Will Social Security return my original marriage and divorce documents after verification?

Yes, SSA will return your original documents! I submitted my marriage certificate, birth certificate, and divorce papers last year when applying for retirement benefits. They returned everything within about 3 weeks. I'd definitely recommend sending them certified mail with tracking just for peace of mind. Also take clear photos of everything before you send them, just as backup.

they sent back mine but took FOREVER like 2 months and no tracking when they sent them back just showed up in my mailbox one day

I NEVER got my divorce decree back from them 3 YEARS AGO!!! Had to pay $75 to get another certified copy from the county clerk. SSA claimed they sent it but NO PROOF. Now I make COPIES of everything and take the copies AND originals to the local office so they can verify the copies match the originals right there!!!

If you're concerned about mailing original documents (which is totally understandable), there's a service I used called Claimyr that helped me get through to SSA on the phone in less than 5 minutes instead of waiting for hours. I was able to ask about alternatives to mailing originals and they told me I could bring them to the local office for verification instead. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU

Social Security Administration does return original documents, but there are better approaches than mailing them: 1. Visit your local Social Security office in person with both originals and photocopies. They can certify the copies on the spot and return your originals immediately. 2. If you must mail them, use USPS certified mail with return receipt for tracking. 3. Some documents can now be uploaded through the my Social Security portal for certain application types. 4. If your documents were issued in the same state where you now live, SSA can sometimes verify them electronically with vital records offices. The return time for mailed documents varies widely from 2-8 weeks depending on current processing volumes.

my aunt sent her marriage certificate to them when applying for widows benefits after my uncle passed and they sent it back in about a month. she was worried about it too but it came back fine.

also make sure ur sending to right address!!! my friend sent her stuff to wrong office and took 3 months to get sorted out

Just a follow-up to my earlier comment - they returned my documents via regular first-class mail, not tracked. That's why I suggested certified mail when sending them - at least that way you know they received it. For what it's worth, everything arrived back safely, but I was nervous until they showed up!

i brought mine to the office and they made copies and gave me back originals right away. way better than mailing if u can get appointment

I had a similar experience when I applied for disability benefits last year. SSA did return my original documents, but it took about 6 weeks and they came back with some minor creasing. If those documents from the 1980s are truly irreplaceable, I'd strongly recommend trying to get an in-person appointment even if it means waiting the 3 months. In the meantime, you could also contact the vital records office in the state where you were married/divorced to see if they can issue new certified copies as backup - sometimes older records are available even when you think they're not. That way you'd have peace of mind either way.

I went through this exact situation last year when applying for spousal benefits! SSA did return my original marriage certificate and divorce decree, but it took about 5 weeks. What really helped ease my anxiety was calling ahead to confirm they received my documents - you can reference your tracking number when you call. I also kept detailed photos of every page before sending them. One tip: if you're really worried, you could try calling the vital records office in the state where your documents were issued first - sometimes they have digitized older records and can issue new certified copies faster than you'd expect, even from the 1980s. That way you'd have a backup plan if anything goes wrong.

I just went through this process a few months ago! SSA did return my original documents, but it took about 7 weeks which was longer than I expected. They came back in good condition, just in a regular envelope with no tracking. One thing that really helped me was making high-quality color copies before sending them - I took them to a UPS store and had them make certified copies on their good equipment. That way I had something official-looking as backup while waiting. Also, I called SSA about 4 weeks after sending to confirm they had received and processed my documents, which gave me peace of mind. The wait was nerve-wracking but everything worked out fine in the end!

I just went through this exact process 6 months ago for my own spousal benefits application! SSA did return my original marriage certificate and divorce decree, and they were in perfect condition when they came back. It took exactly 4 weeks for me. I was super nervous too since my divorce papers were from 1987 and from a different state. Here's what I did that might help: I sent everything via certified mail with signature confirmation, took high-resolution photos of every page (front and back), and included a cover letter with my contact info requesting they return the documents to the same address. When I called to check status after 3 weeks, the representative was actually really helpful and confirmed they had processed everything. The documents came back in a protective envelope, not just a regular one. I know the horror stories are scary, but in my experience they were very careful with the originals. Good luck with your application!

I actually work for a local SSA office (can't give specific advice for your case, but can share general info). We do return original documents, but processing times vary a lot right now - anywhere from 3-8 weeks depending on the office workload. A few tips: always send certified mail with return receipt, take clear photos before sending, and include a cover letter with your name, SSN, and return address clearly marked. We don't provide tracking when we mail documents back, so that's the scary part for most people. If you're really concerned about irreplaceable 1980s documents, calling ahead to see if your local office has any walk-in verification hours might be worth it, even if regular appointments are booked out. Some offices do limited walk-in services for document verification only.

I went through this same situation about 8 months ago when applying for spousal benefits, and I completely understand your anxiety! SSA did return my original documents - marriage certificate from 1983 and divorce decree from 1985. It took about 5 weeks, and they came back in good condition, just a bit of normal handling wear. What really helped me was doing a few things: I made high-quality scans and kept them on my computer, sent everything certified mail with signature required, and wrote my phone number clearly on the cover letter. The hardest part was just waiting and trusting the process. One thing I learned afterward - if you have time before you need the benefits to start, you could try requesting certified copies from your original state's vital records office first. I found out later that my state had digitized records going back to the 1970s, so I could have gotten backup copies if needed. But honestly, SSA handled my originals very professionally. The wait was nerve-wracking but worth it in the end!

I just completed this process about 2 months ago when I applied for spousal benefits, and I totally get your nervousness! SSA did return my original documents safely - it took about 4 weeks total. My marriage certificate was from 1982 and my divorce papers from 1986, so similar vintage to yours. They came back in excellent condition, actually better protected than I expected in a sturdy envelope. What helped me feel more secure was: 1) Taking detailed photos of every document before mailing, 2) Using certified mail with signature confirmation, 3) Including a brief cover letter with my contact info and specifically requesting the documents be returned to my address, and 4) Calling SSA after 3 weeks to confirm receipt and processing status. The waiting period was definitely stressful, but looking back I'm glad I went the mail route since my local office appointments were backed up for months. One pleasant surprise - the SSA representative I spoke with when checking status was actually very helpful and understanding about my concerns. She even noted in my file that the documents were original/irreplaceable so they'd handle them with extra care. Hope this helps ease some of your worries!

I went through this exact process last year when applying for spousal benefits! I was terrified about sending my original marriage certificate from 1979 and divorce decree from 1981 - they're basically irreplaceable at this point. But SSA did return them safely after about 6 weeks. Here's what I learned: definitely send everything certified mail with signature confirmation, take high-resolution photos of every page (including the backs), and include a cover letter with your contact information. The documents came back in a protective envelope and were in the same condition I sent them. I also called after about a month to confirm they had received and processed everything, which gave me peace of mind during the waiting period. The whole process was nerve-wracking but ultimately went smoothly. One tip - before sending anything, I contacted my state's vital records office to see if they could issue new certified copies as backup. Turned out they had digitized older records, so I knew I had options if something went wrong. Good luck with your application!

I just went through this process about 3 months ago and understand your anxiety completely! SSA did return my original documents safely - my marriage certificate from 1984 and divorce papers from 1988. It took exactly 5 weeks for me to get them back, and they were in perfect condition when they arrived. Here's what I did that really helped: I made high-quality color copies at a local print shop, took detailed photos with my phone as backup, sent everything via certified mail with return receipt, and included a clear cover letter with my full contact info. The documents came back in a sturdy manila envelope (not just a regular one) which was reassuring. I also called SSA at the 3-week mark to confirm they had received everything, and the representative was actually very helpful - she even made a note in my file that these were original documents that needed careful handling. The waiting period was definitely stressful, but everything worked out perfectly. One thing I wish I had done first was check with my state's vital records office to see if they had digitized copies available as backup - found out later they actually did! Good luck with your application!

I just went through this process 4 months ago when I applied for spousal benefits, and I completely understand your nervousness! SSA did return my original documents safely - my marriage certificate from 1983 and divorce decree from 1987. It took about 5.5 weeks, which felt like forever, but they came back in excellent condition in a protective envelope. Here's what I did: took high-resolution photos of every page, sent everything certified mail with signature confirmation, included a detailed cover letter with my contact info and a note requesting careful handling of irreplaceable documents, and called after 4 weeks to check status. The SSA representative was actually very understanding and confirmed they had processed everything. One thing that really helped my peace of mind was calling my state's vital records office first to confirm whether they had digitized records from that era - turns out they did have them on file as backup! Even though the waiting was stressful, SSA handled my documents very professionally. I'd definitely recommend the certified mail route with all the precautions, and don't hesitate to call and check on status after a few weeks. Good luck with your application!

I'm going through the exact same situation right now and reading all these experiences has been incredibly helpful! I'm planning to apply for spousal benefits in the next few weeks and have been terrified about sending my original marriage certificate from 1985 and divorce papers from 1989. It's so reassuring to see multiple people with documents from the same era getting them back safely. I'm definitely going to follow the advice here about certified mail, taking detailed photos, including a cover letter requesting careful handling, and checking with my state's vital records office first about digitized backups. The detail about SSA using protective envelopes and representatives making notes about careful handling really helps ease my anxiety. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - it's made this whole process feel much less scary!

I just went through this exact process about 4 months ago! SSA definitely returned my original marriage certificate (from 1988) and divorce decree (from 1991), and they came back in great condition after about 6 weeks. I was absolutely terrified to mail them since they're basically irreplaceable at this point. Here's what worked for me: I sent everything certified mail with return receipt requested, took high-quality photos of every single page (front and back), and included a cover letter with my contact info specifically asking for careful handling of irreplaceable original documents. When I called at the 4-week mark to check status, the representative was really understanding and actually made a note in my file about the documents being originals that needed special care. They returned them in a sturdy protective envelope, not just a regular one. The waiting was nerve-wracking, but SSA handled everything professionally. One thing I wish I'd done first was contact my state's vital records office to see if they had backup copies available - definitely worth checking before you send your originals! Good luck with your application!