Proving Your Age

You must furnish proof that includes your date of birth or age and proof of any beneficiary's or insurance dependent's age, including your spouse, if applicable. Photocopies of acceptable proofs are shown here. Do not mail in original documents, as they will not be returned.

Preferred Proof of Age

• Government-issued birth certificate.
• Valid U.S. passport book or card.
• Valid driver’s license or state ID.
• Delayed birth certificate.
• Social Security documentation. If none of the above is available and you have applied for a Social Security benefit and documented your date of birth, a statement from the Social Security Administration is sufficient. This statement must include your date of birth and explain that you have filed sufficient documentation to establish your date of birth.

Alternate Proof of Age 

If you do not have the preferred proof of age, submit photocopies of at least two of the following documents. In addition to your date of birth or age, these documents should include an issue date. Records established early in life are preferred.

• School record.
• Church record.
• Church baptismal record established during the first few years of your life.
• State or federal census record. 
• Statement signed by physician or midwife who attended the birth.
• Family Bible or other family record.
• Insurance policy. 
• Government-issued marriage certificate. 
• Employment record. 
• Military record.
• Child's birth certificate that shows age of parent.
• Other records such as a hospital treatment record, labor union or fraternal record, permits, or licenses.
• Hospital birth record.

Foreign Birth

If you were born in a foreign country, you may submit a photocopy of any of the items above, or one of the following:

• Valid foreign passport.
• Immigration record established upon arrival in the United States.
• Naturalization record (citizenship paper).
• Alien registration card.