Original Card for a Noncitizen Child 
In general , only noncitizens who have permission to work from the Department of Homeland Security DHS can apply for a Social Security number. If your child does not have permission to work but needs a Social Security number for other purposes , see " If your child does not have permission to work " for further information. Important You must present original documents or copies certified by the agency that issued them. We cannot accept photocopies or notarized copies. All documents must be current not expired. We cannot accept a receipt showing you applied for the document. Adoption In some cases , we can assign your adopted child a number before the adoption is complete , but you may want to wait. Then , you can apply for the number using your child's new name. If you want to claim your child for tax purposes while the adoption is still pending , contact the Internal Revenue Service for Form W-7A, Application for Taxpayer Identification Number for Pending U.S. Adoptions. For more information, see Social Security Numbers For Children (Publication No. 05-10023). 

What original documents do I need? 
Immigration Status To prove your child's U.S. immigration status , you must show us your child's current U.S. immigration document, such as : I-551 Lawful Permanent Resident Card, Machine Readable Immigrant Visa ; I-766 Employment Authorization Document, EAD, work permit ; or I-94 Arrival / Departure Record or admission stamp in the unexpired foreign passport. If your child is an F-1 or M-1 student , we must see your child's I-20 Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant Student Status. If your child is a J-1 or J-2 exchange visitor , you must see your child's DS-2019 Certificate of Eligibility for Exchange Visitor Status. Work Eligibility In general , only noncitizens who have permission to work from DHS can apply for a Social Security number. For most foreign workers , we only need to see an I-94 Arrival / Departure Record or a

user: Hello I need information on applying for a card for my son.

assistant: Yes certainly. Is he a U.S. citizen? If he is not a U.S. citizen, in order to apply for a Social Security number he would need permission to work from the Department of Homeland Security.

assistant: Does he need the card for work purposes or another reason?

user: It is for another reason, we need a Social Security number to fill in a form.

assistant: In that case please refer to our " If your child does not have permission to work " section for further information.

user: What is the number of the permit form that Department of Homeland Security gives to students?

assistant: It is called Work permit I-766 from DHS, if he has one you must present it when applying.

user: Will the " If your child does not have permission to work " section address the question of what to do while waiting for a Work permit I-766 from DHS?

assistant: Yes all of that is covered in the " If your child does not have permission to work " section.

user: Doesn't he need a Social Security number for school?

assistant: Lawfully admitted noncitizens do not need a Social Security number to register for school, apply for educational tests, and apply for school lunch programs.

user: What documents do I need to show if he is a student?

assistant: If your child is an F-1 or M-1 student, you must show his I-20 Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant Student Status.