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: I need to get a card for my son who is not currently a citizen.

assistant: Currently, only noncitizens who have permission to work by the DHS can apply for a card.

assistant: Does your child have permission to work here?

user: He does not have permission to work. Is there any way else I can get a card?

assistant: In this case, more information will be needed to obtain a card.

user: What if he is an F-1 student?

assistant: You will need to submit your son's I-20 Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant Student Status.

user: I don't have a current DHS document for him. Is there anything else I can use?

assistant: Yes, other documents may be accepted, but they need to contain your son's name, his date of birth, and his biological parents' names. We also like it to have a recent photo, but we can accept it without a photo if it has enough information to verify his identity.

user: Is there any way my son can legally work without DHS authorization?

assistant: Yes, you can apply for an Individual Taxpayer ID Number for your son at the IRS. You can visit your local IRS office or call them toll free at 1-800-TAXFORM and request a Form W-7A for Taxpayer ID Number for Pending U.S. adoptions.