Your child's Social Security #-Post Adoption Tips

All countries may be different when it comes to getting your child's ss # after your adoption is finalized. THis information is for Korea adoptions as this was our experience. I wanted to post this because I do not find much or very little information about this issue. SO please read these tips..from our Holt newsletter...                              
                                                     My happy Girl looking over her Passport!!!

Each States SS office May be different...Our SS office wanted us to get a passport first. On the passport it shows on it that she is a US Citizen. So when we get her SS card it should say "US Citizen" Which is what we all want.  We do however also plan on getting her COC (Certificate of Citizen ship) because a passport expires, and a COC you have forever if we ever need more proof that she is a US Citizen later in life. Read below why this "title, US Citizen" Is SO Important for your child now and forever....

Information from our Holt news
If you’ve encountered difficulties regarding your child’s Social Security Number (SSN) in recent months, you aren’t alone. Over 20% of the calls Holt receives weekly regarding citizenship are prompted by Social Security Administration issues; either obtaining a new number for a recently adopted child, or having an existing number show up as a resident alien with an expired visa. These issues can delay filing for taxes, applying for a driver’s license, even enrolling in college.

We find that many Social Security offices across the country now refuse to issue a SSN without proof of citizenship in the form of the Certificate of Citizenship (COC). Although the law doesn’t require you to have one, we strongly recommend it based on the number of calls we receive reporting serious issues for adoptees who don’t have the COC. In fact, we have only recently discovered that many SSNs may have been issued under a status of “Permanent Resident” or “Resident Alien” rather than “US Citizen”. The number and card look exactly the same as the cards issued for persons born in the US; the status doesn’t come to light until prospective employers, or college admissions office, verify the SSN, which then appears to belong to a permanent resident with an expired visa. If your adoption is not yet finalized, you can apply for the Adoption Tax ID Number through the IRS, which will enable you to claim your child on your taxes, until a SSN can be issued. If your adoption is finalized, but you’re having trouble obtaining a SSN, we recommend you obtain the COC first, and then apply for the SSN. By waiting until you have the COC you will ensure that your child’s SSN is issued in their adopted name and it reflects a status of US Citizen.

Adoptees who have had a SSN for several years may still encounter issues with the number appearing as a “Permanent Resident”. To be safe, and proactive, Holt recommends you check with your local Social Security office to confirm the number’s status of “US Citizen”; obtaining the COC can take up to 6-12 months after application. You don’t want to wait until the college admissions offices gives your teenager 30 days to prove citizenship!
Please feel free to contact Holt’s Post Adoption Services department with questions. We can also provide you with the forms for the Adoption Tax ID Number and the Certificate of Citizenship.

I hope this information was helpful and will save you all more time or future heartache!