Updating Social Security Number

[Kristal 0]

I was wondering if you need to update your social security number first before applying for a U.S. Passport?

[newacct 688]

No. Many people have been naturalized and travel on US passports for decades without updating their Social Security.

But you should update your status with Social Security every time your immigration status changes.

[kovacs 20]

If only the payout amounts increased, then people would pay more attention. But they don't :-)

[Kristal 0]

No. Many people have been naturalized and travel on US passports for decades without updating their Social Security.

But you should update your status with Social Security every time your immigration status changes.

Thank you for your reply!

[Buckyball 22]

Never changed my status with the SSA. Not spending ages in one of their stupidly overcrowded offices.

[TBoneTX 43,058]

*** Thread moved from US Citizenship main forum to the "Passports, etc." subforum. ***

[markiweiss49 4]

When you become a us citizen, you are supposed to go to social security to update your status. You have to show them your CITIZENSHIP cert.

[dioxide45 25]

I naturalized last October and just went to the SSA office earlier this month to have them update my status. I just never had the chance to get around to it. I think it would really only matter when you go to collect benefits. So you could probably just update your status at that time?

I think the status matters as to how / when benefits are paid out. A citizen can collect benefits living anywhere in the world, a PR can only collect if they live in the USA? Not sure if that is true, but I recall reading that somewhere. I could be wrong though.