How To Apply For Social Security Number (SSN)?
A Guide For J-1 Camp Counselors In The United States
Upon arriving in the United States for a J-1 Camp Counselor Program, you must apply for a Social Security Number (SSN). J-1 Visa holders are eligible to obtain an SSN, which is necessary to receive payments from your host camp. The application process is straightforward, but it does involve several steps.
Odyssey International Camp will provide you and your host camp with detailed instructions and guidance on how to apply for your Social Security Number after you arrive in the U.S. J-1 Exchange Visitors are allowed to enter the United States up to 30 days before their J-1 Camp Counselor Program begins. We recommend applying for a Social Security Number (SSN) during this time if possible. If you are unable to do so, your host camp can assist by helping you schedule an appointment and providing time off and transportation to the Social Security Office, if necessary.
How to apply for a Social Security Number as a J-1 Camp Counselor?
1. Arrival Check-In: Upon arrival in the USA, you will be informed by us to complete your check-in on our secure website. Our team will validate the J-1 Visa within the government SEVIS system after your Arrival Check-in is completed.
Although you may be very excited and distracted by all of the new experiences upon arriving, completing your Arrival Check-In is very important. Please complete it as soon as you receive the link from us via email. You must complete your Arrival Check-in before you can apply for your SSN. If you do not have access to the internet at camp, please notify your supervisor to contact Odyssey to confirm your arrival.
2. Make a Social Security Office Appointment: You will need to visit a local Social Security Office with all the required documentation in order to apply for the SSN. You may use this tool in order to find the closest Social Security Office. We recommend that you apply for an SSN within 10 days after completing the Arrival Check-in with Odyssey. If camp has already started, you will need to coordinate with your host camp on when this appointment can happen. Some camps will take all J-1 Exchange Visitors together at a designated time, or may have already scheduled an appointment for you.
3. Bring the Following Documents to the Appointment:
Passport with J-1 Visa
Letter of Sponsorship (You will receive this letter from Odyssey after completing the Arrival Check-In)
Form DS-2019 (Certificate of Eligibility)
I-94 Form - You may retrieve the document and print it from here.
Birth Certificate or at least one Official Picture ID (identification document including birthdate that is at least one year old. (If the passport and other official ID, such as a driver’s license, are both less than one year old, a birth certificate is required.)
Form SS-5. You may find it on the Social Security website , or it will be provided at the appointment.
4. Now You Can Wait: It may take over 2 weeks to receive the Social Security Number, which will be mailed to the address provided on the Form SS-5.
Important Information
The Social Security office will not process your application until you have been validated in the SEVIS system. We recommend that you ask the Social Security officer for a Form SSA-5030 proving that you have applied for the card and provide it to your host camp. Host camps may use temporary numbers in their payroll system (zeros) if the actual number is not available before the first payroll. If your host camp is not sure how to report your stipend before you have received your Social Security number, please ask them to go to the Social Security Administration’s website here.
If you have a social security number from a previous experience in the United States, then you can use this and do not need to apply for another one. As always, if you have questions regarding the topic, kindly reach out to Odyssey International Camp for assistance!
