TN 8 (08-10)

Follow this procedure if a foreign-born applicant applies for an original SSN card.

A. When to request the foreign birth certificate

If a foreign-born person has the foreign birth certificate in his or her possession or can readily obtain a properly certified copy within ten business days, ask him/her to submit it. A BC may not exist for a foreign-born person, the BC may not have been recorded shortly after birth, or its probative value may not be high. In these situations, accept other alternative evidence of age in order of probative value. The evidence may be less than a year old (e.g., an immigration document).

If the foreign BC is in a foreign language, follow the instructions in RM 10210.210 to determine whether to ask for the foreign BC and whether to have it translated. See GN 00307.000 for instructions about the acceptability of foreign evidence to determine if the foreign BC is acceptable evidence to establish age.

B. When to request alternate evidence of age

If the foreign BC is not submitted, review other alternative evidence of age the person submits for authenticity using the guidelines in RM 10210.210.

C. When to verify documents from foreign – born non U.S. citizens

Verify any immigration document, regardless of which factor(s) it is being used to establish, with DHS according to current collateral verification procedures in RM 10214.110. Follow the instructions in RM 10205.300 about coding evidence submitted by non-citizens as “suspect.”

D. When to verify documents from foreign-born U.S. citizens

Verification of a U.S. passport, U.S. passport card, FS-240, FS-545 or DS-1350 for foreign-born individuals who acquire U.S. citizenship at birth is not required. If you suspect that the document is fraudulent per instructions in RM 10210.210, follow the instructions in RM 10213.005 for verification of these documents. Place the document in suspect status pending verification.

E. When to process the application

If all required evidence is submitted and is verified as appropriate, process the SSN application. For instructions on coding evidence on Form SS-5 when not using SSNAP, see RM 10205.190.

F. When to send a refusal letter

If all required evidence is not submitted, return the SS-5 and the evidence already submitted to the applicant with the appropriate evidence letter (SSA-L670). For additional instructions, see RM 10215.115.

G. When to refer to OIG

If the immigration document is not verified, or a U.S. passport, U.S. passport card, FS-240, or DS-1350 suspected of being fraudulent is not verified, do not process the SSN application. Follow instructions in RM 10205.320.