Someone please correct me if I am wrong, but I believe that babies in the U.S. are not actually required to have a SS#. The reason I believe this to be true is a few years ago I became friends with a homeschooling Mom of six who did not have socials for her children. She and her husband believed that requiring numbers was "marking" their children (in the Biblical sense). Not at all passing judgment or wanting to start another debate, just explaining why these children did not have socials. What the catch is if you want to claim your child on Federal income taxes they must have a social. Also - hospitals, insurance companies, and public schools will lead you to believe you MUST have a SS#, and while most folks do, it's NOT a law. If a public school insists your child has to have a social, the courts have upheld a parent's right to request the school issue them an alternative number. Rather hard to obtain employment, credit or a driver's license without one, though.