BECOME AN SSS MEMBER

A person who will register and secure an SS Number for the first time should: 

If without social security (SS) number yet: 

• Apply for SS number thru SSS website; or
• Apply for SS number thru electronic center (E-Center) of SSS branch.

Effective July 15, 2020, the SSS has enforced the mandatory online registration to provide prospective employee (EE), self-employed (SE), non-working spouse (NWS), and overseas Filipino worker (OFW) members with faster, safer, more convenient, and economical means to apply for SSS membership and be issued an SS Number. This digitalization effort is also in compliance with Republic Act No. 11032 or the Ease of Doing Business and Efficient Government Service Delivery Act of 2018.

To apply for membership and secure an SS Number, registrants must simply follow these steps:

1. Go to Apply for an SS number online.
2. Read the step-by-step guide, then click “Start.”
3. Fill out the required fields in the Registrant Record Verification; tick the CAPTCHA checkbox and the small box below it to certify that all encoded information are true and correct; then click “Submit” after reading the SSS Data Privacy Notice.
4. On the registrant’s email box, check the email from SSS then click on the provided “SS Number Application Continue Link” to proceed with the registration process. Said link is valid for five days only.
5. Fill out the required fields and the optional UMID ATM Application in the second part of the registration process then click “Proceed.”NOTE: Registrants will receive an email from SSS with the advice to set an appointment with the branch using the Appointment System in the SSS Web for UMID enrollment.
6. Choose from among the list of supporting documents to be uploaded for the tagging of SS Number to “APPLICATION THRU THE SSS WEB/SSS MOBILE APP – WITH SUBMITTED DOCUMENT(S)”
7. Click “Browse” to select and attach a readable colored image in JPEG or PDF of the supporting document with a maximum file size of 2MB. Once uploaded, click “Submit” to proceed with the application.NOTE: Should registrants opt to proceed without any uploaded document, a notification box with appear containing information on how to submit through My.SSS, which shall be created after securing an SS Number. Click “Yes,” then “Submit.”See also Become an SSS member > Managing your Membership Details
   See also How to change your Membership from Temporary to Permanent thru My.SSS
8. Take note of the registration information upon successful application. Applicants will receive an email confirming the SS Number Online Application and containing the downloadable PDF copies of the Personal Record/Unified Multi-purpose ID Application (E-1/E-6), SS Number Slip, and Transaction Number Slip.
   

If with SS number already:

• Prospective employee (EE) shall be reported for coverage by his/her employer (ER).  SSS coverage of EE shall take effect on the first day of his/her employment.
• Self-employed (SE) shall register with SSS as self-employed member and may need to submit Member Data Change Request (MDCR) form to change membership type to SE (if current membership type is other than SE).

List of Supporting Documents:

1. Birth Certificate
2. In the absence of the Birth Certificate, any of the following documents:
   • Baptismal Certificate
   • Driver’s License
   • Passport
   • Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) card
   • Seaman’s Book(Seafarer’s Identification and Record Book)
3. In the absence of the above ID card(s) and/or documents, any two (2) of the following, both with the correct name and at least one(1) with date of birth:

• • (GSIS) card/Member’s Record/Certificate of Membership
  • ATM Card (with cardholder’s name)
  • Alien Certificate of Registration
  • Bank Account Passbook
  • Baptismal Certificate of child/ren
  • Birth Certificate of child/ren
  • Cert. of Licensure/Qualification Document from Maritime Industry Auth.
  • Certificate of Confirmation issued by National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (formerly Office of Southern Cultural Community and Office of Northern Cultural Community
  • Certificate of Muslim Filipino Tribal Affiliation issued by National Commission on Muslim Filipinos
  • Certificate of Non-Availability of Birth Records from the City or Municipal Civil Registrar or Philippine Statistic Authority/National Statistics Office or National Archives, for the alleged correct name/date of birth
  • Company ID card
  • Court Order granting petition for change of name or date of birth
  • Court Order granting petition for correction of sex, if with erroneous entry of sex in Birth Certificate
  • Credit card
  • Firearm License card issued by Philippine National Police (PNP)
  • Fishworker’s License issued by Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR)
  • Health or Medical Card
  • Home Development Mutual Fund (Pag-IBIG) Member’s Data Form/Transaction Card
  • Homeowners Association ID Card
  • ID card issued by (LGUs) (e.g Barangay/Municipality/City)
  • ID card issued by professional association recognized by PRC
  • Life Insurance Policy
  • Marriage Contract/Certificate of Marriage
  • Member’s copy of Personal Record(SS Form E-1, RS-1, OW-1, NW-1) duly received by the SSS where the correct sex is indicated
  • Membership card issued by Private Co.
  • National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Clearance
  • Overseas Worker Welfare Administration (OWWA) card
  • Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PHIC) ID card/Member Data Record
  • Police Clearance
  • Postal ID card
  • School ID card
  • Seafarer’s Registration Certificate issued by Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA)
  • Senior Citizen card
  • Student Permit issued by Land Transportation Office (LTO)
  • Taxpayer’s Identification Number (TIN) card
  • Transcript of Records
  • Voter’s Identification card or Affidavit/Certificate of Registration

Managing your Membership Details

Changing your membership type

a. From covered EE/OFW/VM/NWS/Prior Registrant to SE – Accomplish the Member Data Change Request Form (SSS Form E-4) then submit to the nearest SSS Branch.

b. From covered EE/OFW/NWS to VM – There is no need to accomplish any form nor present any supporting document. When generating the Payment Reference Number (PRN) through SSS online facilities such as My.SSS and SSS Mobile App, prior to payment of contributions, member should choose “Voluntary Member” as Membership Type. This will automatically change the membership status of the member and shall be deemed as declaration that he/she has ceased to be an EE, SE, or an OFW member, and/or that he/she did not have any income or earnings either as such in the period for which VM contributions were paid.

c. From covered EE/OFW/VM/NWS/Prior Registrant to SE – There is no need to accomplish any form nor present any supporting document.  Overseas Filipinos who are already SSS members (i.e., with SS Number) prior to deployment abroad can immediately resume payment of contributions using the Payment Reference Number (PRN) and payor type is Overseas Filipino Worker. This shall automatically trigger change in his/her coverage status from EE/SE/VM/Prior Registrant to OFW-member once payment is validated.  This shall also be deemed as the OFW-member’s declaration that he/she has been separated from employment with previous ERs in the Philippines and/or has ceased to be an SE.

Changing or updating your information

Here’s a list of change requests and the required supporting documents. See list of supporting documents

Correction of Name and/or Date of Birth

• Birth Certificate or Passport
• In the absence of the Birth Certificate and Passport, the following are the required ID cards and/or documents:
  1. Certificate of Non-Availability of Birth Records from the City or Municipal Civil Registrar or Philippine Statistics Authority/NSO, or National Archives, for the alleged correct name/date of birth; and
  2. Any two (2) of the following, both with the correct name and at least one (1) with date of birth: See list of supporting documents

Correction of date of birth and submitted birth certificate is registered after the 55th birthday – two (2) ID cards and/or documents as listed above.

Correction to totally different name/middle name (except if due to naturalization) – Joint affidavit of two (2) persons who have personal knowledge of the circumstances on the use of the different name/middle name, stating therein that the two (2) names refer to one and the same person and the reason why the name was used.

Correction of name due to naturalization from Filipino citizenship to foreign citizenship or vice-versa – any of the following:

• Certificate of Naturalization issued by the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs
• Identification Certificate issued by the Philippine Bureau of Immigration
• Any foreign government issued ID cards and/or documents showing the new name (e.g. Passport, Driver’s License)

Correction of name due to re-marriage – New Marriage Contract/Certificate and any of the following, whichever is applicable:

• Death Certificate of Spouse, if due to death of previously reported spouse
• Certificate of Finality of Annulment/Nullity or annotated Marriage Contract/Marriage Certificate, if due to annulled or void marriage with previously reported spouse
• Court Order on Declaration of Presumptive Death, if previously reported spouse is presumed dead
• Decree of Divorce and Certificate of Naturalization (granted before divorce) or its equivalent, if due to divorce with previously reported spouse
• Certificate of Divorce (OCRG Form No. 102), if due to divorce of Muslim member with previously reported spouse

Correction of sex/gender – any of the following, whichever is applicable:

• Birth Certificate
• Passport
• Member’s copy of Personal Record (SS Forms E-1, RS-1, OW-1, NW-1) duly received by the SSS wherein the correct sex is indicated
• Court Order granting petition for correction of sex, if with erroneous entry of sex in Birth Certificate

Changing of civil status – any of the following, whichever is applicable:

• From single to married – Marriage Contract/Marriage Certificate
• From married to legally separated – Decree of Legal Separation
• From married to widowed
  1. Death Certificate of spouse, if due to death of previously reported spouse
  2. Court Order on the Declaration of Presumptive Death, if previously reported spouse is presumed dead
• For reversion from married to single
  1. If legally married to previously reported spouse
     1. Certificate of Finality of Annulment/Nullity or annotated Marriage Contract/Marriage Certificate, if due to annulled or void marriage with previously reported spouse
     2. Decree of Divorce and Certificate of Naturalization (granted before divorce) or its equivalent, if due to divorce with previously reported spouse
     3. Certificate of Divorce (OCRG Form No. 102), if due to divorce of Muslim member with previously reported spouse
  2. If not legally married to previously reported spouse
     1. Certificate of No Marriage (CENOMAR) from PSA/NSO; and
     2. Affidavit executed by the member attesting to the facts of the non-existence or marriage between him/her and the previously reported spouse.

Updating of Bank Information – any one (1) of the following (must be single savings or current account only)

• Passbook
• For ATM, machine-validated deposit slip showing the name and bank account number of member
• Any document showing the member’s name and bank account number (e.g. print-out of online banking transaction, bank statement)

Updating of Dependents/Beneficiaries

• For reporting of new/additional dependent/beneficiary
  1. If spouse – Marriage Contract/Marriage Certificate, or a copy of Member Data Change Request Form (SS Form E-4) of the spouse, duly received by the SSS, wherein the name of the member requesting the change is reported as the spouse
  2. If child/children – Birth Certificate or Baptismal Certificate, or its equivalent, or Decree of Adoption
• For Deletion of previously reported dependent/beneficiary
  1. If spouse – any of the following, whichever is applicable:
     1. Decree of Legal Separation, if legally separated with previously reported spouse
     2. Death Certificate of spouse, if due to death of previously reported spouse
     3. Certificate of Finality of Annulment/Nullity or annotated Marriage Contract/Marriage Certificate, if due to annulled or void marriage with previously reported spouse
     4. Court Order on Declaration of Presumptive Death, if previously reported spouse is presumed dead
     5. Decree of Divorce and Certificate of Naturalization (granted before divorce) or its equivalent, if due to divorce with previously reported spouse
     6. Certificate of Divorce (OCRG Form No. 102), if due to divorce of Muslim member with previously reported spouse
  2. If parent/s – Death Certificate, if previously reported parent/s is/are already dead
  3. If other beneficiary/ies – No required document/s

Note: The following required documents should be the original or certified true copy issued by the City or Municipal Civil Registrar or Philippine Statistics Authority/National Statistics Office:

1. Birth Certificate
2. Marriage Contract/Marriage Certificate
3. Death Certificate

All ID Cards and/or documents with English translation issued by foreign governments are acceptable.

Frequently Asked Questions

When a person has secured an SS Number, does it mean that he/she is already an SSS member and has the right to social security benefits?

No. Securing an SS number does not automatically mean a person is already covered as a member. An employed worker becomes a covered SSS member when the ER submits an employment report and has paid at least one (1) contribution on behalf of the EE. An SE, OFW or NWS becomes a covered SSS member when at least one (1) contribution has been paid.

Can a person who has secured an SS Number but has no employer yet, already pay contributions on his/her own as a Voluntary Member?

No. A VM is one who already has at least one (1) month contribution as a previous EE, SE, or OFW member and thus, has an existing Date of Coverage (DOC), which is essential in determining a member’s eligibility for benefits. Paying initial contributions as a VM will render them void and subject to refund.

On the other hand, an OFW/SE who has secured an SS Number may already proceed with the payment of contributions as an OFW/SE using the issued SS Number.

Can a member withdraw membership with the SSS?

No. Membership with the SSS is for life. However, a member who was separated from employment or ceased to be an SE or OFW has the option to continue paying SSS contributions as a VM to maintain his/her right to the full benefits being provided by the SSS.

Even when there are periods when no contributions are remitted, the benefits and loan privileges provided by the SSS can still be availed of, as long as the member meets the qualifying conditions for entitlement thereto.

What happens to the coverage of a member who has received a lump sum benefit for permanent total disability?

The recipient of a lump sum benefit for total permanent disability who is re-employed or has resumed self-employment not earlier than one (1) year from date of disability, shall again be subject to compulsory coverage and shall be considered a new member, provided that he/she is not over 60 years of age at the time of re-employment or resumption of self-employment.

When a member loses or cannot remember his/her SS Number, should he/she secure another SS Number?

No. The SS Number assigned to a member/person is the lifetime number and must always be used in all transactions with the SSS. Verification of a previously issued SS Number can be requested at the nearest SSS Office. The member should never secure another SS Number, as having more than one (1) SS Number will cause delay in the processing of claim for benefits or loans in the future. Thus, it is important to have only one (1) SS Number.

However, in cases when a member has multiple SS Numbers, he/she must request for cancellation of the excess SS Numbers as soon as possible to consolidate and transfer all member records (e.g., employment history, contributions, monthly salary credits, benefits, and loan records, etc.) to the retained SS Number, including the updating of date of coverage, if necessary.

The SS Number to be retained is determined based on the following order of priority:

• with issued SS ID/Unified Multi Purpose Identification (UMID) card, or with pending application for UMID card
• with the greatest number of posted contributions
• with most recent posted contributions; or
• with earliest issued SS Number.

For members with settled final claim, the SS Number used in the benefit settlement shall be retained.