Adult U.S. Citizen Applying for First Social Security Card

[khepra]

Hi, I am a 20 year old American citizen who due to my families issues, and my parents religious beliefs, never recieved a social security card or number. I have my original birth certificate but that's pretty much it.
I've never been to a hospital before, and have been home schooled (unofficially) the majority of my life and was wondering what exactly I could do to prove my identity and receive a social security number.
Every social security office has informed me that even though I have proof of citizenship, which is my birth certificate, I lack any proof of ID linking my birth certificate to me that was obtained before I turned 18 years old. So currently I have no proof of Citizenship except for my word and my families word in addition to my birth certificate and was wondering what exactly I could do in the present to help my situation. I would also like to point out that I'm living in Georgia at the moment and was born in New York

[Mr. Knowitall]

The application form for a first Social Security Card is available here. You can read the instructions pertaining to identification.

To apply for an original card, you must provide at least two documents to prove age, identity, and U.S. citizenship or current lawful, work-authorized immigration status.

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 you are not a U.S. citizen, we must see your current U.S. immigration document(s) and your foreign passport with biographical information or photograph.

WE CANNOT ACCEPT A BIRTH CERTIFICATE, HOSPITAL SOUVENIR BIRTH CERTIFICATE, SOCIAL SECURITY CARD STUB OR A SOCIAL SECURITY RECORD as evidence of identity.

[khepra]

The application form for a first Social Security Card is available here. You can read the instructions pertaining to identification.

Thank you for the quick reply but as I stated in my original post the social security office told me that they cannot accept any documentation obtained after I've turned 18 (I'm 20 now). They have told me that they could accept medical records, or school records, However I don't have any of those documents due to my reasons stated earlier. Pretty much I don't have any of the things needed for a social Security card except for my birth certificate. I also can't obtain any of the other documents needed for a social security card due to the reasons stated in my original post.

[Mr. Knowitall]

I'm not sure what you expect us to be able to do for you. I personally am fresh out of magic wands.

If there truly is no record of your existence between when you were born and when you turned 20, I can't create a record for you.

I suspect that you can find a record that fits the requirements presented for you, should you make sufficient effort. But I can't do that for you, nor do I have any information as to where you might look. You will have to talk to your parents, investigate, and see what you can produce.

[Janke]

How about contacting the US Census Bureau to see if your parents listed you as being in their house in 2000?

As a home schooled person, isn't there any record that you were taught anything? Anything that shows that your parents were authorized to keep you out of public school?

Did you ever get an immunization for polio, mumps, measles, typhoid? Did you ever get your teeth cleaned? Did you attend a church, Sunday School? Did you join Cub Scouts? Play Little League? Did anyone but your parents know that you existed? How do you know that the birth certificate you have even belongs to you, other than what your parents told you? Perhaps you were born to another set of parents and were kidnapped at an early age. Perhaps you were born outside the US and your parents are undocumented immigrants who are assuming the identity of someone else.