Apply for Benefits
You can apply for Supplemental Security Income (SSI):
- Online (which starts the application process immediately)
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By calling Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 or 1-800-325-0778 (TTY) to make an appointment to apply either:
- Over the phone, or
- In person at your local Social Security office.
Note: If you are approved, you will get SSI benefits for the entire time since the date you applied. That’s why you should apply as soon as you can. If you don’t have everything ready for your application, that’s OK — you can still apply and send any missing information as quickly as possible.
You can get free help with your SSI application if you either:
- Get state benefits, like General Assistance (GA) or Housing Support (formerly Group Residential Housing); or
- Are experiencing or are at risk of homelessness.
Use the Social Security Benefits Advocacy Directory to find an agency near you. For more information, Chat with a Hub expert.
Getting Your Application Ready
When you apply for SSI, you’ll need to give Social Security:
- Basic facts, like your name, date of birth, and address
Note: You don’t need to have a fixed address. If you’re experiencing homelessness or don’t have a fixed address, you can still get SSI. Read Social Security’s Spotlight on Homelessness.
Bring:
- Identification, like your driver’s license, state ID, or passport
- Birth certificate
- Proof of U.S. citizenship if you were born outside the U.S., like naturalization papers or your U.S. passport. If you are not a U.S. citizen, you must be a qualified alien who meets certain conditions. For more details, contact your local Social Security office.
- Social Security Number
- Documentation of your medical condition
Bring:
- Names, addresses, and phone numbers of doctors, therapists, hospitals, clinics, and others who have treated you.
- Prescriptions and results of medical tests
- Documentation explaining how your medical condition affects your daily life
Be ready to:
- Sign forms so Social Security can get copies of your medical records
- Fill out forms about how your disability affects your daily life
- Give Social Security permission to contact your employer, friends, or family to learn how your disability affects you
- Documentation of your income
Bring:
- A list of the jobs you’ve done for the past 5 years
- Copies of recent tax records or W-2 forms
- Information about other benefits you get
- School records, if you’re under 22
- Documentation of your resources
Bring:
- Copies of bank statements
Be ready to:
- Answer questions and give proof about any savings, retirement accounts, stocks, bonds, real estate, or other resources that you own
Social Security provides a detailed checklist of the information you need to complete the application process.
Apply for Other Benefits While Your SSI Application Is Reviewed
The SSI application can take four months or longer. While you wait for your SSI benefits to begin, you can apply for other benefits, like:
- Medical Assistance (MA), free health coverage for people with low to moderate income, including most people who get SSI. Learn more in DB101's MA Overview article.
- Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), a monthly benefit for people with low income that helps pay for food. Learn more in DB101's SNAP article.
- Minnesota Family Investment Program (MFIP), a monthly payment for families with children that also helps parents find work. Learn more in DB101's MFIP article.
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General Assistance (GA), a monthly cash benefit for people without children.
- Note: When SSI starts, some of your retroactive SSI benefits will automatically pay back the GA program for benefits you got while waiting for your SSI application to be approved. Learn more in DB101's GA article.
- Emergency cash assistance and housing, if you need them.
You can apply for these benefits at your county or tribal human services office by mail or in person. You can also apply online using:
- MNbenefits for non-health programs, including MSA, SNAP, MFIP, GA, and emergency help.
- MNsure for MA. Note: For MA, it is best to apply through your county or tribal human services office, because there are many ways you might qualify and MNsure might not identify the right one for you.
If you need help with an application, Chat with a Hub expert.
You should also look into:
- The Energy Assistance Program (EAP), which helps to pay for home heating costs. Learn more in DB101's EAP article.
- Telephone service discount programs, which you'll automatically qualify for if you get SSI. If you have a hearing, speech, or mobility impairments that make it hard for you to use a standard phone, the Telephone Equipment Distribution (TED) program may give you special equipment at no cost.
- Transportation Assistance options. For example, MA may cover transportation costs to and from your medical appointments. Contact your county or tribal human services office for more information.
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