Getting a Social Security number in LA

Your tax file number lives quietly in a drawer at home. In America, your Social Security number is the key to payroll, banking, credit and half the forms you'll fill in during your first month.

The short version

You can only get a Social Security number (SSN) if you're allowed to work in the US. E-3, H-1B, L-1 and O-1 holders qualify; ESTA visitors don't [1][4].
Start the application online, then visit a Social Security office or Card Center with original documents. It's free [1][2].
You don't need the number to start work. Your passport and I-94 prove you're allowed to work while you wait [1].
Since 2022, an E-3 spouse with an I-94 marked "E-3S" is allowed to work and can apply for an SSN too [3].
Family members who can't work may need an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) from the IRS instead [4][5].

What an SSN is, and why you can't do much without one

The SSN is a nine-digit number issued by the Social Security Administration (SSA). It was built to track earnings for US retirement benefits, but it has become a general ID number for money matters. Think of it as a TFN, a Medicare number and a credit file reference rolled into one.

Here's where it shows up in your first months in Los Angeles:

Where	What happens without an SSN
Payroll	You can start work, but your employer needs the number to report your wages to the IRS [1]
Bank account	Many banks will open an account on a passport, but online applications often ask for an SSN [6]
Credit cards and loans	Hard to get approved, because lenders can't pull a credit report
Phone contracts	Usually a credit check, so expect a deposit or a prepaid plan
Renting	Landlords run credit checks; without an SSN you'll often pay a bigger deposit or show more bank statements
Tax return	You need an SSN or ITIN to file [5]

The SSA itself says you don't strictly need an SSN to get a driver's licence, enrol a child in school or buy private health insurance, and a business can be asked to identify you another way [4]. In practice, life in LA gets much easier once you have one.

Who can apply

Only noncitizens authorised by US immigration authorities to work can get a regular SSN [1]. For Australians, that usually means:

E-3 workers. Your E-3 status lets you work for your sponsoring employer, so you can apply once you've been admitted.
E-3 spouses. From 12 November 2021, US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) treats E-3 dependent spouses as employment authorised incident to status. An unexpired I-94 issued on or after 30 January 2022 and marked "E-3S" is accepted proof [3]. Older I-94s marked "E-3D" work together with a USCIS notice, or the spouse can still apply for an Employment Authorization Document (EAD) [3].
Other work visas. H-1B, L-1, O-1 and similar holders, plus J-1 exchange visitors with their DS-2019 and sponsor letter [1].
Green card holders. People arriving on an immigrant visa can usually ask for an SSN on the visa application itself, through a process called Enumeration at Entry [1].

Children on E-3 dependant visas aren't allowed to work [7], so they generally won't get a regular SSN. If you're on an ESTA, you can't work and can't get one. Don't try.

How to apply in Los Angeles

The SSA moved to an online-first process. You start the request on its website, then book an appointment to show your documents in person [1][2]. Anyone 12 or older needs that in-person interview unless they applied through a USCIS or visa form [1].

Wait until you've arrived. Your I-94 arrival record needs to be in the system. Download it from the US Customs and Border Protection I-94 website and check that the class of admission is right (E-3, or E-3S for a spouse).
Start online. Go to ssa.gov/number-card and begin the request for a first card [2]. It's free; ignore any site that charges a fee.
Book the office visit. The online process lets you schedule an appointment [1]. Use the SSA office locator to find your nearest office. Greater LA has many field offices, and SSA also runs Card Centers that focus on number and card requests [1]. It's worth taking the office with a good appointment slot rather than the closest one.
Bring originals. At least two separate documents proving identity, age and work-authorised status [1]. Photocopies, notarised copies and receipts aren't accepted [1].
Wait for the post. Once approved, the card is typically mailed within about 5 to 10 business days [2]. If SSA has to check your status manually with the Department of Homeland Security, it can take several weeks [1].
Give the number to payroll. Your employer will update your records so your wages are reported under the right number.

What to bring

Your Australian passport with your US visa
Your I-94 printout showing your class of admission [1]
Your full Australian birth certificate if you have it or can get it within 10 business days; otherwise the passport can stand in [1]
Your marriage certificate if you're a spouse applying on an E-3S I-94
For J-1 visitors, your DS-2019 and sponsor letter [1]

Order a full birth certificate from your state registry of births, deaths and marriages before you leave Australia. It's much easier than getting one posted to LA later.

When your spouse or kids can't get an SSN: the ITIN

An ITIN is a nine-digit tax number from the IRS for people who need one for tax purposes but can't get an SSN [5]. Typical cases for Australians in LA:

A dependent child you want to claim on your US tax return who isn't eligible for an SSN
A spouse on a visa that doesn't allow work, if you file jointly
Anyone who has US income to report but no work authorisation

How it works [5]:

You apply with Form W-7, normally attached to your completed federal tax return, by mail or in person.
Allow about 7 weeks for a decision, or 9 to 11 weeks during tax season (15 January to 30 April) [5].
An ITIN does not give work rights, change immigration status or count as ID outside the tax system [5].

If your spouse is on an E-3S I-94, skip the ITIN and go for an SSN: they're eligible [3].

The Australian angle

A few things work differently from home.

It's not a secret number in the same way. In Australia, your TFN mostly goes to your employer, the ATO and your bank. In the US, landlords, utilities, phone companies and doctors may ask for your SSN. You don't always have to give it [4]. Ask why they need it, and give it only where there's a credit check or a tax reason.

Credit history starts at zero. Your SSN opens a credit file, but your Australian history doesn't come with you. Getting the number early starts the clock. Our guide to building a US credit history from scratch covers the next steps.

Social security tax and the agreement. Most E-3 workers employed by a US company pay US Social Security tax. Australia and the US have a social security agreement, so people temporarily sent from an Australian employer can stay in Australia's system with a certificate of coverage from the ATO [8]. The agreement can also combine credits from both countries for benefits later [8].

Keep your TFN and Australian ties sorted. Moving to LA can change your Australian tax residency. Tell the ATO and your Australian bank, and read our guide to Australian tax residency after you move.

Protect the card. Once it arrives, file it with your passport. Don't carry it in your wallet. Identity theft using SSNs is a real problem in the US, and replacing a card means another round of paperwork.

Common mistakes

Applying before your I-94 is right. If CBP recorded the wrong class of admission (say "E-3D" instead of "E-3S" for a spouse after 2022), fix it before you apply.
Bringing copies. SSA wants originals or certified copies from the issuing agency [1].
Paying someone to apply. The SSA service is free [2].
Assuming no SSN means no job. You can start work on day one with your passport and I-94 [1].
Applying for a child who can't work. SSA generally won't issue a work SSN to someone without work authorisation [1]. Use an ITIN for tax purposes instead [4][5].

Plenty of people in Cooee USA, our Facebook group for Australians in the USA, have done the SSA visit in LA recently. Ask which office had the shortest wait.

Getting a Social Security number in LA: the first number you need