How Do I Apply for a Social Security System ID in the Philippines?

The Filipino Social Security System (SSS) provides social insurance, retirement benefits, and healthcare for workers in the Philippines. This Hub will explain the steps and required documents and forms needed to obtain an SSS number. Upon obtaining an SSS number, you become an active SSS member after paying at least one monthly contribution.

A person registering with the SSS for the first time as a prospective employee first needs to fill out an E-1, or Personal Record form. Submit it to your regional SSS office together with the original certified true copy and photocopy of any of the following:

• Baptismal Certificate
• Driver's license
• Passport
• Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) card
• Seafarer's Identification and Record Book, or Seaman's book

In the absence of any of the above documents, you may present 2 of any of the documents listed below, that include a recent photograph and your date of birth:

• Alien Certificate of Registration
• ATM card with cardholder's name
• ATM card and, if it does not bear cardholder's name, certification from the issuing bank that the account number belongs to the cardholder
• Bank Account Passbook
• Birth/Baptismal Certificate of children.
• Certificate from the Office of the Northern/Southern Cultural Communities or Office of Muslim Affairs
• Certificate of Naturalization issued by the Bureau of Immigration
• Company ID
• Company Representative Authorization Card issued by the SSS
• Credit Card
• Fishermen's Card issued by the Bureau of Fisheries & Aquatic Resources
• GSIS Card
• GSIS Certificate of Membership
• Health or Medical Card
• ID card issued by local governments (e.g. Barangay, Municipality, or City)
• ID card issued by professional associations recognized by PRC
• Life insurance policy
• Marriage contract
• NBI Clearance
• Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) Card
• Pag-Ibig Member's Data Form
• Permit to Carry Firearms issued by the Firearms & Explosives Unit of the Philippine National Police
• PHIC Member's Data Record
• Police Clearance
• Postal ID Card
• School ID
• Senior Citizen Card
• Tax Identification Card/Affidavit
• Transcript of school records
• Voter's Identification Card/Affidavit

Once you have an SSS Number, and have contributed into the system for one month, you may apply for an SSS ID card.

In order to get an SSS ID, you must be active SSS member with at least one month's contribution.

Fill out an E-6 form and submit it at your local SSS branch, along with any of the following primary documents:

• Passport
• Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) card
• Seaman's book

Or, in these absence of those, two of the following, at least one of which must have a recent photograph:

• Driver's license
• Valid National Bureau of Investigation clearance
• School or company ID
• Postal ID
• Senior citizen card
• Voter's ID
• Savings account passbook
• Alien certificate of registration
• Government Service Insurance System member's record
• Certification from the Office of Southern/Northern Cultural Communities or Office of Muslim Affairs
• Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) card

Always remember to bring the original copies of documents and IDs at all times. The office won't require you to submit the original copies, but they need to see them in order to authenticate the photocopies and verify that they are identical.

Get to the SSS branch office as early as possible. If you arrive at 6a.m. you'll probably finish at 10a.m. At the office, get a number from the clerk responsible for giving away the E-6 Form.

ID Clearance is a small paper that will indicate your schedule for ID capture. You can't finish the whole process in one day, you need at least 2-3 days to complete the steps because after you submit the E-6 form, ID capture is always scheduled for a time in the few days following.

Again, be prompt arriving at the SSS office. If you are early you'll be in the front of the queue. When you arrive, you will need to get another number from the designated officer or guard for you ID Capture. Every ID capture batch has 20 people, regardless of your schedule. If you are scheduled for 7:00a.m., and you arrived at 7:30a.m., and the next people on queue aren't scheduled until8:00a.m., you'll still be left behind. They operate on the first come first serve basis.

The ID capture process only takes a few minutes. SSS Clerks will immediately obtain your personal data (fingerprints, signature, facial images, and 4-digit pin number).

After your ID capture, you will have to wait for 30 days to receive your SSS ID by mail. If you fail to receive the ID after 30 days, inquire to your nearest SSS Branch Office and have your 4-digit PIN Number on hand.