Social Security SEARCH MENU LANGUAGES SIGN IN / UP Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA) Your Access To Social Security Administration Information FOIA Home Reading Room Make a FOIA Request Reports About FOIA at SSA Privacy Program Information Contact Us SPECIAL NOTICE (as of 11/24/2020) The Office of Privacy and Disclosure at Social Security Administration (SSA) continues to process Privacy Act (PA) requests and complex Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests for agency records during the COVID-19 pandemic; however, due to limitations imposed by the current pandemic, we are experiencing operational challenges that impact the processing of certain workloads. The agency is continuing to process FOIA and PA requests; however, portions of our operations are doing so with limited resources. Please view the agency’s Coronavirus (COVID-19) Updates page for additional information about field office operations and SSA’s online services. Requests for a Copy of Deceased Persons’ Applications for a Social Security Card (SS-5) and Numident Records: Due to the pandemic, the time associated with processing physical mail and personal checks has increased; therefore, we strongly encourage requesters to submit their requests for a deceased person’s SS-5 and Numident record electronically via FOIAonline. Guide to FOIA at SSA The FOIA allows members of the public to request records from Federal agencies. The Federal government established FOIA to promote transparency and prevent agencies from having secret policies. This guide explains how to request information and records from us, information we cannot disclose, and fees involved with a request. How to Request Your Own Record How to Request a Deceased Person’s Records Information that is Already Publicly Available Records We May Not Release The FOIA Process at SSA About Us Accessibility FOIA Open Government Glossary Privacy Report Fraud, Waste or Abuse This website is produced and published at U.S. taxpayer expense.