How do i renew my social security card

Registered persons who have a recent photo captured in SSB’s registration database do not need to provide the required Photo ID for card replacement or renewal purposes.

Born Belizean

Primary Documents:

  • Belizean passport OR
  • Birth Certificate or Adoption Certificate AND a Valid photo ID

Foreign Born Person with Permanent Residency Status:

Naturalized Belizean

Primary Documents:

  • Belize Nationality Certificate with photo; OR
  • Belize Nationality Certificate without photo and a valid photo ID; OR
  • Belize Passport.

Permanent Resident of Belize

Primary Documents:

  • Birth Certificate OR Adoption Certificate. AND
  • Belize Permanent Residence Card; OR
  • Passport from country of origin or naturalized country with Belize Permanent Residence stamp affixed on one of the passport pages.

Note: An expired passport with Belize Permanent Residence stamp affixed is also acceptable.

CARICOM National with (CSME) Qualifying Certificate & Indefinite Entry of Stay Stamp

Primary Documents:

  • CARICOM Single Market & Economy Free Movement of Skills (CSME) Qualifying Certificate AND
  • Passport from country of origin or naturalized country with Indefinite Entry of Stay “Right to Work” Stamp affixed on one of the passport pages.

Note: Qualifying Certificate is a Certificate of Recognition of Caribbean Community (Free Movement of Skilled Persons) Act.

Foreign Born Person with Temporary Residency Status:

Temporary Resident of Belize

Primary Documents:

  • Valid passport from country of original or naturalized country. AND

Valid permits, cards or stamps such as:

  • Condition Stamp; OR
  • Dependent Permit; OR
  • Definite Entry of Stay “Right to Work” Stamp affixed on one of the passport pages; OR
  • Refugee Card; OR
  • Student Permit; OR
  • Special Permit with Condition Stamp; OR
  • Temporary Employment Permit; OR
  • Temporary Residence Permit. OR

Note: A foreign national must submit his/her original birth certificate if he/she becomes a Permanent Resident or citizen of Belize.

Acceptable Photo IDs:

  • Belize Passport
  • Passport from naturalized country or country of origin
  • Belize Voter’s Identification Card (with color photo)
  • Drivers’ License
  • National Identity/Identification Card (foreign national)
  • Social Security Card
  • Primary, Secondary or Tertiary School Student ID issued in Belize (applicable to dependent children under eighteen years)

If unable to provide any of the valid Photo IDs listed above, then:

  • A recent (2X2 inch) color photo of applicant with a Justice of the Peace Declaration that reads: I certify that this is the true likeness of __________ and I have known him/ her for ________ years.

Note: Registered persons who have a photo captured in the Social Security Board’s registration database do not need to provide the required photo ID for card renewal or replacements purposes.

Acceptable Documents for Name Change:

  • Adoption Certificate
  • Corrected Birth Certificate
  • Divorce Absolute
  • Deed Poll with Birth Certificate, Adoption Certificate or Marriage Certificate Etc.

Acceptable Documents for Proof of Marital Status:

  • Married – Marriage Certificate
  • Divorced – Divorce Absolute
  • Separated – Court Document showing approval of legal separation

No fee is charged for the following exceptions:

    1. Defective cards, provided a card reprint request is made within one month from the date of issue; or
    2. Any card identified as printed with an error due to administrative oversight.

You can replace a lost or stolen Social Security card up to three times in a year and up to 10 times during your lifetime. Getting a new card because of a change in your legal name or citizenship status does not count toward the limits. 

You can request a placement card online, by mail or in person at a local Social Security office. 

Replacing your Social Security card online

To request a replacement card online, you must have a My Social Security account and meet these requirements:

  • You are a U.S. citizen age 18 or older.
  • You are not changing the name on the card.
  • You have a U.S. mailing address (military and diplomatic addresses count).
  • You live in a state that shares its computer data with Social Security. As of April 2022, 46 states and the District of Columbia do so. (Alaska, New Hampshire, Oklahoma and West Virginia are the exceptions.) The list is updated regularly, so check the Social Security website to see if your state's status has changed.

Replacing your card by mail or in person

If you don’t have an online account or don’t meet any one of the other criteria listed above, you’ll have to fill out an application form and either mail it or take it to your local Social Security office.

Local offices fully reopened April 7 after being closed to walk-in traffic for more than two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but the Social Security Administration (SSA) recommends calling in advance and scheduling an appointment to avoid long waits.

You’ll need to provide what the SSA calls "primary" proof of identity — either a passport, a driver’s license or a state-issued photo ID card. If you don’t have any of those, Social Security will ask to see a current, “secondary” ID that shows your name; identifying information such as age or date of birth; and, preferably, a recent photograph — for example, an employee, student or U.S. military ID or a health insurance card (but not a Medicare card). 

Social Security typically requires the original of your primary ID document, or a copy certified by the agency that issued it. Photocopies, even if notarized, are not accepted.  

However, the SSA advises against mailing “original primary documents that should be kept secure in your possession.” As an alternative, you may send secondary evidence of identity, or contact your local office about dropping off your evidence or making an appointment. Social Security will return any documents you do submit once they process your new card.  

Your new Social Security card should arrive in the mail in 10 to 14 days. There is no charge. 

Keep in mind

To change the name on your Social Security card, you will need to provide proof of your new name — for example, a marriage certificate, adoption papers or a court order granting the change — and proof of identity and citizenship. These must be originals or certified copies. If you don’t have any of those documents, Social Security may accept an unexpired, state-issued identity document in your new name, provided they can match it to your old name in their records. 

Can I get a replacement Social Security card at my local office?

Once you complete your application (online or in-person), we will mail the card after we process the application. Please understand that we don't issue cards at our offices. If you need to visit an office, we encourage you to first check the office's status at our Office Closings and Emergencies page.

What do I need to update my SSN?

An acceptable document must be current (not expired) and show your name, identifying information, and preferably a recent photograph. Social Security will ask to see a U.S. driver's license, state-issued nondriver identification card, or U.S. passport as proof of identity.

Where can I update my Social Security?

If you have questions or need help understanding how to change your address and telephone number online, call our toll-free number at 1-800-772-1213 or visit your Social Security office.

Where can I find my Social Security number?

Finding Your Social Security Number If you have a Social Security Number, you can find it on your Social Security card. Some other places that you can find your SSN are on tax returns, W-2s and bank statements. You may even find it on previously filed USCIS forms.