Social Security Information

How To Get A Number And Card
To get an original number and card, you'll first need to be hired for an on-campus job or be awarded a graduate assistantship. The next step is for you to meet with Ms. Jan Rogers in the payroll office. You may schedule an appointment to meet with her by calling 273-6212. She will complete some paperwork that will be sent to the Student Employment Office here at UNI, then to International Services. When it has been signed by Ross Schupbach, the International Student Advisor, you will be contacted by telephone or e-mail. You will then be able to make arrangements for International Services to transport you to the Social Security Administration office in Waterloo, or you would be free to go there on your own to apply. You will need to complete an Application for a Social Security Card (Form SS-5), and show your I-20 or DS-2019 form, your passport, visa and I-94 card. You must submit your application in person at the Social Security Administration Office located at 904 W. 4th Street in Waterloo.
To get an application:

• Use www.socialsecurity.gov/online/ss-5.html on the Internet.
• Pick one up at International Services
• Call 1-800-772-1213.
• Or, visit a local office.

There is no charge to get a Social Security card. This service is FREE.

How To Replace Your Card
To get a duplicate card because yours was lost or stolen, or a corrected card because you have changed your name, call or visit your local Social Security office to use this FREE service. You'll need to:

• Complete an Application for a Social Security Card (Form SS-5).
• Show evidence of your identity. If you need a corrected card, we need to see one or more documents which identify you by the old name on our records and your new name. The document showing your current identity must be of recent issuance so that we can determine your continued existence.
• Show evidence of your U.S. citizenship or lawful alien status if you were born outside the U.S.

Your duplicate card will have the same name and number as your previous card. Your corrected card will have your new name and the same number as your previous card.

Proving Your Identity
Some documents that are acceptable to prove your identity are:

• Driver’s license.
• Employer ID card.
• School ID card.
• Marriage or divorce record.
• Passport

Protect Your Number And Records
Your Social Security number is used to keep a record of your earnings. Here are some things you can do to protect your earnings record and to make sure it is accurate:

• Keep your number and card in a safe place to prevent their theft.


• Show your card to your employer voluntarily when you start a job, so your records are correct. Don't rely on your memory.


• Check your name and Social Security number on your pay stub and W-2 form to make sure they are correct.


• Notify us every time you change your name.

Giving Your Number To Others
If a business or other enterprise asks you for your Social Security number, you can refuse to give it to them. However, that may mean doing without the purchase or service for which your number was requested. For example, utility companies and other services ask for your Social Security number, but do not need it; they can do a credit check or identify their customers by alternative means.
Giving your number is voluntary even when you are asked for the number directly. If requested, you should ask:

• Why your number is needed;


• How your number will be used;


• What happens if you refuse; and


• What law requires you to give your number.

The answers to these questions can help you decide if you want to give your Social Security number. The decision is yours.
Our primary message is this--be careful with your Social Security number and your card to prevent their misuse.
If you think someone is misusing your number, ask us for the leaflet, When Someone Misuses Your Number (Publication No. 05-10064).

What to do once you receive your Social Security Card

Take your card to the Registrar’s office so that they can update your main UNI student record.

If you are employed on campus, you must also take your card to Jan Rogers in the UNI payroll office as well as your job supervisor. If you are a graduate student, you must also notify the UNI Human Resources Office.