Two thumbs way up for the Austin SSA Field Office at 1029 Camino La Costa -- they absolutely nailed it. I rolled in on a Wednesday at 9am expecting the usual government‑office purgatory... and instead got the unicorn experience. No line. No waiting. No sighing into the void. I was in and out so fast I barely had time to sit down. Every single person I interacted with was friendly, helpful, and genuinely pleasant -- not the forced "customer‑service voice," but actual kindness. If you're dreading a long, soul‑sucking wait, don't. This office runs like a well‑oiled machine. Positive experience from start to finish. read more

I think they're fairly under staffed but this is the Orange man's America and this is a red state so I don't expect too much, but waited for two hours even after getting screened to be told that the documents we were told to file before the survivor benefits appointment can only be attached to an active claim. No one is giving proper information and it ends up being a complete mess. read more

It sounds like all of the bad reviews are just due to a lack of planning/preparedness on the part of the customer. I showed up to this Social Security Admin office as soon as they opened at 9am on Tuesday. There was a line out the door, but it moved quickly and efficiently because the staff has procedures in place to make the process as smooth as possible. I had no appointment, I was in and out in less than 10 minutes, and the staff was very kind. I wish I could remember the name of the man who helped me; he was working window 11 on Tuesday, July 21st. Shoutout to that guy, shoutout to the guy at the door telling people where to go based on the service they needed, and every other person working in this building that keeps it organized and moving along. read more

This place is a joke. You can't schedule an appointment online and there is a 120 minute wait time to just schedule with someone. This is pretty much the standard. You can't talk to anyone to actually confirm they can help with your problem - so you'll have to go sit for 2 hours in the office to find out. I hate the government. read more

I've been here twice and have had no issues at all. I made appointments for both times and that is why my appointments were smooth and quick. Staff has always been great. I had an appointment today and even though I checked in early, I was seen earlier than my appointment time. Make an appointment, make sure you have all the appropriate documents needed, and you will never have to deal with any negatives that come with showing up without one. read more

As a voracious consumer of dystopian sci-fi like Orwell's 1984 and Gilliam's Brazil, I can't help but purse my lips and shake my head when I have to subject myself to the gauntlet of needlessly complex and slow-moving bureaucracy present in most government service offices. The Social Security Administration (SSA) service center at 1029 Camino La Costa in Northeast Austin has all the classic inefficiencies one would expect, with a few bright bypasses if you prepare before your visit. Step 1: Go to the SSA website (https://faq.ssa.gov/en-US/Topic/article/KA-02771 or https://www.ssa.gov/onlineservices/) and find out what is required for the type of help you require. If you are lucky, you won't even need to make an appointment or visit the office in person and *that* is a priceless gift. Do not waste time calling the 800 number, as the wait times can be horrendous and most questions are more easily answered on the website. Step 1a: Maybe your very special circumstance is not explained on the SSA website (unlikely!)... now what? You can call 800-772-1213 from 8a - 7p, Monday - Friday and try to speak to a real person, but be ready to wait on hold for quite a while. Step 2: Okay, you were right, your special circumstance *does* require you to visit the SSA office in person, but there is no appointment for the thing you need to do and you have to just show up and wait in line. Hold on, make sure that you have filled out every pre-visit form online that you can, as this will dramatically speed up your visit. In our case, we needed to get a replacement SS card for our teen, as the physical card is now required to get a driving learner permit from Texas DPS. We were able to fill out the online SSA form for this and upload evidence of parent and child identity (passport and birth certificate images), which gave us a case confirmation # to use upon check-in at the office (which we had to do within 45 days or start over). If your request is similar, be sure to save the image of that confirmation number or email/text it to yourself. Step 3: Plan your office visit. Check Google to see when the least busy time of the week/day is, most likely a Tue/Thu morning in the middle of the month, definitely not a Mon/Fri or the 1st/last day of the month. Bring a hat and umbrella, wear sunscreen, and make sure any drink has a lid or cap. You will be standing in the sun on the sidewalk for some time waiting to check in. If you have trouble standing for long periods, bring a foldable camp chair. The CapMetro #337 has 2 stops within a block of this office and parking is very limited, so either take the bus or use rideshare. Step 4: Arrive as soon as possible around the office opening time of 9a and wait in a long line to go through security. Due to the large crowds of potentially frustrated people coming for help at this office, the security presence is visible and engaged. At the door, you will be given instructions on when to enter and what you cannot bring inside. Step 5: Enter the blessed shelter and go to the bank of kiosks to check in for your visit. You will enter the confirmation number from your previous online registration and some information about your identity and that of the person for whom you are acting on behalf (if applicable). Now you will receive a little printed ticket number indicating your position in the queue for one of the 25 service windows in the building. Step 6: Enjoy the air conditioning while you wait for your turn in the completely full waiting room that holds about 50 people (mostly families with children, elderly folks, and single men who appear to be blue-collar laborers on their way to work). The queue moves steadily (as shown on the wall-mounted flatscreens) and not necessarily in order of arrival, since different types of requests require different amounts of time to complete. We were pre-registered online and had a simple request type, so our queue seemed to move quickly. It was only about 20 minutes from the time we entered the door until we were seen by a kind and competent agent. It took about 5 minutes for him to validate our identification, approve our transaction, and hand us a printed letter confirming that we'd receive the new card within 2 weeks. Step 7: Shout "Hallelujah!" and quickly exit the building to return to your regular life. Be thankful that you rarely must visit such a place and then wonder, "Why must it be this way?" Consider writing a strongly worded letter to your elected representatives about the failure of federal government services with suggestions for improvement, but then remember that you live in Texas and those guys actually made it like this through their votes to purposefully strangle government services budgets. Sigh..... Trivia: Did you know that Austin was home to the very first SSA field office opened in 1936 after the historic passage of the Social Security Act in 1935? read more

Going to this office almost made me have an anxiety attack. I was approached in a dismissive and rude way. There's no online guidance and I tried walking in, I was told they don't take walk-ins and dismissed my concerns for not being able to get an appointment online. The security person eventually started being helpful and walked me through the steps to get an appointment but I left feeling dumb and defeated. WOW read more

S L O W service, plan on being there longer than expected in spite of having an appointment!

Horrible! Absolutely Horrible! Online doesn't work right, you're on hold for hours if you wanted to schedule an appointment! The workers are lazy! And if all that doesn't work then you try to go in person just to hear "umm ya sorry we don't do walk in's schedule a appointment". What a LAZY HORRIBLE PLACE! This is where my tax dollars are going? To some snobby lazy workers who don't want to work? 1 star jeez. read more

Answer the phones, return calls, return messages. Make it more clear how to recover accounts.

I am really fed up with wait times EVERYWHERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! NOW. I have other thing to do than sit in an office for over 3 HOURS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I have to be there in person to show my id to prove who i am! No Problem, get there get my number and looks like i will wait about 2 hours. Sucks but livable! But of course! after and hour and a half i hear the number before mine get called! (the number before mine meaning i am next) And of course after and hour and a half nothing else ever called again! Had to leave to get something to eat since i did not know this was an ALL DAY EVENT NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!! this is complete bullshit we the people should not have to be tortured like this over and over!!!!!!!!!!!!!! we the people have other thing to do and other places to be at!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 3 HOURS is fucking ridiculous i should get paid for waiting that long!!!!!!!!!!! god help you if you need anything from ssa! you are screwed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! read more

Apparently they have no more appointments, I guess for the rest of time, I'm not sure. Also can't schedule online even though they claim you can. You have to call and wait over a hour to find a way to schedule read more

They are hurting people by losing their papers and telling them the wrong info. They lost my mom's papers and made her go in multiple times when my mom needs social security payments as she is disabled and can't work. It's so sad. read more

The guards are different whenever I come. You have to do what they say. It can be a confusing procedure but you want to get it done. The first time I went was disappointing. I had to search for medical records and come back. read more

Im from Houston but temporarily I stay in Austin for a couple of months We were waiting for long time and the officer there were so rude screaming to us I felt like I was more like in jail time I paid lots of money on my tax I don't need someone do ride yelling and screaming at older people like us Do something Austin read more

Came here for a replacement card. No posted directions on what you need to do as you walk in, but the security guard is a really nice guy and gave me the scoop. A short wait in line and got a number to be called on later. Took a seat and waited two hours before our number was called. The person helping us was very nice and friendly. I don't think the wait time could have been avoided since this is a small office. read more

I'd made an appointment for 2 p.m. When I arrived, the woman monitoring the entrance and the security guard were both friendly and helpful. The guard was puzzled that I had been issued a number to wait in line, since I had a appointment. He went and checked to make sure I was in the system and to find out what was going on. He then told me it was cleared up but I might have to wait past that time because they were behind. I only had to wait a few minutes longer, though. Prepare as much as you can and make an appointment if possible. My form was processed quickly. The waiting room was extremely crowded and I don't know how long you'll wait without an appointment. I could have faxed my form and supporting docs, but I felt better talking to someone at the facility to make sure I'd done everything correctly. I've also called SS twice, and the people who talked to me on the phone were helpful and polite. I switched to speaker phone while waiting for them to answer so I could do other things. read more

The reason I am giving five stars it is because of the customer service. The attentiveness of service from the beginning until the end was outstanding. The SS representative helped me with my questions and concerns. I got there at 8:30am left at 11:30 Be ready to wait outside for a long time since the lobby space is limited due to COVID I brought an umbrella, sunscreen, water bottle and a book since it took about an hour and a half to make it into the lobby, then another hour to make it to one of their representatives. No need to make an appointment only need to be patient. I enjoyed every minute of it. I also got the chance to translate in Spanish,and help people in need to checked in into the lobby because they did not know how to use the computer. It was the fastest three hours at that office. Keep it calm, and keep Austin Austin y'all! read more

Social Security - Waiting line outside the social security office at a 105 degrees texas weather in the summer of 2022 - Public Services & Government Near Me - Austin, Texas

I was trying to get information on setting up an appointment and was hung up on as I was speaking. Your representative was rude and lacked professionalism he would cut me off while speaking and then again just up hung up on me. read more

I was on the fence if I should give them a 2 or a 3 star. Busy, smelly, seats are gross peeling vinyl seats and the clientele was...... I opted for the 3 star because we pulled our number and were served in less than 2 hours. read more

The head lady will not let you in the building if she doesn't want to, even if your there to fix their mistake. They give you the run around, lie and even scream at you! read more

After trying the online system to order a new SS card, mailing an application in, never getting through any of the phone numbers listed, I decided to go in. Yes there was a line and a wait, but once I was inside everyone was very organized and polite. Once I was inside it was about 15 min. I was also one of the first 25 people in line. Online system is terrible but in person just gets the job done. read more

I have only ever been here twice in my life. Both times I had to wait 6+ hours in line and was unable to even get in. They won't let you make an appointment anymore. I am unable to file online for what I need. They seem severely understaffed and this is such an important institution that cannot have this kind of understaffing issue. There were over 70 people waiting in line before they even opened. Hire more people, it's honestly unacceptable to have people not able to get important documents because there is not enough staff to service people that have literally waited all day and got turned away. read more

I'm here to say that Social security administration I'm Austin Texas my brother hadn't gotten his retirement checks in 5 month we had gone there to get help but no has no information bout what is going on with those checks. Supposedly they were returned back to sender As I had mentioned to them all they said they hadn't received any thing back .Brother bout to lose his his apartment but yet he just received 1 check what ever happened to those other 4 checks.Really sad!! My brother is upset n I can't afford to keep helping him out. Who can I call?? read more

I came here to change my name through marriage for my social security card. After you check in at the kiosk, make sure you get in the express line if you are here for anything related to a social security card and you are an American citizen- it's the line of people standing against the wall to the right. At 9:30am on a Friday, I was in and out of the office in 35 minutes, which seems great to me. The staff were efficient and friendly. If you are not here for a social security card, do be prepared for a long wait. The traditional system was packed (although I visited on a day when the nearest other social security office was closed) and technically no food or drink is allowed but I would bring a snack if I were you. There's not enough parking at this location, either. read more

They never answer the phone! I've sent in paperwork to change my name on my social security card several weeks ago and still have not received anything back. I've tried calling numerous times to get an update and the line says that all representatives are "busy" and to try calling back-then it just hangs up on you. This is absolutely frustrating! read more

No one likes going to get a new Social Security card. It's a pesky thing that you can't estimate for. Normally, going and getting something done takes a certain amount of time but dealing with government agencies is a whole 'nother ballgame. The good news is that this ballgame was easy and quick! I walked in, filled out a form waited for 10 minutes, saw the overly chatty counter guy who was the antithesis of all guvment workers I've had to deal with in the past and then left. Super fast, super easy and I got my card in the mail a week later. Score. read more

Social Security - Public Services & Government Near Me - Austin, Texas

I got there at 840am. They open at 9, people were lining up ~10 people ahead of me. It was raining and they opened the doors early. The officer and lady working were extremely helpful- told everyone where to go what docs were needed and where to sit. If you've never had a name change or needed a card this can be sort of over whelming. They opened the windows at 9am promptly and moved fast. They have so many windows open, and everyone working was polite. I was in and out by 915. ** if youre doing a name change go to the back right wall, don't skip chairs, a chair is your spot in line. read more

Kind, fast, and friendly! I arrived at 0815 and was about 40th or more in line (office opens at 0900). Once the office opened the line moved pretty quickly! The security and staff were so friendly and very helpful. I was out of the office with my business taken care of by 1015. If you can make an appointment I highly recommend doing so, but some services require standing in line. Bring all the forms and identification you need and something to keep you entertained for 2 hours and the time will fly by. Can't say enough good things about my experience here! read more

The system they have for the SOCIAL SECURITY CARD REPLACEMENT LINE is beyond insane. They give you a ticket with a number when you walk in and tell you that it doesn't matter and you are to head over to a group of people, find the end of the line, sit down and they will just call "NEXT" until it's your turn. Okay...here's the thingS...we, my 1.5 yo and myself were at this place for 2 hours waiting for a visit that took all of 5 minutes. I brought in a stroller and snacks THANK HEAVENS...Anyways...the craziest thing BY FAR is the fact that we moved over 30 SEATS!! Each time someone is called you are asked to move a seat over. It was a complete cluster F. read more

On Wednesday they are only open till 12, not 4 PM like it says on Yelp... Learned this the hard way.

Went here to change my last name after getting married and had a great experience! All I needed was my ID and my marriage license. One thing that's confusing is that the name changes/ SS card services are in the back right corner but as long as you read the signs it's easy to manage. The woman who helped me was quick and so unbelievably kind. I didn't think it was possible to have such a positive experience at a social security office but I'm not complaining! read more

This review is a two-parter. This is a tale of two offices, or, the Jekyll/Hyde of Monday/Friday. Just about any need to visit a bureaucratic office will elicit a groan, followed by a sense of dread and impending doom. After weeks of procrastination, I woke on Monday with a resolve and a drive to finally visit the SSA office. I needed a new card, and it really *wasn't* taking care of itself, much as I hoped it might. 10:40 am saw me pull into the SSA parking lot. As I proceeded down the walkway to the building, I passed two young, tattooed ladies, smoking cigarettes and comparing juvie/rehab stories. Ah, those carefree days of youth! I smiled as I went through the automatic doors. But then, as I surveyed the large waiting room, my grin turned to grimace. A barn of people, waiting. Even the info desk had a long line. It felt like a Greyhound Bus terminal, minus the impending sense of actually going somewhere. And that smell that's sort of like disinfectant, cigarette smoke, and corn. (Ah, the carefree days of youth!) There was a pack of wild children running around, and no one seemed to make an effort to corral those doggies. I turned on my heel and left, back past the juvie queens and into the sanity of my car, with my tail between my legs. Another day, I vowed. This morning, Friday, I woke and swore I'd take my revenge on that SSA beast. 10:40am saw me park my car in an almost empty lot. 10:45 saw me get a ticket (now serving A80...), and I settled into my book. 25 minutes later, my number (A105? Desk 3.) was called, and I deposited myself, along with my passport and completed application, in front of a woman that had the demeanor of your favorite elementary school teacher and worked with the precision and purpose of a Swiss watchmaker. Fully 35 minutes after I arrived, I was back in my car. The dragon had been slayed. Hey DMV!! Bring it, bitch! The moral of the story? Go to the website first and print out the forms you need. Go to the offices on Friday, and bring a book...Or some stories about being locked up cuz your folks wuz tired of puttin' you in rehab again. read more

You know when some things are just too good to be true? Well, read my previous review on the Social Security Administration and you'll see a perfect example of this. 5 minutes in and out of the door was, in fact, way too good to be true. They had told me during my visit on the 11th that I'd receive the card in the mail within 7-10 business days. After 10 business days, and no card, I called them to see what was going on. They told me that they lost my application and it hadn't been processed. I freaked out on them. I basically told them "Are you telling me that you lost something with all of my personal information on it that anyone could just pick up and use to steal my identity?!?!" That seemed to get their attention. The lady I spoke to said that they had a couple other desks to check and that she'd call me the next day to update me. It may come as a shock to you, but it certainly didn't to me - she never called me the next day. I called them today to see what was going on. After being on hold for 15+ minutes, the lady told me that they had found my application, that it had been processed and the new card is on it's way to me. Um, thanks for letting me know last week. Really appreciate it. Sigh. Why can't my "too good to be true"'s actually be true ONCE? Just once. It's all I ask - not that hard to do the right thing, people. read more

I got married. A name change was in order. So, prior to being Kristen F., I was Kristen Elizabeth B. I had thought about it a lot, and decided I wanted to do this: drop Elizabeth, and take my maiden name as my middle name, becoming Kristen B. F. I got all the necessary information for changing my name at my bank, credit card company, public library, driver's license, passport, social security card, everything. I had my act together, y'all. Nowhere on the Social Security Administration's website does it say that you cannot go to them first. It would be really helpful if on their website they indicate that a marriage license alone is not enough to change your name. They want ID. After waiting two hours in line to change my name, they say they want ID. I sputtered, "That's what I'm here to do! Get ID." Nope. Luckily, a nice worker overheard, and told me, "Listen. Go to DPS and get your new temporary driver's license, come back here, and wave to me. I'll let you skip the line." I love this guy. I went to DPS, waited another couple hours to get a new driver's license, and went back to wave at him. He kept his promise, and thankfully, I didn't have to wait twice. But then, get this. I showed him my new ID, which read Kristen B. F. I told him I wanted to get my social security card in the same name. When I received my card, it read Kristen Elizabeth F. I was too sick of bureaucracy to complain. I figured if it caused me trouble later on, I'd just come back then. I was done for the day. Sigh. read more

I visited this office recently to get a new social security card with my new last name after getting married. I have to admit I was nervous about this being a difficult process. I went online before going to read up on everything I might need and filled out the paperwork in advance. I think I took with me every possible document that I could find that verified my identify. Luckily, that turned out to be overkill! In fact, they never even asked for the application that I brought filled out in advance. I believe I was there around 2pm in the middle of the week. I waited for less than 30 minutes before being seen at a window. Once I got up there it was a brief, though very unfriendly, encounter with an agent that asked me a handful of questions and got me right back out the door with my mission complete. I am thankful that the process was simple (just read the instructions online about what to bring with you) but I do wish that the woman that helped me didn't feel it necessary to prove that all government employees hate their jobs. She was very short and rude to me (despite me coming so prepared!). I took the speak when spoken to approach and got what I needed and left. What I did need: My current drivers license and my marriage certificate. She never asked for: my old social security card, my birth certificate or my parents social security numbers. read more

If there is a more difficult process than getting your name changed, I'd like to know about it. The Social Security Office is misery. You get TB upon entry. There is very, very little parking there, and all the other nearby lots specifically say they will tow. Tip: You can send your documents certified mail to the SS office, and they will return the docs to you very quickly. Supposedly, they will send you the new card soon after; no visit necessary. Unfortunately for me, they promptly returned my docs and changed my name, but the card never arrived a few weeks later. So, visit to the office was required. FML. The crying babies and crazy ass people stuffed into the waiting room are enough to make you insane. Avoid this office. Certified mail, people. You will be so glad you did. Hopefully, you won't have any issues that will require an actual visit. read more

I came here to get a new social security card at around 11am on a Thursday. There isn't a ton of parking, so keep in mind in case you have an appointment. There was one person ahead of me to get a number ticket. I got my ticket, sat down and then was literally standing back up again to be helped. It was really quick! When you get your number, you select some information on a computer screen -- reason why you are there, etc., and I'm sure that has something to do with how quick the service is. I'm pretty sure it is like a passport office where only some of the cubicles are dedicated to completing certain services. Anyways, the lady who helped me was nice and polite. I was amazed how quickly I was in and out, especially since it is the day the government re-opened services after the shutdown and I figured it was going to be a zoo. read more

Alicia and I went here today so she could get a new social security card to match her new name. At 3 pm on a Thursday, our wait was only around 10 minutes and the lady who helped us was friendly. Minus one star for being way up north. Seriously? If there's only one place in town to go for a government service, it should be more central. read more

I award my first duece to... The Social Security Administration! Yay!!! OK, now that the fanfare has subsided, here's why I gave it a 2-star, instead of a 1-star: It was my fault I picked probably the worst possible time to visit this office. I'm taking care of some loose ends, pre-surgery, and I hit this office at exactly 1:30 pm. I knew what I was getting into, but I thought I'd tough it out. I brought a book anyway. Like any public service office, you take a number at the start, and watch the screen as several different queues get called. My number was S-979, and the "S" queue was on S-975. "Sweet!" I thought to myself. Only 4 people--how long could it possible take? 45 minutes later, the queue was on S-976. I pick up some brochures on how to do my stuff online (I'm just old school. I like to sit in front of someone and handle it.) and I was out the door, leaving that teeming sea of humanity behind me. If I do need another visit, I'll show up a bit earlier than the opening bell, and probably resolve my issues quicker; thus bumping up the star count. But for my experience today, it's a solid DEUCE. read more