Retention Date: 12/28/2025
A. Purpose
This emergency message serves as an update of the Upload Documents process, which now includes certain types of evidence and some additional agency forms to the customer-initiated submission process, beginning June 28, 2025.
B. Background and Current Process
On July 8, 2023, the Social Security Administration (SSA) launched Upload Documents to allow first party customers to upload, electronically sign (when a signature is required), and submit certain forms and evidence to SSA from their personal desktop and mobile devices.
On March 29, 2025, SSA launched customer-initiated submissions of certain agency forms, allowing customers to electronically submit those forms to SSA without technician initiation.
Prior to the customer-initiated release, the process required technician initiation, where the technician must first generate a task requesting a document (i.e., agency forms) from a particular customer via the Technician Experience Dashboard (TED). That customer would then receive a technician-initiated email and/or text message containing a link to access Upload Documents and complete the document request(s).
C. NEW! Upload Documents Customer-Initiated Submission of Evidence Enhancement
Effective with this release, our customer-initiated option now allows customers to electronically submit certain evidence types to SSA without technician initiation. Customers can access Upload Documents through my Social Security account or via a deep link on the SSA.gov webpage (Upload Documents is behind my Social Security in both instances). This self-service approach empowers customers to initiate document uploads as soon as they recognize a need, eliminating delays caused by waiting for technician outreach.
NOTE: Upload Documents does not support submission of original or certified evidence, such as birth certificates, death certificates, and marriage certificates. Technicians should continue to follow existing policy in situations where an original or certified copy of a proof document (i.e., evidence) is required.
D. Upload Documents Customer-Initiated Submission Process Instructions
1. Accessing Upload Documents via my Social Security
Customers initiate the process by logging into my Social Security account using ID.me or Login.gov. After authenticating, customers will need to select the Upload Documents card on their Plan and Prepare workspace within my Social Security to access Upload Documents (see Figure 1 below for an example of the card on the Plan and Prepare workspace). Customers who select the card will be directed to the Upload Your Documents page described in D.3 below, unless they have open Upload Documents request(s) from a technician, in which case they will be directed to the Open Requests page.
Figure 1 Upload Documents Card on my Social Security Plan and Prepare Workspace
2. Accessing Upload Documents via Upload Documents deep link on SSA.gov
Customers can select the Upload Documents link (i.e., www.ssa.gov/updocs) on SSA.gov to access Upload Documents. After selecting the link, the customer must authenticate using ID.me or Login.gov. After authenticating, customers are redirected to one of two potential landing pages: the Open Requests page or the Upload Your Documents page.
· Customers with an open Upload Documents request(s) from a technician will be directed to the Open Requests page.
· Customers who do not have any open requests will be directed to the Upload Your Documents page.
3. Upload Your Documents Evidence Submission
On the Upload Your Documents page, customers will be asked if they would like to upload an SSA Form or Other Document (see Figure 2).
Figure 2 Upload Your Documents Screen
Figure 3 Other Document Examples Help Modal
4. Evidence Selection Process
After selecting Other Document, customers will be asked “Is the document related to a disability benefit or a disability claim?” (see Figure 4)
Figure 4 Disability Benefit or Claim Question
Customers who answer “Yes” to the above question (i.e., indicating the document is related to a disability benefit or claim) will be prompted to use a drop-down to select the specific Disability Category involved (i.e., Disability, Supplemental Security Income, Continuing Disability Review). Customers will then be asked to use a drop-down to select “Which document are you uploading?”
Customers who answer “No” (i.e., indicating the document is not disability related) will be asked to use a drop down to identify the Document Category (see Figure 5).
Figure 5 Document Category Selection
These customers will then be asked to select the exact document type they wish to submit (see Figure 6).
Figure 6 Specific Document Selection
After selecting the document, they wish to submit, customers will be directed to the Prepare and Upload screen. Customers must have an electronic file(s) of the evidence (e.g., a PDF or JPEG file) they wish to submit saved on their personal device (e.g., desktop computer or mobile device). They will then either (1) drag the file(s) to the designated location on-screen or (2) select the “Choose File(s)” option to locate the file(s) on their personal device for upload (see Figure 7).
After successfully attaching the file(s), a green check mark will appear to the right of the file name. Customers will have an opportunity to review the document(s) they selected on the Review and Submit page prior to submission. Customers can navigate back to previous screens and update any information or upload a different document(s) by selecting the "Edit" option before submission. Customers can preview a PDF version of their selected document(s) by selecting the "Document Preview" option prior to submission. After submission, the confirmation page displays a message confirming the submission was successful, and the customer can print the confirmation page for their records. A Medallia survey, on the submission confirmation page, is available for customers to provide their feedback about their user experience.
Figure 7 Prepare and Upload
6. my Social Security Message Center Notifications
While the technician-initiated process directly sends text and/or email notifications after the customer has successfully submitted a document, the customer-initiated process will use my Social Security Message Center notifications. Customer-initiated submissions will automatically generate a receipt in Message Center. Customers will be presented with the option to receive notification of this receipt in Message Center via email and/or text message.
E. Technician Processing
Once the customer successfully submits their document(s), it will be routed to the Field Office (FO) associated with the customer’s mailing address zip code in Person Information. If the customer does not have a mailing address on file in Person Information, they will be required to enter the zip code associated with their mailing address before the document submission can be routed to the appropriate FO. All documents submitted through Upload Documents will be received by the FO via WorkTrack; however, they will need to be assigned to the appropriate technician for processing.
NOTE: The Upload Documents Forms and Evidence List is now available in the technician’s favorites folder in Microsoft Edge.
F. June 2025 Release – Ten New Static Webforms, Two New Fillable PDFs, and Seventeen New Evidence Types
G. Questions
Direct all program and technical related questions to your management.
H. References
EM-25024 Upload Documents – Customer Initiated Submissions and Credential Step-Up
GN 00301.015 Acceptance of Evidence
GN 00301.030 Acceptability of Documentary Evidence
GN 00301.286 Electronic Evidence Documentation and Retention
GN 01010.410 Failure to Submit Essential Evidence
GN 01070.325 Requesting Evidence/Documents
Upload Documents Technician Desktop Guide
Upload Documents Forms and Evidence List