Social Insurance Number – Apply

4. How to apply

Applying in person

To apply for your SIN, to obtain a confirmation of your SIN or to amend your SIN record, simply gather all the required original documents and take them to the nearest Service Canada office.

When you want to access your file at a Service Canada Centre, you must show one government-issued photo ID (with legal name, date of birth and/or your signature) or two IDs. If you present two IDs both must contain your legal name and one of the following: your date of birth, photo or signature. You may also be asked verification questions.

If everything is in order, you will get your SIN during your visit and you will not need to part with your documents.

Special measures are in place to accommodate individuals who cannot apply in person at a Service Canada office.

Applying by mail

Only individuals in these circumstances are permitted to apply by mail:

• Individuals living 100 km or more from the nearest Service Canada office, in an inaccessible area or where outreach is very infrequent may apply by mail. To determine if you are eligible to apply for a SIN by mail, please enter your residential postal code in the box below and click “Submit”.
  Postal code (Example: A8A 8A8) (required)
  
  
• Individuals who have other extenuating limitations that prevent them from visiting a Service Canada point of service and who cannot use the assistance of another individual to submit an application on their behalf may be eligible to apply by mail. Note: Individuals must call 1-800-206-7218 and select option 3 to determine if they are eligible to apply by mail.
• Individuals applying from outside Canada.

What you need to apply by mail:

• A completed SIN application form (if you are unable to print the application form, you can order the form by phone at 1-506-548-7961; long distance charges apply).
• The required original documents.

Send your completed application form and original documents (photocopies are not accepted) to:

Service Canada
Social Insurance Registration Office
PO Box 7000
Bathurst, New Brunswick E2A 4T1
Canada

If you send your application by registered mail, we will return your document(s) in the same way. Service Canada is not responsible for documents lost in the mail.

If your SIN application meets the requirements, you will receive a letter with your SIN by mail within 20 business days from the date the application is received. If more than 25 business days have passed and you would like to find out the status of your application, contact the SIN program.