As online fraud and identity theft has proliferated and many victims have complained of losing money or personal information sold to unscrupulous persons, the SSS card has also upgraded its Unified Multipurpose Identification or UMID card in its effort to tighten defense against fraudsters.
The third-generation SSS identification card now features contact-less smartchip technology that enables storage of an SSS member’s personal information and biometric data such as fingerprints, facial image and signature.
UMID is used by SSS, the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS), Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) and Home Development Mutual Fund. This helps reduce costs to the public and doing away with multiple identification cards and redundant databases. With its experience in large-scale biometric ID system, SSS has been tasked to lead the implementation of this upgrade.
Each produced card undergoes visual quality inspection and then forwarded for readability check and data verification of the smartchip. Afterwards, the UMID card is packaged and sent to PhilPost for delivery via registered mail. Mailing takes five to seven working days for addresses in Metro Manila, seven (7) to ten (10) working days for outside Metro Manila, and 10 to 20 working days for remote areas.
More uses of UMID card
In addition to the traditional use for identification purposes, the new UMID cards can now be used in withdrawing benefits and loan proceeds from bank identification purposes.
Loan releases and benefit payments can now be paid via deposit to the bank account of the member or beneficiary where the UMID Card as an ATM card is enrolled. Banks include UnionBank, Philippine National Bank, Security Bank, and Asia United Bank and more will be added soon once negotiations are concluded.
New features of UMID card
Members who applied for UMID card from November 9, 2015 onwards will receive the upgraded cards. Personal information such as name, birth date, sex, address and Common Reference Number are engraved to avoid unauthorized card reproduction, and the enhanced color pattern for the background is embedded with international security features. The member’s photo is also moved from right to left in compliance with international standards for travel documents.
How to apply for UMID card
Members who have no existing SS ID or UMID cards along with at least one month contribution and a valid Date of Coverage are eligible for the UMID card. With the one-card policy in the UMID system, applications from those who have received UMID card issued by GSIS or PhilHealth will not be accepted.
Death survivorship pensioners who qualify for “Initial Enrollment” shall submit their UMID applications at their nearest SSS branch, free of charge, provided the survivorship pensioner has no existing SS ID/UMID card.
House helpers or Kasambahay without posted contribution/s may qualify for “Initial Enrollment” subject to the following conditions:
- Membership status of the House Helper is Permanent; and
- Member must present the proof of contribution payment (SSS Form R5) made at the Tellering Services of the branch.
The following membership information in the UMID Card Application Form and SSS membership database must be the same:
- SS Number
- Name (First Name, Middle Name, Last Name)
- Date of Birth
- Gender
An applicant with incorrect or incomplete membership data (e.g., no middle name, or with middle initial only) shall be required to file a Member’s Data Amendment Request (SS Form E-4) prior to UMID card enrollment.
All fields in the UMID Card Application Form must be properly completed, particularly the address, and without erasures and alterations. Always indicate “N/A” or “Not Applicable”, if the required data is not applicable.
At least one (1) contact information detail (such as email address, home landline or mobile phone number) must be provided by the applicant in order for SSS to notify him/her on the status of card application.
The applicant should indicate his/her permanent address rather than the temporary mailing address. For example, if he/she has permanent residence in the province but is working or staying in Metro Manila during weekdays, indicate the provincial address instead of the Metro Manila address.
Required documents for application
A Member who will secure an UMID Card for the first time should accomplish and submit the UMID Card Application Form and present the original or certified true copy of the below-listed required identification cards and/or documents.
Any one of the following Primary ID cards and/or documents (see ‘Complete list of eligible IDs / documents:’ below for extensive list):
- Passport
- Driver’s License
- Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) Card
- Seaman’s Book (Seafarer’s Identification and Record Book)
In the absence of the above Primary ID cards and/or documents, any two (2) of the following Secondary ID cards/documents, both of which should bear the correct name of the person, and at least one (1) with the correct date of birth:
Complete list of eligible IDs / documents:
Primary ID Cards/Documents
- Social Security (SS) card
- Passport
- Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) card
- Seaman’s Book (Seafarer’s Identification & Record Book)
- Alien Certificate of Registration
Secondary ID Cards/Documents
- ATM Card with the cardholder’s name
- Bank Account Passbook
- Birth Certificate or Baptismal Certificate of children or its equivalent
- Certificate of Confirmation issued by National Commission on Indigenous
- Peoples (formerly known as Office of Southern Cultural Community and Office of Northern Cultural Community)
- Certificate of Licensure/Qualification
- Document from the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA)
- Certificate of Muslim Filipino Tribal Affiliation issued by National Commission on Muslim Filipinos
- Company ID Card
- Court Order granting petition for change of name or date of birth
- Credit Card
- Firearm License Card issued by Philippine National Police (PNP)
- Health or Medical Card
- Home Development Mutual Fund (Pag-IBIG)
- Member’s Data Form/Transaction Card
- Fishworker’s License issued by Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR)
- Government Service Insurance System (GSIS)
- Card/Certificate of Membership
- Homeowners’ Association ID Card
- ID Card issued by Local Government Units (e.g. Barangay/Municipality/City)
- ID Card issued by associations recognized by the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC)
- Life Insurance Policy
- Marriage Contract/Marriage Certificate
- National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Clearance
- Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) Card
- Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) Member’s Data Record/ID Card
- Police Clearance
- Postal ID Card
- School ID Card
- Seafarer’s Registration Certificate issued by the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA)
- Senior Citizen Card
- Tax Identification Number (TIN) Card
- Student Permit issued by the Land
- Transportation Office (LTO)
- Transcript of School Records
- Voter’s Identification
- Card/Affidavit/Certificate of Registration with COMELEC
Replacement of old SSS 2D ID card to the UMID card
A replacement fee of P300 shall be charged for the replacement of the old SSS 2D-Barcode ID card to the UMID card. The same fee shall apply for UMID card replacements due to the following:
- Correction/Change of name (e.g., from maiden name to married name)
- Correction of date/place of birth, gender
- Replacement of lost/damaged card
- Change of home address
- Change of authenticating finger due to amputation/sickness (e.g., index to middle finger)
- Update of member photo
- Change of old card to new card
- Change of specimen signature printed on the card
- On the other hand, no charges will be made for card replacement due to the following reasons:
- Erroneous encoding of E-1 and/or E-4 data; however, the personal data from the registration form (E-1) or data amendment form (E-4) will be compared against the data from the SSS online inquiry system to check for erroneous encoding.
- Erroneous screening of previous card application, such as the following:
- Personal data in the card application form (e-6) is different from the online inquiry at the time the card application was made (e.g., different name, different date of birth)
- Applicant surrenders an SSS 2D-Barcode ID card with cancelled or inactive SS Number at the time of card application.
- Applicant surrenders an SSS 2D-Barcode ID card with an SS Number that belongs to another person.
- Applicant surrenders either an SSS 2D-Barcode ID card or UMID card with the wrong photo but correct demographic data (e.g., wrong person captured).
- A confirmation from the ID Card Production Department that card replacement fee will be waived due to poor quality image/print on the card
For card replacement, pay the required fee at any SSS branch office/accredited bank/collecting agent. Submit the validated Miscellaneous Payment Form or Special Bank Receipt (SBR) with Miscellaneous Payment Form to the nearest SSS branch office when submitting the UMID card application.
Applicants for a new UMID card under their active SS Number but have a previously-issued SS ID/UMID card under their inactive/cancelled SS Number shall be required to undergo ID card replacement procedures.
In case of application for replacement of an SS ID/UMID card under inactive/cancelled SS number, but was applied when the SS Number was still active, a replacement fee shall be required.
Applicants for card replacement must surrender the old SS ID/UMID card. For lost or non-received cards, the submission of a duly-notarized affidavit of non-receipt of card, or notarized affidavit of loss is required.
No SS ID/UMID card applications under inactive or cancelled SS Numbers shall be received or processed.
SSS members with card applications currently being processed shall not be allowed to apply for card replacement.
Related: SSS locations in the Philippines