Apply For Supplemental Security Income Benefits

Below are the instructions on how to apply for SSI benefits. If you have questions or issues about applying for your SSI benefits, then please contact your local office. You can use our Social Security Office locator to find a location nearby.

You can now file for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) online but only if you meet certain requirements. You are eligible to file online for SSI if you:

• Are between the ages of 18 and 65
• Have never been married
• Aren't blind
• Are a US citizen residing in one of the fifty states, District of Columbia, or the Northern Mariana Islands
• Haven't applied for or received SSI benefits in the past
• Are applying for Social Security Disability Insurance at the same time as your SSI claim

Once you finish the online process, a Social Security representative will contact you for any additional information needed for the applications. You can also schedule an appointment with a local Social Security office to file an application. Call 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778) from 7am to 7pm, Monday through Friday or contact your local Social Security office.

Social Security does not yet have an online application for Children's benefits. To apply for SSI benefits for a child, visit the Apply For Disability Benefits - Child. You can complete the online Child Disability Report if you are ready to apply now.

If you are a person age 65 or older and want to apply for SSI benefits, then call them at 1-800-772-1213. If you are deaf or hard of hearing, you can call then at TTY 1-800-325-0778.

Below is a list of items you will need to bring with you when applying for SSI benefits in person. If you are unable to provide all of the required items listed below, it is still recommended you apply anyway. The Social Security office where you have your appointment setup at can assist you in getting the remaining items needed.

• Birth certificate or other proof of your age
• Social Security card or a record of your Social Security number
• Proof of your US citizenship or eligible noncitizen status
• Mortgage or lease along with your landlord's name of the home you live in
• Payroll slips, bank books, insurance policies, burial fund records and other information about your income and resources
• If disabled or blind you will need to provide the names, addresses and telephone numbers of doctors, hospitals and clinics that you have visited

Once you have submitted your application, you may be able to check the status of your application online. Your SSI application status shows:

• The date Social Security received your application
• Any requests for additional documents
• The address of the office processing your application
• If a decision has been made yet

If you cannot check the current status of your SSI benefits application online, you can:

• Call them at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 800-325-0778), Monday through Friday from 7am to 7pm
• Contact your local Social Security office. You can use our Social Security office locator to find a location nearby

If you applied for SSI benefits and it was denied, then you can file an SSI appeal online. To learn more, read how to appeal a decision.