I was very optimistic after reading positive reviews here about the line not being too long for a name change. I was adding a hyphen and my husband's name to my last name - easy, right? The first visit, the lines were long and it took 10 minutes to park. If there's no spots in the lot, you wait, because you can't park on the street. I gave up and went home because the kid was with a sitter. Second visit, I arrived at 8:55am, and people were already leaving. Parking was not a problem. The staff who asked what I needed were helpful, and my application for a new card with my married name was processed quickly. I left in ten minutes with a handwritten receipt displaying my new hyphenated name. Win. A week later, I received a social security card in the mail. Although they spelled my husband's name correctly on my card, the spelling of my maiden name was shortened. This required another trip to the office. At today's visit, I was given a number and waited for about an hour to present yet another typed application and supporting documentation. The clerk's first response was that my hyphenated name was too long. I asked why, then, it fit on my daughter's card with the correct spellings. After the clerk performed a bunch of computer hocus pocus, I was given a receipt to acknowledge the correction: now missing the hyphen. I asked why it couldn't just be copied off the damn application I provided from the field NAME TO APPEAR ON CARD. More computer. Finally, a receipt with a correct name, and being told I need to wait another week or two for the correct card. No sorry, no apology for their error, no expedited processing for their mistake, just "Well, I don't know what happened the last time you were here." I have little faith my identity will be correctly established anytime soon. Ladies: ask for a PRINTED receipt to verify your name changes. read more

Five stars on yelp = "Woohoo! As good as it gets!" and as far as I'm concerned, with government agencies, this IS as good as it gets. I like to think that I am one to talk, since I've been through hell with government agencies on three different continents. Whether it's been the Social Security Office in South Central, the US Embassy in Perth, or the Procurator Fiscal's Office in Scotland, I've hated every single experience I've had. Some have been annoyances, some have been downright bullsh*t. But this was my second experience at this office in the last six months, and, I have to say, both have been painless - and could perhaps be described as downright pleasant. Both times I've showed up as soon as the office opened (the first time just a few minutes after, TODAY, about 1/2 and hour before), and perhaps that has something to do with my experience. However, today, when I arrived half an hour early, there was already a long line. I was pissed. It was my day off, and I was really only there to take my little sister to get a replacement card. But the line moved quickly as they checked people in and issued numbers according to what you needed (score, since ours was a simple request!), and by 9:11 (they open at 9), my sister and I were both leaving with our "proof of social security number" papers and our cards on the way in the next two weeks. ELEVEN MINUTES! And the woman who helped me (I got a replacement card as well, since I was there) even issued my sister the proof of SSN the woman who had helped her had forgotten instead of telling her to get back in line (something most government offices LOOOOOOOOVE to do, just because they can). I think our last visit only took longer because we had such a good time chatting with the man who helped us (and also because we were applying for my husband's first SSN as he'd just become a permanent resident after moving here from Australia). It's worth it to get there early. You're in and out in no time (there are 24 windows!), and the employees are generally not as miserable to be at work as most of us are later in the afternoon. read more

Everyone dreads going to the DMV, or any other type of government office right? I know I put off replacing my social security card for a whole year. To my pleasant surprise I was in and out in just 10 minutes! Plus it was free:-) All I had to do was fill out a form and wait for my number to be called. Keep in mind if you are going for any other reason than replacing your SS card it may take longer. You can't miss the building it has huge signs on the front and parking. Lot can get pretty full but chances are someone will leave pretty quickly so you have a good chance getting a spot. Hopefully I won't need to go the SS office until I'm a senior citizen(YIKES!) Can I put off aging too? read more

In and out of here in less than an hour. That makes it worth the 4-stars, period. The premises are clean, there's a lot of parking, and everyone from the guard at the front to the lady at counter 14, was cordial and professional. It helps to follow directions, so: - don't bring in a drink, finish in lobby - register at monitor at right to get a number - fill out an application from the counter at the left - wait patiently for number A435 (or whatever) to be called. One little funny bit: the first time I was here, I noticed that someone had left an extra number ticket at the monitor. It was a lower number than the one I had just received. So, I left mine there, used the number someone else had left - and was seen in 15 minutes. I figure that someone else also got a 15 minute short wait by using mine. Funny thing is that this happened again the second time I visited, last week. This time it saved me about 10 numbers, or about 15 minutes. An interesting bit of 'pay it forward' going on at the SSA. read more

I went to this office today to sign up for Medicare and it was a very pleasant experience. I checked in at 12:10pm and was out by 1:00. The lady that helped me was very nice and professional. Bud read more

Uh, wow. Service was so efficient. And not to mention--lightning speed fast! I waited for maybe 5 minutes after getting my number. Came in at 2:41 and out by 3:03! I brought a book to read but ended up not needing it. Apparently I came in on a good day. I guess contrary to popular assumptions, it's actually better to go in on the business day after a holiday. I can't guarantee that it's always gonna be only a 5-10 minute wait so do make an appointment online if you can. The person who helped me was very kind and respectful. I needed to get my card replaced and he was able to expedite the process so I can get my card 4 times sooner than the usual process. The securities were very nice also, they don't try to intimidate you and they say bye when you leave. A++ experience! read more

THIS is everything that is wrong with our government. The epitome of inefficient administration. I can't think of a worse place. Degraded, frustrated, dejected dregs of society forced to wait for hours for the simplest of needs. It's no wonder people hate this paying more and more for a government service that is this poor. There is no other business that would be tolerated if it's service was this atrocious! read more

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

Great set up! I dreaded the visit. Reviews or not, I expected to waste at least half a day and have to come back again. It is the government after all. Unlike the old office, it's well organised, there is plenty of parking and seating. Walk in the door, use the kiosk, get your number, and have a seat. There are four cues of numbers for waiting, depending on what you need. It goes along well. The person who helped us was mellow, patient, informative - genuinely helpful. It was an unexpected, very positive, experience. In total, with waiting, it took almost an hour - I had 3 issues, two requiring paperwork. Do not fear the office, in person. It's a breeze. read more

Stopped by this office this morning about 15 minutes after it opened. The website said there would be a long wait the first week of the month, but I figured if I went in early I would beat the crowds. However, I think about half of the City of Austin had the same idea! Parking was hairy, the waiting room was packed and we waited a little over an hour. Other than the crowds, it was a pretty pleasant experience. Check in was almost too easy, the waiting room was crowded, but clean, and once they got to my number, they got me finished up in about 10 minutes. You definitely want to check the website to make sure you have all of your documentation before you go in. I would hate to wait for an hour and be missing some document. read more

I was terrified to go to social security office. Been to two back in California. Both of them were dark, dirty, super unfriendly, incredibly slow. But I'm here to tell you: There are miracles. Don't give up hope. I went in 12:05 on the last Friday of the month to have my lost social security card replaced. Got number A100, and they were processing A79. There were other alphabets so I guess there were about 40 people before me. I walked out at 12:47. That's very efficient. The staffs were very nice. They had a system glitch and skipped couple of numbers. Me and a guy went talked to the security. He was very polite and kelp apologizing to a point I felt a little bit guilty. the problem was fixed right away. The gentleman taking my application was very nice too. Overall very impressed. read more

Ok...I'm as shocked as you. No one likes going to the DMV or the SSA office (they are very likely two of the 7 circles of hell in most people's books). HOWEVER...my experience was much better than I expected...let me tell you about it. I was going to get my name changed (a year an half after I got married - that's how much I was dreading it - a year and a half). I got there at 8:50am...they open at 9:00am. At 8:55am the doors opened and I was seated with a ticket in hand reading "A 20." It scared me at first that I only saw 8 windows until I realized that there are over 20 windows, but some were around the corner. I settled in and started watching "Snow Puppies" (a Disney movie) showing on the screen across the room. While not my a movie I would ever see of my own volition, it gave some entertainment. A few short minutes later my number was called. Within 30 minutes I was in and out. Not only that but the lady who helped me could not have been nicer. Thank you SSA....you changed my concept of your procedures and I will promote you to the "5pm HEB check-out line" circle of hell instead of the "waiting at Jiffy Lube" circle. read more

I expected to deal with an annoying office, and I was half-right. It was my own fault for coming here at noon, probably. But the wait was an hour (fill in your own tone here: "ONLY an hour!" -- enthusiastic -- or "only an HOUR" -- gripe gripe gripe) and the woman who helped me was very friendly and chatty. Yes, there were screaming babies. But there was air conditioning and seating (and as I recall, the SSA office in Houston does not have chairs, so this is a step up from that experience). Bring a book. read more

I went down to the office on Thursday, at 3:30 and their office closes at 4. I thought, oh great I probably won't even get seen today. But, I grabbed a number and within 10 minutes I was seen and out of the door! The only bad thing was the 2 and a half hour bus ride it took to get me there! I have nothing but positive things to say about the social security office! Kudos to you guys! :) read more

I just called the office to discuss a few issues I had with the website and looking to get more information. The receptionist was so rude on the call and literally gave no information and did not try to help me one bit. The government is a joke and has morons that work for them. That lady should not be able to answer phones if she is just going to be rude and uninformative. read more

5 stars for the staff, who are actually helpful. 0 stars for the experience. Long lines (although they move somewhat quickly). Large signs proclaiming no food or drink. It's like detention study hall at a bad middle school. read more

Came on a Friday, mid month for a name change. Got in line outside the door around 8:40am with about 40 people ahead in line. They opened the door early to check people in. I was in and out by 9:30am! read more

The service is so slow, you will need a day to get your stuff done ! They need to start providing online service to make it easier for Austin people. read more

Sweet Maria. This place is like Ellis Island. Like an idiot I showed up here at 1pm thinking that people had jobs and crap, but this is not the case. Packed to the gills with sweaty, angry people and screaming children, this is truly one of my worst nightmares come true. Why the 3-star rating, you ask? Because despite the teeming hordes of the great unwashed, the staff here was surprisingly pleasant and helpful. I entered the wrong reason-for-my-visit code at the self-serve kiosk and would have waited for hours if the staff hadn't pointed out my error. When my number was called, the lady who helped me was delightful. Word on the street is, show up at 7:45am and you'll be in and out in no time. But who on earth is up THAT early? read more

This place is an absolute breeze....if you're applying for a replacement card. At some point during my move between apartments, I misplaced my card. I printed and filled on the paper online, walked in on a Friday morning at around 10 and saw the line out the door. UGH, not what I wanted. But to my surprise, they "place" you into different lines depending on what you're there for. Luckily, by having my ID and form out and ready got me straight to someone for a replacement card. Got my card in the mail 2 weeks later, like promised. I was in and out in around 7 minutes - super impressed. read more

Friday morning 10am, came here to get my name changed after getting married almost 2 months ago.. walked in, took my number, waited for about 15 minutes. My number was called. Couldn't fill out the paperwork at home because of my faulty printer, but that wasn't a problem at all! The woman helping us was extremely polite and assured us that it was not a problem that I didn't have the paperwork. She just asked some basic questions i.e SS number, mother's maiden name, father's full name, address, and asked to see my I.D and marriage certificate. Within a few minutes, I was all done and we were on our way. Extremely pleasant experience, compared to the Houston SS office, [I'm a native Houstonian] this place is immaculate! Easy, quick and painless experience. read more

For those of you who have been following my SSA saga, here's the final update. They finally sent my card to the correct address. Luckily, I ended up not having to go back in after all. The nice gentleman that I talked to who told me that they sent it to wrong address, ended up giving me his name and direct office address. I sent my old and new temporary driver's licenses in (I kept my hard copy DL with my new name), filled out new paperwork, and they were able to correct it. I'm glad it's done and over with, but I never want to have to deal with them again. read more

So the hours are terrible and inconvenient but they have their system down pat. Came in around 12:30 for a name change and was out the door by 1:15. I was expecting an all day affair. Everyone who worked there was nice and helpful. I suggest bringing a book. Keep your ears open for your number and window. If you miss it, you have to get another number. Don't worry, they give you 3 chances. Certainly wasn't the worst experience of my life. If only they had more convenient hours! read more

I would rather go to the dentist and get root canals all day than go back to the SSA again. However, like Kristen F., I got married and decided to change my name. I wanted to drop my first name and go by my middle, maiden and then new last name. After waiting in that bus station of an office for 2 1/2 hours, my name is finally called. The clerk looked past me the whole time I sat at his desk. When he gave me my receipt, I grabbed it and ran out of there! Big mistake. They changed my name wrong. Now a year later I'm finally sucking it up to go back to that hellhole tomorrow to get them to fix it. They would not fix it through the mail. I should also note that they had no problem changing my social security card first. I haven't gotten my driver's license changed yet. I had heard from my other married friends that you had to change the SS card first. read more

These folks couldn't have been more helpful and organized. I arrived 15 minutes before opening time, and the line was out to the street. But by opening time, I had been courteously checked in and was awaiting a representative to assist with my Medicare issue. Ms. V. Colter was tremendously skillful and effective, getting things straightened out then and there (I had been denied Part B coverage in error by mail by the Wilkes Barre, PA, office, a situation that would have left my wife and I without coverage, so I was upset). Ms. Colter got everything entered in the system, and I left assured (total time: less than 45 minutes since arrival) that things were fixed. To top it off, she called us the following work day to inform that everything had indeed been approved. Bravo, folks! read more

no, it's not a fun experience but it wasn't bad. yes, somethings in life require waiting. try to go early, expect a wait, bring a book, ipod and/or do some people watching. once my number was called, the process was very quick, the gentleman helping me was incredibly nice, my card arrived earlier than expected and parking was simple. also, I wouldn't say I am a "fan" but see no reason to not give them the deserved 4 stars. read more

Thinking about getting my name changed after marraige...check...have the paperwork already filled out before I get there.. check... get sent to the "express line" and out the door 2 minutes after they open..Awesome! ...That is until my card comes in the mail and my name is not correct. Apparently the "express line" means they enter your application into a computer at a later time, leaving room for people to not get your information correct. Save another trip to the office and get in the "regular line". Apparently that was the advice I got after I called to say my name came in wrong on my card. Why have an express lane if you're not going to file the application with the exact information I took the time to write down for you? Government at its finest. read more

As far as government offices go, this is the best one ever. Both times my fiancé and I went the people here were extremely fast, friendly, and efficient. read more

This one is definitely the busier location of the two in Austin. Service was very good but I waited about 1.5 hours, where the wait at the South Austin location is about 20-30 minutes. read more

I picked the worst time and day to visit. Monday after Thanksgiving. I have been here for 3 hours and still waiting. Seriously? I just need a name change. Why do I have to wait this long? Some staff are on lunch break making it even worse. I really hope I don't have to be here for closing at 3pm. read more

Not a bad experience at all. I visited the office on Friday at 12:20 and left by 12:45 to change my name on my social security card after getting married. The kiosk made me a little nervous because my queue number seemed relatively high and there was a sign indicating a 2 hour wait; however, they seem to expedite 'change of name' folks, as the numbers are not called in order. I would recommend filling out the form from their website prior to going to the office. The waiting area is very full and has a diverse group of people, so there isn't a secure location to sit and write the personal information needed for the form. The form can be found online and filled out in PDF. read more

I decided to go to change my name on a Wednesday at about 1:30 pm... I guess I got lucky or something but I was there only about 15 minutes. I took a book with me and I didn't even get to read it. The gentleman that helped me was sooooo nice. He told me that the time that I had chosen to go and change my name was the best time of the day because most people are at work at that time... So I was happy! read more

So many people but thank u god I was in and out with in 30 min. And the very awesome lady who help me today was so great and knowledgeable

This is the second time coming here to try and get my son's social security. They are extremely strict when it comes to getting social security for your son. Expect to wait at least an hour... Long long long wait.. Blah. But going into the building, selecting the correct ticket and waiting until they call your number is as organize as it can get. read more

Surprisingly not a bad experience, about 13 people ahead of me and only took 40 minutes. The employees were very pleasant and fast! I don't plan on frequenting here but doesn't make me have nightmares either! read more

Never thought I'd review a Social Security office. But hey, they did a great job considering many bureaucratic environments can cause head-bashing. Nice staff, culture seems to be very customer-oriented and efficient. Took about 45 minutes in and out to request a new card. Agent found and corrected errors on my file without prompting. Good folks. Well run queuing system. read more

I'd give it five stars if it wasn't such a long dang wait. But since I knew that it was a long ordeal going in, and since the rest of the experience was great, four stars. I had three things to be accomplished and the guy at the window knew exactly what forms to use, how to fill them out, made it painless as could be, and was polite as a person could possibly be, esp since he's got to deal with the public all day every day, and has done so for over ten years now. I got there about 2:30PM. Left about 3:50PM. So take something to read, and get ready for some great people-watching; a real nice cross-section of the good ol' US of A in there, and if you're relaxed and friendly you'll not only make your day better but their day also, everybody walks out a little bit lighter, more at ease. The place is clean and not real noisy (I can't stand a real noisy place and I was concerned that I'd be getting into that but nope, they keep a darn good order and keep the place awfully clean and nice, esp given how many people parade through those rooms each day.) Just know that it's going to take some time, that's all. And mine wouldn't have taken near as long had I only one simple thing to take care of, like changing name on Social Security card or whatev's. But as I noted above, I had three different things I needed changed so had to go to a specialists window. They are soon to open another office in South Austin, like down by Brodie and 71, so for those of us in South Austin, it'll be a bit easier soon; the guy told me a few months, we'll have to see. Take a book and enjoy your time. read more

I had great help there with retirement benefits. The rep even volunteered extremely valuable information on matters I hadn't thought to ask about. Be sure to take a book or magazine because the wait can be long. read more

Not bad at all today. My first attempt at a name change here was horrible. I went at the beginning of the month around 10am. After calculating how long each number took and how many numbers were in front of me, I left. I returned on a Thursday morning at the end of the month about 20 minutes before they opened. There were 50 people in line ahead of me but only one of them was for a name change so I basically walked straight up to the window and was out within 5 minutes. The clerk was very nice and pleasant so, all in all, this was a fine experience. Timing is key with this place. read more

Of course a lot depends on how busy they are and how complex the issues are to be solved. I was always fortunate to get in and out quickly. Needless to say I would have been grouchy if I had to wait too long. Just like a Drs office where you may wait but still get personalized attention once you get in there. The staff there were always friendly and professional. read more

I just returned from this Social Security office. After having waited only an hour (as I had arrived just after it opened), I was directed to a window where I explained to the clerk that I had received the card but not the materials I had submitted to apply for it. A look of "Oh, no - I can't believe this happened - someone really fouled-up" came across her face, and she seemed really motivated to help me. After a few moments somewhere else in the office, she returned and asked me if I had received any receipt for the materials. I replied that I had not, any of the three times I had submitted them. Then she told me that I should check with the post office to see where the envelope might have been delivered. I told her that it was not my responsibility, but that of the Social Security Admin., to ensure the return of the materials. Then she told me that I could either wait to speak with a manager or be escorted out of the building - the latter supposedly because I was arguing with her. The security guard' appeared behind me, "suggesting" that I "do what the lady tells me,." I repeated to the clerk that it was not my responsibility to ensure the return of my documents, and that I had already waited, and had a friend waiting for me in his car in the parking lot. Her attitude not defensively hostile, she told me that if I didn't want to wait to talk to a manager, she had to "terminate this interview," with a glance behind me at the security guard. Realizing that the manager would likely put me through the same double-talk, and that I nor my friend could wait any longer, I just left. Tomorrow I'll get up early and go to the DPS for a replacement of my state-issued ID card. Then I'll send another money order to the state of my birth for another copy of my birth certificate. And pay, again, for both. And pray that no one's stealing my identity with my lost documents. By the way, when one calls this SS office, one is told, "We're busy, so call back later - or stay on the line to talk to a representative at the National Office." Should I have to explain the idiocy of that? This is idiocracy in action. (Or is that "Inaction?") Another -5 stars, please. read more