Social Security Administration — Local services in Norristown

What a colossal waste of time!!! My children are 14 and 16 I need a copy of their Social security card. I called the 800-number was told my wait time would be two hours but I could be called back in two hours and 10 minutes .. fine, got the phone call I asked the person on the phone do my children need to be with me when I go to the office to get there so security card because I cannot get them online. I was told I was correct that anyone under the age of 18 could not get their cards online…… And that all I would need is a copy of their school IDs to get The cards I repeated it back to her saying I did not need the actual IDs of my children but I could make a photocopy and she said yes. So Off I go to Social Security office…… Take a number I am 188. So I sit and I wait and I wait and I wait. I finally get called I have my applications filled out I have a copy of their school IDs I even have their birth certificate just in case.... I was told that my children needed to be with me.??? I asked the woman at the window why I was told on the phone after a two hour wait that I could bring their copies of their IDs... She looked right through me and just said I don’t now I said well I have the birth certificates will that do ??? No they have to physically be here she said.... Seriously she said well do you have their medical ID cards with their birthdays on them I said I have their medical cards but their birthdays aren’t on them but I do have the birth certificates that have their birthdays on that. She said they won’t do. Are you freaking kidding me??? My kids are in school. I am not taking them out of school to get there’s a security cards!!!! Yes folks this is our government at work You can come here illegally get a fake the security number Faster than you can get one legally To a citizen actually...

I went to this Norristown , PA, SSA office to get a definitive answer to a question about the rules regarding widow benefits, so I could make an informed decision on when to apply for my own benefits, given that my husband is ill. I'd been given 2 different answers by SSA representatives by phone and found a third answer in the SSA handbook online (but it didn't address future cost of living increases).

The wait wasn't bad at this office, when I arrived 10 minutes before it opened. But the agent who assisted me was rude and dismissive.

First, he gave me yet a different answer from the first three. I asked him to please cite the applicable regulation he was describing. He printed part of a screen out and highlighted what he said was the answer.

I looked at what he had printed and told him that what he was telling me wasn't what it said. Then he went into the back office for some time and came back with a printout about spousal benefits, that he said showed what he had said.

I told him I was asking about widow benefits, not spousal benefits. He went into the back office again and finally returned and told me that he had asked his manager, who gave him the same answer as what the first phone agent had given me.

Once he realized he was giving incorrect information, he got a lot nicer. He thanked me for my patience but didn't apologize for having been so rude and dismissive.

I had heard this office was good, but apparently it depends who you are directed to speak with. I was there for over an hour. If I hadn't questioned what I was being told, I would have...

THE PHONE NUMBER LISTED IS WRONG. READ THIS REVIEW IF YOU WANT YOUR APPOINTMENT TO GO SMOOTHLY.

The Norristown PA Social Security office is actually one of the more efficient and well-run government offices that I've been to, but there is a LOT of bad info out there that could make your experience VERY annoying.

TL;DR: Call 1-866-964-6305 and SET AN APPOINTMENT via phone. The office DOES NOT TAKE WALK-INS.

First of all, the phone number listed on Yelp and Google is dead wrong. IF you call 1-800-772-1213 (the listed phone number on all the online websites, including the SSA.GOV Norristown office webpage), you will wait on hold for a LONG ass time. When someone finally picks up, they will tell you that there are no appointments necessary, and you should show up in person. DO NOT DO THIS. THE NORRISTOWN SITE DOES NOT TAKE WALK-INS. DO NOT CALL THIS PHONE NUMBER. THEY HAVE NO CLUE WHAT THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT.

Instead - skip the 1-800 number entirely, and call 1-866-964-6305 during business hours. This will connect you directly to the Norristown PA office, and they will set up an appointment for you with a specific time and date.

Before you go - go to the SSA.GOV website and follow their instructions on what documentation you will need. Bring ORIGINAL DOCUMENTS whenever possible, no photocopies of passports etc.

Follow these instructions, show up early at your appointment time, and you will be in and out in as little as 20 minutes...