Can I use passport or Real ID instead of birth certificate for Social Security survivor benefits application?

Yes, SSA will typically accept a passport as proof of age and citizenship! They prefer a birth certificate, but US Passports are acceptable primary documents. Your Real ID driver's license alone probably won't be enough though - it shows your age but not citizenship status. When I applied for spousal benefits last year, I used my passport because my birth certificate was damaged. No issues at all. Just bring your husband's death certificate, your marriage certificate, and any information about his earnings/SS number too.

They took my pasport when i applied but that was for retirement not survivor benifits so maybe its different? the rules change all the time with them

I'm in almost the exact same boat! My wife died in January and I've been trying to get survivor benefits started. They wouldn't accept just my driver's license (even though it's Real ID) but they DID accept my passport without any issues. They just need something that proves both your age AND citizenship status. Bring extra documents just in case though. They made me come back a second time because I didn't have enough proof of our marriage duration (we'd been married 9 years but they wanted documentation covering the whole period).

When my uncle died my aunt had SUCH a hard time with all this. She had her birth certificate but they said it wasn't acceptable because it was a hospital copy not an official one??? Then they rejected her passport because it was going to expire in 4 months even though it was still valid! The whole system is designed to make it impossible to get benefits we've already paid for!!

I had to battle with SSA for weeks trying to get through to someone who could answer this exact question when I was applying for my widower benefits. I finally discovered Claimyr (claimyr.com) which got me connected to an actual SSA agent in under 10 minutes instead of waiting on hold for hours. I showed them my video demo (https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU) and it works exactly as advertised. The agent confirmed my passport was acceptable ID, and I was able to schedule my appointment right away. Saved me so much time and stress during an already difficult period.

SSA employee here. Yes, we accept unexpired US passports as primary evidence of both age and citizenship. Here's the official policy from our Program Operations Manual System (POMS): For proof of age: A valid, unexpired US passport is acceptable evidence. For proof of identity: A passport is a primary evidence document. For survivor benefits, you'll also need: 1. Proof of death (death certificate) 2. Marriage documentation (marriage certificate) 3. Your spouse's Social Security number 4. Your bank information for direct deposit If you're under FRA (Full Retirement Age) and working, bring recent paystubs as earnings may affect benefits. Also, if you have minor or disabled children, they may be eligible for benefits on your husband's record too.

passport worked for me. bring the marriage license too they gonna want that

The Real ID probably won't work by itself but IDK passport might not either if your name on it doesn't match your marriage certificate. My sister had to get like 5 different documents because she had changed her name when she got married but then her husband died before she got a new passport with her married name. The SSA made her get her birth certificate anyway to prove she was the same person. Total nightmare!!!!

Just wanted to add one important thing: if you're planning to apply in person at your local office, MAKE AN APPOINTMENT. The days of walk-ins being easily accommodated are mostly gone. Many offices have limited walk-in hours or are appointment-only now. Call ahead or make an appointment through the SSA website to avoid wasting a trip.

I'm so sorry for your loss, Christian. I went through this same process about 18 months ago when my husband passed. Your passport will absolutely work - that's exactly what I used and had no problems at all. The SSA representatives were actually very understanding about not having my birth certificate available during such a difficult time. One tip that might help: when you call to make your appointment, mention that you're applying for survivor benefits and ask what specific documents they'll need. Sometimes different offices have slightly different preferences, and it's better to know upfront. Also, if you have any old tax returns that show both your names, bring a couple of those too - they can be helpful as backup documentation. The whole process took about 45 minutes for me, and my benefits started within a few weeks. Hang in there - you've got this!

I'm really sorry for your loss, Christian. I went through something similar when my father passed and I had to help my mother with her survivor benefits application. The passport will definitely work - that's exactly what we used since her birth certificate was from another country and would have taken months to get translated and certified. One thing that really helped us was organizing all the documents beforehand in a folder. Besides what others have mentioned (passport, marriage certificate, death certificate), also bring your husband's Social Security card if you can find it, and any recent statements showing his Social Security number. The representative told us it speeds up the process when they don't have to look up his earnings record. Also, don't stress too much about having everything perfect - the SSA staff are generally very understanding with survivor benefits cases. They know you're dealing with a lot right now. Good luck with your appointment!

I'm so sorry for your loss, Christian. I just went through this exact situation last year when my dad passed and I had to help my mom apply for survivor benefits. Your passport will absolutely work - that's what we used and SSA accepted it without any issues. One thing I'd suggest is to also bring a copy of your husband's most recent Social Security statement if you have one (they usually mail them annually). It shows his complete earnings history and can help verify his benefits amount. We found it really sped up the process. Also, if you're feeling overwhelmed by all the paperwork, know that you can actually start the application process online at ssa.gov to get some of the basic information entered, then finish it at your in-person appointment. That way you're not starting completely from scratch when you get there. The SSA representatives were very compassionate and patient with us during what was obviously a difficult time. You're doing great by getting this process started - the benefits will provide important financial stability during your adjustment period.

I'm so sorry for your loss, Christian. I went through this exact same situation about two years ago when my wife passed away. Your passport will definitely work - that's exactly what I used and SSA accepted it without any issues whatsoever. One thing that really helped me was calling ahead to confirm which documents they needed and scheduling an appointment rather than just showing up. The staff member I spoke with was very understanding and walked me through exactly what to bring. Since you have your passport and all the other required documents (marriage certificate, death certificate), you should be all set. The application process itself was much smoother than I expected, and the SSA representative was very compassionate about the situation. My benefits started within about 6 weeks of the appointment. Don't let the stress of the paperwork delay you from getting the financial support you're entitled to. You've got this, and the passport will work just fine.

I'm so sorry for your loss, Christian. I went through this same process when my mother passed away last year, and I can confirm that SSA will absolutely accept your passport as proof of age and citizenship. That's exactly what I used since her birth certificate was also lost during a move. A few practical tips from my experience: - Call ahead to make an appointment rather than walking in - Bring multiple copies of all documents (they kept copies of everything) - If you have any joint bank statements or insurance policies with both your names, bring those too as additional proof of your relationship - Ask about expedited processing if you're experiencing financial hardship The whole appointment took about an hour, and the representative was very understanding about the difficult circumstances. Your passport plus the marriage and death certificates should be everything you need. Don't let the document requirements delay you from getting the benefits you're entitled to.

I'm so sorry for your loss, Christian. I went through the survivor benefits application process about 6 months ago when my husband passed away, and I can absolutely confirm that your passport will work perfectly fine. I was in almost the identical situation - couldn't find my birth certificate and was panicking about delays. The SSA representative assured me that a valid US passport is actually one of their preferred documents because it proves both citizenship and age in one document. A couple of things that made my experience smoother: - I brought our joint tax returns from the last 3 years as extra documentation - Made sure to have my husband's Social Security number written down clearly - Brought our marriage certificate in a protective sleeve (they handle it a lot during the appointment) The staff was incredibly compassionate and patient during what was obviously a very difficult time. The whole process took about 45 minutes, and my first benefit payment arrived about 5 weeks later. You're doing the right thing by not waiting to get a replacement birth certificate. The passport will be more than sufficient, and getting your benefits started sooner rather than later is important for your financial stability. Wishing you strength during this difficult time.

I'm so sorry for your loss, Christian. I went through this exact process when my father passed away three years ago and I had to help my mother apply for survivor benefits. Your passport will absolutely work - that's exactly what we used because her birth certificate was from out of state and would have taken forever to get. The SSA representative told us that passports are actually preferred because they verify both age and citizenship in one document, unlike a Real ID which only shows age. Just make sure your passport isn't close to expiring (though it doesn't have to be renewed for this purpose as long as it's currently valid). One thing that really helped was bringing a simple checklist with all our documents organized. Beyond what others have mentioned, if you have any recent mail addressed to both of you (like joint credit card statements or utility bills), those can serve as additional relationship verification if needed. The appointment took about an hour and the staff was very understanding. My mom's benefits started about 6-7 weeks later. Don't delay the application waiting for a birth certificate - the passport will be perfectly fine and you deserve to get this process started. Thinking of you during this difficult time.

I'm so sorry for your loss, Christian. I went through this process about 8 months ago when my wife passed away, and I can confirm that your passport will absolutely work. I was in a very similar situation - couldn't locate my birth certificate and was worried about delays. The SSA representative explained that a valid US passport is actually one of their strongest forms of identification because it proves both citizenship and identity simultaneously. Your Real ID alone won't be sufficient since it doesn't establish citizenship status, but the passport covers everything they need. A few things that helped streamline my appointment: - I organized all documents in a folder beforehand (passport, death certificate, marriage certificate, his SS card) - Brought copies of everything in addition to originals - Had our joint bank account information ready for direct deposit setup - Made sure to schedule an appointment rather than walk in The staff was very compassionate and understanding during what was obviously a difficult time. My entire appointment took about 50 minutes, and my first survivor benefit payment arrived about 6 weeks later. Don't let the missing birth certificate delay you from getting the financial support you're entitled to. The passport is more than adequate, and starting this process sooner will help with your financial stability during this transition. Wishing you strength during this challenging time.

I'm so sorry for your loss, Christian. I went through this exact situation when my husband passed away last year, and I can definitely confirm that your passport will work perfectly for the survivor benefits application. SSA accepted mine without any issues at all. A few things that made the process easier for me: - Called ahead to schedule an appointment and confirmed document requirements - Brought organized copies of everything (they kept copies of all documents) - Had my husband's Social Security number and our bank routing information written down clearly - Brought our most recent joint tax return as additional verification The appointment took about an hour and the representative was very patient and understanding. My benefits started about 7 weeks later. Don't let the missing birth certificate delay you - the passport is actually better since it proves both citizenship and age in one document. The hardest part is just getting started, but once you have that appointment scheduled, the rest follows pretty smoothly. You're doing the right thing by moving forward now rather than waiting for a replacement birth certificate. Thinking of you during this difficult time.