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Why is a social security card not a valid form of id?

I have never been out of the U.S. and am planning a cruise with my finace and his family, which we will need a passport. I was just looking at some information about how to get a passport and what you'll need. The website I went to lists forms of id = birth certificate. I don't have my birth certificate, but I do have my social security card. Will that work or why is it not acceptable?

Public Comments

1. You will need you birth certificate, the SS card isn't a valid form of ID.
2. It isn't a valid form of ID because it does not have your picture.
3. A social security card does not list age, any date of birth, any place of birth, any home address or any important info. Its easy to get a legal copy of your birth certificate. Go down to your counties vital statistics building, they should be able to give you one on the spot and only charge around 5-10 bucks for it. Assuming that is you are presently in the same state you were born in. If you are currently in a different state than you were born in you might have to order it and it might take a few days.
4. During the New Deal era, when FDR first proposed a Social Security system, one of the big protests he got from the Republicans was that if everyone in the country was issued a unique number, just for him, that these numbers would soon be used as a national ID number for purposes of govt. snooping. 75 years ago, it was the Republicans who cared about individual privacy and security from the govt. So when the law was passed to create Social Security, there was specific language in it to forbid the SS number ever being used for ID. But over the years apparently we've forgotten this. My SS no. is also my bank account no. It's used for your ID in the military now. And as a student ID in high schools and colleges. All the more to allow the govt. to track you from school, through the military, and through life. Imagine how frightening this would have seemed in the 1930s, that we'd do this with -computers-! 8^O Anyway, the SS card is not a good ID because anyone can use any number. For decades, illegal immigrants have been just making up a number to put on employment applications. The card doesn't have your picture on it, and it's almost impossible to look you up by your SS no., to verify who you are. A birth certificate is much better. It's easy to look up and verify, (unless you happen to be a Democratic president 8^< ).
5. EVERYONE should have a copy of there birth certificate so notify the vital statistics in the state you where born in your social security card does not provide all the inf the certificate does and it does not have your picture on it
6. There's no way to prove that the person presenting the card is the actual person listed in the card. That would be like letting you use a credit card for valid ID. You need a photo along with it. Your birth certificate usually has your baby foot print on it at least.
7. The social security card records your work history. payment of taxes etc It is beneficial for you to own a passport. How can you not have a birth certificate? Ask your parents. Get a copy from the registrar in the town or city you were born in. Every birth in any country is registered. You will have a copy of your birth certificate in a vault or microfiche somewhere.