Social Security Says I’m Not a U.S. Citizen. Now What?

There are plenty of people who reside in the United States legally despite not being citizens. But if you are a citizen, it’s important that the right federal agencies recognize that.

In this Reddit post, we have someone who’s having a big issue with Social Security in the context of their citizenship.

The poster explains that they were born in the U.S. and have a valid U.S. birth certificate and passport. However, they lost their Social Security card and don’t expect to find it.

They went to the Social Security Administration’s website to go through the process of getting a new card. But when they input their personal details, a very disturbing message popped up that said, “Our records indicate you are not a U.S. citizen.”

The poster is concerned for one big reason. Though they know they’re a citizen, their parents are from a foreign country and became citizens in the 1980s.

However, the country in question is one that the poster claims the U.S. isn’t so friendly with. So they’re worried about opening up a can of worms.

Clearly, this is a problem the poster needs to get corrected. And they have a few options in that regard.

It’s a matter of following up

It’s unfortunate that the poster has to go through the process of proving they’re a U.S. citizen. But it’s important for the Social Security Administration to have the right information on file.

What several Reddit users suggested the poster do is go to a local Social Security office with all of their paperwork and get an employee of the agency to help sort things out. It was recommended that the poster schedule an appointment to ensure that they’ll have that opportunity, and to bring original copies of all pertinent documents, like their birth certificate.

However, due to recent Social Security staffing cuts, scheduling an appointment may prove tricky. Unfortunately, people who want an appointment with Social Security have to call their local office to make one, which could mean being subjected to long wait times on hold. One Reddit user suggested calling first thing in the morning to schedule.

If all else fails, get a lawmaker involved

Ideally, the poster will be able to go into a local Social Security office and resolve their issue on their own. But if that doesn’t work, another option may be to get a local congressperson involved.

One Reddit user shared that their grandfather had encountered a similar issue with Social Security, and it took the help of a congressional rep’s staff member to resolve the problem at hand.

Make sure Social Security has the right information for you on file

The poster here is clearly dealing with a pretty extreme case of misinformation as far as Social Security is concerned. But the reality is that you never know when the agency might have the wrong information on file for you, too.

And it doesn’t have to be related to citizenship. It could relate to your earnings history, which could impact your monthly retirement benefits.

That’s why it’s a good idea to create a Social Security account and check your information. The sooner you spot a mistake, the sooner you can take steps to correct it.