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Answered June 2026

Because you checked the box to request an SSN on your Form I-765, your SSN card will automatically arrive in the mail 7 to 14 days after you receive your EAD. You do not need to visit a Social Security office to request it.

“I recently received my first EAD. Will my SSN arrive in the mail a few days later, or do I need to go to the Social Security Administration to request it?”

Summary

You can cross this worry off your list. You did the right thing by checking that box, which saves you a trip to the Social Security Administration.

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How the automatic SSN process works

When you apply for an Employment Authorization Document (EAD) using Form I-765 and elect to apply for a Social Security Number (SSN) at the same time, you are using a process called Enumeration Beyond Entry (EBE).

Under this process, once USCIS approves your application, they automatically send your information to the Social Security Administration (SSA). The SSA then issues your SSN card and mails it to the address you provided on your application.

This completely eliminates the need for you to visit a Social Security field office to apply for your card. You should expect the card to arrive in the mail 7 to 14 days after you receive your EAD.

Next steps

Since you already requested your SSN on your application, your next steps are just about waiting and knowing when to follow up.

Wait 7 to 14 days

Watch your mail for the next one to two weeks. The SSA will mail your SSN card to the address you provided on your Form I-765. It should arrive no later than 7 to 14 days after you receive your EAD.

Contact the SSA if it does not arrive

If 14 days pass after you receive your EAD and your SSN card still has not arrived, contact your local Social Security field office by phone or in person to investigate. If you go in person, bring your original, unexpired EAD to prove your identity.

Others who faced this

You are not the first to go through this. Here is how it went for others who asked the same thing.

SSN application after receiving EAD

u/Far-Presentation2320r/USCISJun 22, 2026

Hello, I am an international student on an F-1 visa and recently received my EAD card for OPT. I first went to my local SSA office to apply for an SSN, but the officer told me to come back with my most recent I-20 and after my OPT start date. After my start date, I returned to the SSA office with the updated I-20 and other documents. This time, the SSA representative told me that I did not need to apply again and that I should simply wait for my SSN card to arrive in the mail. What confuses me is that I thought no SSN application had been submitted during my first visit, since I was told to
1 View on Reddit

Legal sources

The rules for automatic SSN issuance with an EAD come directly from the Social Security Administration.

SSA POMS RM 10205.700

Requesting an SSN on your EAD application removes the requirement to apply in person at a Social Security office.

SSA POMS RM 10205.700

The EBE process eliminates the need to visit the field office (FO) or Social Security Card Center (SSCC) to apply for an SSN card when the applicant requests enumeration on these forms.

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SSA POMS RM 10205.700

Once your application is approved, USCIS sends your data to the SSA, which automatically assigns your number.

SSA POMS RM 10205.700

After SSA receives the enumeration data via the EBE interface, the enumeration system automatically assigns an original SSN or issues a replacement SSN card, as appropriate.

Read the full text

SSA POMS RM 10205.700

The SSA will mail the card directly to the address you provided on your USCIS application.

SSA POMS RM 10205.700

SSA mails the card to the mailing address provided by the applicant on the USCIS application.

Read the full text

SSA POMS RM 10205.700

You should receive your SSN card within 14 days of receiving your EAD, and you can contact the SSA if it does not arrive by then.

SSA POMS RM 10205.700

Applicants should receive an SSN card after 14 days of receiving the DHS document. If an applicant reports not receiving an SSN card after 14 days of receiving the DHS document technicians should: 1. Establish the applicant’s identity

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SettleKit is not a law firm and this is general information, not legal advice. Confirm your specific situation with a licensed immigration attorney.

SettleKit is not a law firm. This information is for educational purposes and is not legal advice.

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