Forgot Your SSN? How to Find It From Israel

This happens all the time: someone got an SSN twenty years ago, never wrote it down anywhere accessible, and suddenly a bank or an accountant needs it right now. The first instinct is to think a new number has to be issued. That's not true: your number exists forever, the only question is how to find it.

Before anything else: check old paperwork

An SSN usually shows up on documents you already have at home, with no need to contact anyone: an old US pay stub, a previous US tax return ⁦(1040)⁩, a W-2 form, or even an old passport application filed with the number on it. This is the fastest route, and it's usually enough.

If no old document survives

When there's no trace of the number itself, you can reach the Federal Benefits Unit at the Embassy in Israel, which handles Social Security and SSN matters for American citizens in the region. If the number itself is unknown, SSA can search for it using biographical details, including name, date of birth, and parents' information.

What to bring to the request

• Proof of identity: a valid US passport
• Proof of US citizenship: a US birth certificate, a CRBA, or a naturalization certificate
• Any old document that mentions the number, even partially

A new card, not a new number

What comes out of this process is a replacement card carrying your existing number, not a new number. The number itself never changes, even if the card is lost or worn out. That's the key difference between "finding an existing number" and "issuing a number" ⁦(which only applies to someone who never had an SSN to begin with)⁩.

How we help

We first check whether the number can be traced through documents you already have, saving you an unnecessary request. If not, we prepare the Federal Benefits Unit application with all the right documentation in one pass, so you don't have to go back and do it twice. A free initial check with no obligation, and payment only after an appointment is set.