J Student Visa
J Student Visa - SSN
Social Security Numbers
The Social Security Administration (SSA) has many responsibilities, among them processing applications for Social Security Numbers (SSN) from our international students and scholars who are eligible to apply. If you are an international student at Harvard you are not eligible for an SSN unless you intend to engage in employment at Harvard University. You will need to present evidence of work authorization to an official at the SSA to apply for an SSN and the evidence you submit will depend upon your visa status.
What to take to apply for a Social Security Number
For a J-1 student under Harvard's J-1 program sponsorship: take your passport, Form DS-2019, your Form I-94, and a letter confirming your enrollment from the Registrar's Office at your school to the Social Security Administration office at 240 Elm St., Marks Building, Somerville. Take the Red Line to Davis Square; the office is across from McKinnon's Market.
If your J-1 visa is not sponsored by Harvard, please get the work authorization from your J program sponsor and follow the above instructions.
When to apply
If you are a new student, you must have been in the United States for at least ten days. This waiting period assures that your record will have been updated in the Government's database. In addition, you cannot apply before the effective start date of your Form DS-2019.
At the Social Security Administration office, you must complete the SSN application form. You will receive notification of your Social Security Number in the mail. The process usually takes four to eight weeks. If you have not heard within this time period, please contact the HIO. For more information, check the website: http://www.ssa.gov or call the Social Security Administration at 1-800-772-1213. Once you have obtained a U.S. Social Security Number, it is not necessary to apply for a new one if your employment changes. If you lose your SSN Card and need to apply for a replacement card, you must prove once again that you are employed in the United States at the time of your application.