual is who they are presenting themselves as.

The completed application and documents should be mailed to us to the address shown below (please use registered mail).  All original documents will be returned after receipt by registered mail.

We are currently processing our SSN applications and returning the documents within the same week of receipt.  Since we use ‘correo certificado’ to return the documents, please estimate two to three weeks of mailing time. The physical SSN cards are issued within 48 hours at a central location in the United States.  Please estimate three to four weeks for your card to reach Spain.

However, if your child was born in the United States, U.S. birth certificates need to be verified with Vital Statistics. In most cases, this process can be done electronically and does not delay the application. If we cannot verify the document with Vital Statistics electronically or if the document does not exactly match their records, our office in Baltimore will be required to contact the Vital Statistics office of the state in which the child was born for a manual verification.  This is a process that may take 6 months, thereby delaying the application.

I have lost or misplaced my (or my child’s) SSN card – Non U.S. Citizen/resident

I have lost or misplaced my (or my child’s) Social Security Number. I am (or my child is) NOT a U.S. citizen or legal Permanent Resident Alien. How can I find out my Social Security number?

Effective August 1, 2014, the Social Security Administration stopped providing Social Security Number printouts or verifications. The Federal Benefits Unit is unable to provide you with a printout or verification of a SSN. In addition, a replacement Social Security Number card will not be issued to non-U.S. citizens or residents who have no current need for a Social Security Number.

If you are not a U.S. citizen or legal Permanent Resident Alien (“Green Card” holder) and you need to verify the details shown on your Social Security Number record, you must apply directly to the Social Security Administration for a printout of your Social Security Number record (known as a Numident).  These applications can take up to 30 days or more to process and are processed on a first come basis regardless of the mailing method used.

Send a written request to verify the details held in your Numident, with the following information: your name, date of birth, parents’ names, the citizenship or legal resident status you held when your Social Security Number was assigned, and the date your citizenship or legal resident status changed.  Send your request to:

Social Security Administration
OEO DERO (FOIA Workgroup)
PO Box 33022
Baltimore MD 21290-3022

If you wish to use Express Mail/Courier, send your request to:

Social Security Administration
OEO DERO (FOIA Workgroup)
300 N. Greene Street
Baltimore MD 21290-0300