After your international camp counselors arrive in the United States on a J-1 Camp Counselor visa, one of the first important steps they will need to take is applying for a Social Security number (SSN).
The process of obtaining the SSN is straightforward, but it does involve several required steps that must be followed. In most cases, they need to apply for their Social Security number after arriving at camp. Having a Social Security number helps with a variety of official matters during their stay, making it an essential part of their arrival and onboarding process.
How J-1 Camp Counselors Apply for Their Social Security Number
- Arrival Check-in: Upon arrival in the USA, there is a check-in that they will need to complete with their J-1 sponsor organization. Some sponsors may have the camp complete the check-in confirming arrival, while others may send the check-in directly to the counselor. The sponsor will validate the J-1 visa within the government SEVIS system after the arrival check-in is completed. The check-in must be completed before they can apply for their SSN.
- Make a Social Security Office Appointment: Recently, appointments have become required at most Social Security offices. They will need to visit the 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 calling before they arrive and seeing if the local office will let you go ahead and schedule appointments for after your J-1 camp counselors have arrived. Odyssey recommends that candidates apply for an SSN within 3–10 days after completing the check-in, but other J-1 sponsor organizations may have different timelines.
- J-1 Camp Counselors Must Bring the Following Documents to the Appointment:
- Passport with J-1 visa
- Letter of Sponsorship (This letter is provided by their J-1 sponsor organization)
- Form DS-2019 (Certificate of Eligibility for Exchange Visitor Status)
- I-94 Form — The record can be retrieved 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.
- Now They Can Wait: It may take over two weeks to receive the Social Security number, which will be mailed to the address provided on the Form SS-5. We suggest using the camp address. If they have not received the Social Security Card after 3–4 weeks, we recommend calling Social Security Administration at 1-800-772-1213 for an update. In some cases, you may need to have them reapply.
Important Information
The Social Security office will not process their application until they have been validated in the SEVIS system by their J-1 sponsor organization. That is why it is recommended to wait at least three days after their check-in was submitted to have the appointment at the Social Security Office.
We recommend that J-1 camp counselors ask the Social Security officer for a Form SSA-5030 proving that you have applied for the card. Host camps may use temporary numbers in their payroll system (zeros) if the actual number is not available before the first payroll, or your payroll company may have a similar temporary solution.
If you are not sure how to report their stipend before they have received their Social Security number, please go to the Social Security Administration’s website here.
If they have a Social Security number from a previous experience in the United States, they can use it and do not need to apply for another one.
Photo courtesy of Lutherhaven Ministries in Coeur d'Alene, ID
This blog was written on behalf of ACA's Project Real Job, whose goal is to support camps in their efforts to recruit, hire, and retain staff.
Ana Ripp is the director of J-1 Camp Counselor programs at Odyssey International Camp, a J-1 sponsor organization. Odyssey connects US summer camps with highly qualified international camp counselors and provides all the necessary documentation and support for camps to welcome international counselors. She is also a former camp director who hired international counselors and understands what it takes to run a successful camp. Ana can be reached at [email protected].
The views and opinions expressed by contributors are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of the American Camp Association or ACA employees.
