Form SSA-2853, Message From Social Security, is a receipt that the hospital representative gives to the parent as proof that they elected to have a Social Security Number (SSN) assigned to their child through the EAB process. It is available in both English and Spanish. There are five versions of each form. The only difference in the five versions is in the language regarding the length of time that it takes to get the SSN card (which varies from state to state).

In ongoing contacts with hospitals, field office (FO) managers provide sufficient supplies of the SSA-2853 for distribution to all parents who indicate “yes” to the EAB question on the birth registration form for their newborn. The EAB SSA-2853 is available to FOs through the regular requisition system; the version should reflect the appropriate lag period for the State.