Students who have moved between homes, shelters or placements often lose track of their papers just when college asks for them. This explains where each document comes from, what a replacement usually takes, and the help that exists for people leaving foster care or living without stable housing.
Your birth certificate
Birth certificates come from the vital records office in the state where you were born, which may be a different state from where you live now. Most offices take requests by mail, in person or online through a service the state names. They ask for proof of identity, which is hard when the birth certificate is the very thing you are missing.
Ask the office which other documents it accepts, such as a school record, a medical record, or a letter from a shelter or caseworker. Some states waive the fee for people experiencing homelessness or for young people who were in foster care, and the waiver may need a signed letter from a program.
Your Social Security card
A replacement Social Security card is free from the Social Security Administration. You can apply online in some cases or at a local office, with proof of identity such as a state ID, a passport or another record on the agency's list. Steer clear of websites that charge to fill out the form, since the agency itself charges nothing.
Most college forms need the number rather than the card itself. Keep the card somewhere safe instead of in your wallet, and learn the number by heart if you can.
Most college forms need the number rather than the card itself.
Your state ID
A state ID card or driver's license comes from the state motor vehicle agency. It usually asks for proof of identity, your Social Security number and proof of where you live. Students without a fixed address can often use a letter from a shelter, the college or a program in place of a lease, so ask the agency what it accepts.
Some states waive ID fees for people experiencing homelessness or leaving foster care. Federal law requires states to give young people who leave foster care at 18 or older their birth certificate, Social Security card, a state ID and their health coverage information, in most cases. If you left care without them, ask your former caseworker or the state child welfare agency.
Keeping them safe once you have them
Store the originals together in one folder or envelope, ideally with someone you trust or in a locked space. Take clear photos of each one and keep scans in an account you can open from any phone. When an office asks for a copy, a photo or scan is often enough, and the original can stay put.
Steps to take
- Find the vital records office for the state where you were born
- Ask whether your state waives fees for your situation
- Request a free replacement Social Security card
- Photograph every document and store the originals together
Who decides
Your state vital records office, the Social Security Administration and your state motor vehicle agency
Each document comes from a different office, and some states waive fees for students without housing or leaving foster care.