On Oct. 2, 2017, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced the release of an updated Form I-765 Application for Employment Authorization which allows an applicant to apply for their social security number without going to a Social Security Administration (SSA) office. Previously a foreign national would first have to apply for their Employment Authorization Document (EAD) via Form I-765 with USCIS, and once approved make a separate application with the SSA for their social security number. The new form, possible due to a new information-sharing partnership between USCIS and the SSA, will request additional information on form I-765 which will automatically be transmitted to the SSA for processing. Authorities indicate social security numbers should be mailed out to applicants approximately two weeks after approval of an EAD.
For more on EAD, click here.