Establishing Identity as an Adult to Obtain a Social Security Number

[Chyuj]

Hi. I'll cut to the chase.
My girlfriend (22 years old) is from Texas and when she was born in a hospital in Houston, for some weird reason she never got a social security number. She was clinically dead for a few minutes at birth but I dunno if that's related. her parents assumed she had one because her brother never recieved anything about the social security in the mail, but he has a number.
Both her parents are American citizens, and so are her grandparents and so is her whole family, all born in America. She has her birth certificate and everything, but the people at the social security office say they need proof of LIVING for every year of her life.
Now, the problem is, her family is poor. DIRT poor. and when her mom had a heart attack when she was 12, she quit school and stayed at home to help take care of her and her smaller sisters. Since then she has never tried to do anything that needed her social security.. no driver's license, no GED, no school, nothing.
She now has to get a surgery to get her gallbladder removed and is in BAD shape. They can't afford the surgery (The hospital says it'll cost $4000) and since she doesn't have a social security number it's problamtic.
Now this whole situation doesn't seem fair in my eyes, seeing as she IS rightfully an american citizen! her parents did try a few times to apply for her number but they never got it, or even got a wrong number or something.
Even if they manage to get the surgery, she still needs her social security number.
Any help and advice would be appreciated.
For those of you who'd wanna argue that they should have taken care of that years ago, it doesn't help right now, RELEVANT answers only please.

[Dogmatique]

Legally relevant answer:

She SHOULD have gotten this taken care of years ago.

Now with that said...I doubt that's what SS is actually saying to her.

There isn't a single US citizen I've ever encountered who has had to provide "proof of LIVING for every year of her life." in order to obtain a social security number.

Now, the problem might hinge on her parents. Exactly what is meant by "even got a wrong number"?

It's important....

[PattyPA]

I don't think an SSN is automatic. Especially 22 years ago. It has to be applied for.

That makes no sense. She has a BC and she's alive now.

I like Tigi's answer better than my original answer.

[LawResearcherMissy]

What, exactly, do you mean that the Social Security office requires "proof of living for every year of her life"?

Are they asking for proof of residency? School attendance? Church baptismal or membership record?

[Chyuj]

They want ANY sort of proof of existence.. church, school records, whatever.
And it's very nice that you all doubt that's what SS said, but I really don't think I'm bored enough to just waltz in to a random forum I find and make up some weird story. She was there at the office, they told her it's regulation\protocol\whatever.
As for the wrong number, I don't think she got any wrong number, they just applied and never got it.
Look, don't give me the EXACT answers I asked NOT to give me, if you don't know anything, that's fine, then don't post. It doesn't matter if the parents aren't responsible or whatever you wanna think, the fact of the matter is that that's what they told her. if you know of anything that might help, please reply.

[jk]

you are being a bit snippy, especially since you are asking volunteers and you paid nothing for the info.

As for the wrong number, I don't think she got any wrong number, they just applied and never got it.

then why would you say this:

her parents did try a few times to apply for her number but they never got it, or even got a wrong number or something.

I mean, it's not like anybody here waltzed in and made up the fact that you speculated she might have been give a number yet it was "wrong or something"

here is what they say as to proving identity:

Evidence of Identity
You must provide current, unexpired evidence of identity in your legal name. Your legal name will be shown on the Social Security card. Generally, we prefer to see documents issued in the U.S. Documents you submit to establish identity must show your legal name AND provide biographical information (your date of birth, age, or parents' names) and/or physical information (photograph, or physical description - height, eye and hair color, etc.). If you send a photo identity document but do not appear in person, the document must show your biographical information (e.g., your date of birth, age, or parents' names). Generally, documents without an expiration date should have been issued within the past two years for adults and within the past four years for children.
As proof of your identity, you must provide a:
●
U.S. driver's license; or
●
U.S. State-issued non-driver identity card; or
●
U.S. passport
If you do not have one of the documents above or cannot get a replacement within 10 work days, we may accept other documents that show your legal name and biographical information, such as a U.S. military identity card, Certificate of Naturalization, employee identity card, certified copy of medical record (clinic, doctor or hospital), health insurance card, Medicaid card, or school identity card/record. For young children, we may accept medical records (clinic, doctor, or hospital) maintained by the medical provider. We may also accept a final adoption decree, or a school identity card, or other school record maintained by the school.

If she does not have those documents, then she needs to ask them what other means of proof will they accept.

You did say she attended school until she was 12. There will be records. I would presume she has seen a doctor from time to time.

[LawResearcherMissy]

Hey, sugarlips, drop the attitude, or NO ONE is going to help you. You dig it?

Actually, you know what?

I'm not going to help you. Figure it out yourself, since you don't want to clarify.

[Chyuj]

then why would you say this:



I mean, it's not like anybody here waltzed in and made up the fact that you speculated she might have been give a number yet it was "wrong or something"

here is what they say as to proving identity:



If she does not have those documents, then she needs to ask them what other means of proof will they accept.

As for the wrong number thing, don't pay attention to it, I asked her and there wasn't anything like that. They just applied several times and never got it, and when they tried to go to the office they didn't get the number for some other reason. (which I don't know)
She DID tell them she doesn't have any records, and so they told her there's nothing they can do to help her.
Also, jk,- driver's license, passport, whatever- she'd need a SSN to have those to begin with, so naturally she has nothing- they said they need proof of her existence, records to show that she was indeed living in America for all her life, to issue her one.
LawResearcherMissy- it doesn't seem like I'm he one who needs to cool down. If I got snippy I apologise.

[jk]

They just applied several times and never got it, and when they tried to go to the office they didn't get the number for some other reason. (which I don't know)

Ok, here is the really dumb question; since somebody applied several times, has anybody simply asked if they already issued a number in her name? If they had issued one previously and kept getting repeat applications, they might have flagged the number as being used fraudulently.

She DID tell them she doesn't have any records, and so they told her there's nothing they can do to help her.

what about her school records up until 12? Has she never been to a doctor before?

from the list:

certified copy of medical record (clinic, doctor or hospital)

school identity card/record.

, Medicaid card

I see no reason she would not be able to access her school records. She left school only 10 years ago. Has she never been to a doctor before? You say the family is poor; have they every been on Medicaid?

[Chyuj]

Ok, here is the really dumb question; since somebody applied several times, has anybody simply asked if they already issued a number in her name? If they had issued one previously and kept getting repeat applications, they might have flagged the number as being used fraudulently.


what about her school records up until 12? Has she never been to a doctor before?

from the list:

I see no reason she would not be able to access her school records. She left school only 10 years ago. Has she never been to a doctor before? You say the family is poor; have they every been on Medicaid?

The school destroyed her records 7 years after she left, and yes she did go to the doctor, but not every year. She asked if she can bring whatever health records she has, they said no- has to be for every year of her life. I know this seems like a stretch but it IS what they told her. She talked to EVERYONE in the office who dealt with these things, she got the same answers.
EDIT: They said they couldn't find any number linked to her. It's a good question though, I'll ask her about it.