How to Get Form SSA-5028: Apply in Person or by Mail

Form SSA-5028 is the receipt the Social Security Administration prints for you after you submit Form SS-5, the application for a Social Security card. To get one, apply in person at a local Social Security office with your completed SS-5 and original supporting documents; once the representative verifies everything, they print the receipt and hand it to you before you leave. It serves as proof that your application is in the system until the card itself arrives in the mail.

What the Receipt Shows

The SSA-5028 is a short document. It lists your name as written on the SS-5, the date you filed the application, the date the local office received it, and that office’s address and telephone number.¹ Your Social Security number is not printed on it. Think of it as a claim ticket, not the card.

A Spanish-language version, the SSA-5028-SP, is available at the representative’s discretion based on your language preference.

How to Get an SSA-5028

Apply in Person

The direct route is a visit to your local Social Security office. Bring your completed Form SS-5 and all original supporting documents. A representative reviews the paperwork, enters your application into SSA’s systems, and prints the SSA-5028 on the spot once the evidence checks out.¹ You walk out with the receipt the same day.

Before printing anything, the representative has to verify that assigning an SSN is proper and that all evidence of age, identity, and citizenship or lawful immigration status is in order.¹ Missing or incorrect documents mean no receipt.

Applying by Mail

You can also mail Form SS-5 with your original documents to your local office. SSA processes the materials and returns your documents, but mail-in applications take longer and won’t produce a same-day receipt you can hold in your hand. SSA notes the process can stretch to two to four weeks.² If you need the SSA-5028 for a new job or another time-sensitive purpose, apply in person.

Documents to Bring When You File Form SS-5

You need at least two original documents covering three categories: proof of age, proof of identity, and proof of U.S. citizenship or immigration status. A single document can cover more than one category. A U.S. passport, for example, proves both citizenship and identity. Even so, you need a minimum of two separate documents.³

Only originals or copies certified by the issuing agency are accepted. Photocopies and notarized copies are rejected on the spot.⁴ All documents must be current and unexpired.

Proof of Age

The most common document is a U.S. birth certificate. SSA also accepts a U.S. hospital record of birth, a religious record established before age five showing your date of birth, a valid passport, a final adoption decree drawn from the original birth certificate, or a tribal identification card.³

Proof of Identity

Your identity document must be current and show your name plus identifying information like date of birth or age. A recent photograph is preferred. The primary options are a U.S. driver’s license, a state-issued non-driver ID card, or a U.S. passport. If none of those are available or obtainable within ten days, SSA accepts secondary documents like an employee ID, school ID, health insurance card (not a Medicare card), or U.S. military ID.³

Proof of Citizenship or Immigration Status

U.S. citizens can use a U.S. passport, birth certificate, Certificate of Naturalization, Certificate of Citizenship, or Consular Report of Birth Abroad. Noncitizens must bring current immigration documents, typically a Permanent Resident Card (Form I-551), an Employment Authorization Document (Form I-766), or an I-94 Arrival/Departure Record with an admission stamp in an unexpired foreign passport.³ Noncitizens also need to present an unexpired foreign passport alongside their immigration documents.⁵

Proof of a Legal Name Change

If your current legal name differs from what appears on your other documents, bring something showing the change. SSA accepts a marriage document, divorce decree, Certificate of Naturalization showing the new name, or a court order approving the name change.³

Non-Work Applications Get a Different Receipt

The SSA-5028 goes to applicants who are eligible for a work-authorized Social Security number. If your SS-5 application is coded “N,” “X,” or “Y,” codes that indicate a non-work purpose, you won’t receive the SSA-5028. The office issues Form SSA-5029 instead, which is the receipt for a non-work Social Security number application. The two receipts carry different implications for employment eligibility, so check which one you were handed if you plan to use it at a job.

Using the SSA-5028 at a New Job

The receipt’s most immediate practical use is at a new job. When you start working, your employer completes Form I-9, which requires you to present documents proving identity and authorization to work. A Social Security card is a List C document. If your card hasn’t arrived yet, you may be able to present the SSA-5028 instead under the I-9 receipt rule.

The receipt rule allows employees to present a receipt showing they applied to replace a lost, stolen, or damaged List C document. That receipt is valid for 90 days from the date of hire, and the employee must present the actual document (or an acceptable alternative from the Lists of Acceptable Documents) before those 90 days expire.⁶ Employers are required to accept a valid receipt unless the job will last fewer than three business days.⁷

One nuance matters here. The USCIS receipt rule as published specifically addresses receipts for replacement documents, not first-time applications. If you’re applying for your first Social Security number, talk with your employer. Many will still accept the SSA-5028 as proof that a card is on its way, but the regulatory language is geared toward replacements. If you have another acceptable List C document, or a combination from other lists, presenting that can be a cleaner path.

When the Card Arrives

After the application is complete and evidence is verified, SSA prints the card at a central facility and mails it to the address on your SS-5. In-person applications typically produce a card within seven to ten business days. Mailed applications may take two to four weeks because of extra processing on the front end.²

If the card doesn’t show up within two weeks of an in-person application, or four weeks for a mailed one, contact your local Social Security office. Keep the SSA-5028 handy. The office address, application date, and other details on the receipt help the representative locate your file quickly.⁸ Address problems are a common cause of delays; if your mailing address changed or the postal service returned the card as undeliverable, the office can verify and reissue.

Once the physical card is in hand, the SSA-5028 has done its job. Store the card somewhere secure at home rather than carrying it in your wallet.

1
Social Security Administration. RM 10299.090 – Form SSA-5028 and SSA-5028-SP, Receipt for Application for a Social Security Number
2
Social Security Administration. How Long Will It Take to Get a Social Security Card?
3
Social Security Administration. Learn What Documents You Will Need to Get a Social Security Card
4
Social Security Administration. Form SS-5 – Application for a Social Security Card
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Social Security Administration. Social Security Numbers for Noncitizens
6
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Receipts
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U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Handbook for Employers M-274 4.4 Acceptable Receipts
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Social Security Administration. Apply for Your Social Security Number While Applying for Your Work Permit and/or Lawful Permanent Residency