How does the Social Security Administration verify immigration status for SSN applications?

1. How SSA balances document checks and automated verification — the practical front line

The SSA examines original or certified List A documents that establish both identity and lawful status, such as Permanent Resident Cards (Form I-551), Employment Authorization Documents (EAD), certain foreign passports with I-551 notations, and Form I-94 records; the agency accepts specific receipts temporarily in limited circumstances ^[4]. When staff cannot conclusively determine lawful presence from the documents presented, the SSA initiates an automated check with SAVE to obtain a status match. This blended workflow—paper review first, SAVE query when needed—reflects SSA’s operational emphasis on document-based evidence supplemented by electronic verification ^{[5] [1]}.

2. SAVE: the electronic backbone and its operational contours

The SAVE program provides near-real-time responses when SSA or other registered agencies submit biographic data and at least one unique immigration identifier—such as an Alien/USCIS number or Form I-94 number—to create a case ^{[6] [3]}. SAVE returns status, requests for agency action, or prompts for additional documentation, and includes a multi-step escalation path if automated matching fails. SAVE is run by USCIS and requires registered agencies to execute agreements governing use and data protections; the program’s design emphasizes speed and standardization but can require manual follow-up when records are incomplete or ambiguous ^{[7] [6]}.

3. Document types, exceptions, and evolving paper evidence rules

SSA’s List A and related guidance enumerate acceptable documents that simultaneously prove identity and immigration status; these lists include current and some previously issued designs of Permanent Resident Cards, Machine Readable Immigrant Visas with temporary I‑551 notations, Form I‑94s with specific admissions, and EADs ^{[4] [2]}. The SSA insists on originals or certified copies and will physically examine and then return documents. Special-case procedures address temporary receipts for replaced documents and categories like Compact of Free Association nationals; SSA guidance and RM citations throughout 2024–2025 clarify which expired or alternate evidence may be accepted pending SAVE confirmation ^{[4] [2]}.

4. Privacy, data-sharing limits, and agency responsibilities — risks and legal scaffolding

SAVE operation involves information sharing between SSA and USCIS, including SSNs when used as an identifier, and requires memorandum agreements and computer-matching protocols for registered users ^[7]. USCIS and SSA materials note legal limits: SAVE verifies status but does not itself decide benefit eligibility — the adjudicating agency (SSA) makes that determination based on SAVE responses and documentation. The program documentation explicitly flags risks of erroneous matches and underscores agency responsibilities to follow legal notice, participate and consent principles, though SAVE mitigations are designed to reduce false determinations ^{[7] [3]}.

5. Where sources agree, diverge, and what’s changed recently

Across sources dated between 2022 and 2025, consensus is clear: SSA uses both document inspection and SAVE electronic verification to validate immigration status for SSN issuance ^{[1] [2] [3]}. Divergences appear in emphasis and detail: SSA and RM materials (2024–2025) focus on specific acceptable documents and procedural handling of special cases ^{[4] [2]}, while SAVE-focused documents emphasize the technical requirements and case-creation steps and note administrative safeguards and limitations ^{[6] [7]}. Recent updates through 2024–2025 refine SAVE usage and clarify acceptable alternative evidence and case workflows, including responses when automated verification fails or when Employment Authorization Document extensions policies change ^{[1] [7] [2]}.