I just completed registering my newborn at the US Embassy and will pick up his passport in a few weeks. The passport application form had a box for SSN (which I left blank, no problem) and started me thinking about what would be the point...really...

1. I doubt my son will ever work in the USA or attend school there; and if he did, he/we could apply and get one later.

2. Social Security will be a long gone program by the time he would be eligible.

3. Seems the SSN is not good for anything these days other than Big Brother being able to track him - but if he remains in LOS or attends university in some other country, it would not be needed, anyway.

I am curious if other American expats have pondered not apying for a SSN for a newborn.

I see my role as giving my children the possibility to choose, then they take the decisions themselves -> I formalise everything I can and then it's up to them to choose to use it or not. America is known to have one of the worst social security networks in the developed world so your question is relevant, still, I think that America will try to improve that over the next 20 years, can't get any worse.

I'm not American, can't see that it makes a difference either, we help our kids every way we can, they decide if it was wasted time or not

You should apply for your child's SS number and let them decide when they are older if they want or need it..

I would highly advise obtaining such as it is becoming more important rather than less (although it is now being more securely maintained). As of a year ago health insurance in the US was required to obtain SSN for coverage. Mush smoother sailing having all possible documents in life.

You need an SSN in order to claim them as a dependent on your US taxes, as well as for the $1000 child tax credit.

Of course, if you are making less than $90,000 or so per year then this may mean very little to you. Otherwise, I can not see a pressing need. Either you or the child can always apply for one later if necessary. You are correct the social security system will likely be non existant by the time the child reaches working age.  I doubt it has more than 10 years left in a best case scenario.

There will likely be something that replaces it though, and it will likely use the same bureaucracy as the current social security system, just with fewer benefits and higher taxes.

The US government will send a Social Security card to your child once the birth abroad documentation is received by them. No application was necessary if memory serves correctly. Its been 15 years ago, (most recent) and with my age/memory I would not bet the farm, but think I am correct.

The US government will send a Social Security card to your child once the birth abroad documentation is received by them. No application was necessary if memory serves correctly. Its been 15 years ago, (most recent) and with my age/memory I would not bet the farm, but think I am correct.

The rule has changed as you have to apply for the SSN in the Philippines. The embassy furnishes you with the application when you pick up passport and BA certificate. We registered our son shortly after he was born, and applied for his his US passport, and birth abroad certificate. I still have not gotten around to sending the application off for his SSN, but it is on my "to do" list. Our son is only 2 years old, so I figure that we have plenty of time to do this. He doesn't need it for travel to the US as we just got back after a 3 week vacation

I just completed registering my newborn at the US Embassy and will pick up his passport in a few weeks. The passport application form had a box for SSN (which I left blank, no problem) and started me thinking about what would be the point...really...

1. I doubt my son will ever work in the USA or attend school there; and if he did, he/we could apply and get one later.

2. Social Security will be a long gone program by the time he would be eligible.

3. Seems the SSN is not good for anything these days other than Big Brother being able to track him - but if he remains in LOS or attends university in some other country, it would not be needed, anyway.

I am curious if other American expats have pondered not apying for a SSN for a newborn.

"Long gone program"? Huh?