December 11, 2012 > Social Security Q&A Social Security Q&A By Mariaelena Lemus, Social Security Public Affairs Specialist in San Jose Question: What are some of the documents Social Security will accept as proof of identity for a child? Answer: While you can use a birth certificate to prove age or citizenship, you cannot use it as proof of identity. For identity, we prefer to see the child's U.S. passport. If you don't have a passport, we may accept the child's: * Adoption decree; * Doctor, clinic, or hospital record; * Religious record (e.g., baptismal record); * Daycare center or school record; or * School identification card. We generally can accept a non-photo identity document if it has enough information to identify the child (such as the child's name and age, date of birth and parents' names). All documents must be either originals or copies certified by the issuing agency. We cannot accept photocopies or notarized copies of documents. To find out more, visit www.socialsecurity.gov/ssnumber.