Uscis Laminated Social Security Card

We issue three types of social security cards.

Uscis laminated social security card.

Citizen or lawful permanent resident you may have a work restriction listed on your card. However you may cover the card with plastic or other removable material if it does not damage the card. If the card states on the back not valid if laminated then the laminated social security card is not valid. Metal or plastic reproductions of social security cards are not acceptable for form i 9 purposes.

If your employee presents a restricted social security card ask the employee to provide a different document from list c or a document from list a. The social security administration ssa advises cardholders not to laminate social security cards. Title uscis questions and answers author brooke created date 6 8 2011 4 10 52 pm. Do not laminate your card.

Then the agency s position morphed into they are acceptable unless the card on the back indicates that it was not valid if laminated and sure enough many cards had that notation. Link see questions 31 33 there is no official guidance on i 9 central uscis webpage for i 9 questions or in the m 274 regarding laminated social security cards. For a period of time the answer was no. The rule used to be that if the card itself said not valid if laminated then the card was not valid for list c purposes so i would stick with this latest rule.

If the card states on the back not valid if laminated then the laminated social security card is not valid. Lamination prevents detection of many security features. The revised uscis form includes additional questions that allow applicants to apply for an ssn or replacement card without visiting a social security office. All cards show your name and social security number.

You must accept any document s from the lists of acceptable documents that reasonably appear to be genuine and to relate to the person presenting them. While the social security administration ssa discourages individuals from laminating their social security cards the u s citizenship and immigration services uscis guidance indicates an. Over the years the uscis has had varying positions on whether a laminated card was acceptable.