If your driver's license or state-issued identification (ID) card was recently lost or stolen, contact your state motor vehicle agency.
When requesting a state ID, you may need to provide other forms of ID that contain your photo, full name, and date of birth. Contact your state motor vehicle agency to find out what you need to bring with you to prove your identity.
Social Security Cards
If your Social Security card was lost or stolen, contact the Social Security Administration (SSA) to request a replacement card.
The government agency that you work for can help you replace your Smart Card.
U.S. Military ID Cards
If you are a member of the military and your military ID card was lost or stolen, report it to your base Physical Security Officer, or go through your chain of command. To replace your military ID card, you should go to your nearest RAPIDS site. If you find a military ID card, please return it to the nearest military installation.
A divorce decree is an official document from the court that grants the termination of a marriage. It includes specific details of the divorce.
A divorce certificate is issued by a state vital records office. It shows that a divorce occurred but does not state all of the same information as a divorce decree. You can save time and money by determining which document you need before making your request.
U.S. Divorces
Get a Copy of a Divorce Decree
Contact the "county clerk's office" or "clerk of the court" for the county or city in which the divorce was granted.
If the divorce occurred outside the U.S. and you are in the U.S., contact the appropriate country's embassy or nearest consulate to find out how to get a copy of the divorce decree.
United States law does not require U.S. citizens to register a foreign divorce decree at an embassy. But if the foreign country in which your divorce took place is a signatory to the Hague Convention on the Authentication of Documents, you may bring your divorce decree to a U.S. Embassy or Consulate to have it certified.
Your birth certificate is the most important document you'll need to prove your legal identity and age. You'll need it to apply for a passport or government benefits, enroll in school, join the military, or claim pension or insurance benefits. If need a copy, where you were born will determine how to get it.
If You Were Born in the U.S.
For a certified copy of you birth certificate, contact the vital records office in the state where you were born for instructions on how to request a copy and information on any fees.
If you need to get a copy of your birth certificate quickly, ask the vital records office at the time you place your order about getting expedited service or shipping.
If You Were Born Abroad, or on a Military Base Abroad
If you were born to American parents abroad, they should have registered your birth with the U.S. Embassy or Consulate in that country, and received a Consular Report of Birth Abroad. You can get a copy of this report from the U.S. Department of State (DOS). Depending on the country, a vital records office in the nation may also list the birth.
If you were born on a military base abroad, and your parents did not register your birth with the U.S. Embassy, you may have to contact the hospital where the birth took place. You may also try contacting the base operator or public affairs office for the appropriate military branch.
If You Were Born Abroad and Adopted by a U.S. Citizen
The country in which you were born issued your birth certificate. If you need a replacement, you must contact the nearest foreign embassy or consulate for that country. A child born in a foreign country and adopted by a U.S. citizen will not receive a U.S. birth certificate. If the document is in a language other than English, you should also seek the embassy's help in getting the document translated if you require authenticated documents.
When you apply for a Social Security number (SSN), the Social Security Administration (SSA) will assign you a nine-digit number, which is the same number printed on the Social Security card that the SSA will issue you. Your Social Security card is an important piece of identification that you'll need to get a job and collect Social Security and other government benefits.
Steps for Getting a Social Security Card
Learn what documents you'll need to get an original, replacement, or corrected Social Security card, whether it's for a child or adult, U.S. citizen or noncitizen.
Read the instructions for and fill out an application for a new, replacement, or corrected card.
Be a U.S. citizen age 18 or older with a U.S. mailing address (this includes APO, FPO, and DPO addresses)
Not be requesting a name change or any other change to your card
Have a valid driver's license or a state-issued identification card from one of the following:
District of Columbia (driver's license only)
Iowa
Kentucky
Michigan
Nebraska
New Mexico
Pennsylvania (driver’s license only)
Washington
Wisconsin (driver's license only).
Keep your Social Security card in a safe place to protect yourself from identity theft if it's lost or stolen. You are limited to three replacement cards in a year and 10 during your lifetime.
Vital Records Documents Issued in the United States
Vital record documents consist of birth, death, marriage, and divorce certificates. State government vital records offices issue these documents. To get a copy of a vital record document, contact the vital records office in the state where the event occurred.
The guidelines vary from state to state but are provided for all 50 states, the major territories (American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands), Canal Zone, and foreign or high-seas events. There are also different guidelines for New York state and New York City.
Even though the guidelines vary depending on the area, all applications require:
Full name of the bride and groom
Month, day, and year of the marriage
Place of marriage (city or town, county, and state)
Purpose for which copy of marriage certificate is needed
Relationship to persons whose marriage certificate is being requested
Day time telephone number (include area code)
When applying for a replacement marriage certificate a small application fee may be required.
