Can I get a Social Security Number for my adopted child (from Ethiopia)?

The child is not yet a citizen as the adoption took place in Ethiopia. We have a permanent resident card for him.
He entered the US on an IR-4 visa.
Some say we must re-adopt him in the US first.
Others say we should be able to get the SS# for him before he becomes a citizen.

Congratulations on your newly adopted son! No, you don't need to readopt. You *MAY* need an official translation of the adoption documents, if they're not in English.

As for the SSN, if you go to www.ssa.gov you can get a Form SS-5. Fill it out to apply for the SSN and provide it and the following documentation at the Social Security office:

- U.S. citizenship or immigration status;
- Adoption;
- Age; and
- Child's identity.
- Also prove your identity with proper ID.

As far as citizenship:

The Child Citizenship Act (CCA) provides that an adopted child will automatically acquire U.S. citizenship on the date that all of the following requirements are satisfied:

1. At least one adoptive parent is a U.S. citizen;
2. The child is under 18 years of age;
3. A full and final adoption of the child is completed; and
4. The child is in the U.S. as a permanent resident.

After the adoption is completed and the child has entered the United States as a permanent resident, the adoptive parent may apply for citizenship on behalf of the child by filing Form N-643. This must be done before the child is 18 years old in order for the child to become a U.S. citizen. If the naturalization process is not completed before the child's 18th birthday, the child will have to apply for naturalization on his own behalf.

I adopted from Ethiopia, and my children came on IR-4 visas.

In my state, we don't have to readopt. We went to probate court and filled out a one page form called "Certification/Verification of Foreign Adoption". When that form was filed with the state (or if you readopt in your state) we then could get state issued birth certificates for our children. Your agency should've given you information on what your state requires, but if not, call the state and find out. When this step is done, your adoption that was finalized in Ethiopia has been recognized in the US, and your child is automatically a citizen.

Next, we went to Social Security and got them their SSNs. You don't need proof of citizenship for this, but in the SS computers your child will be listed as 'permanent resident' rather than citizen. You won't see a difference on their ss card, but it will make a difference if you don't address it before they are older (I'm told they won't get the same retiree benefits, or disability should it be needed).

So you can get the social security number, but later you'll want proof of citizenship. You can get that either by getting a passport (which will have to be renewed regularly) or getting a certificate of citizenship. Because your child came home an IR4 like mine, you would basically have to apply for citizenship for them. Even though the Child Citizenship Act made your child an automatic citizen, there was no provision in the legislation for getting proof of that, so you have to go through the process.

Lastly, after you get the Cert. of Citizenship or the passport, go back to social security and have them change your child's status in their computer system. Don't leave them that mess to untangle when they're older.