Service is great it's the people that go there who waste time. Please wrap it up, people are here for business. Don't blame the workers because it is the patrons. Please respect everyone's time. Highly recommend with my utmost respectful regards. read more

Great experience at the Social Security office. The staff was very kind, professional, and helpful. The wait time was surprisingly short, and everything went smoothly. Definitely appreciated how organized and welcoming everyone was! read more

Had to drop a form off as I didn't want to mail it in. There's a box right by the front door as you enter against the wall. Just slipped my form in an envelope and you put your return address on the envelope with phone number. It wasn't too busy as I saw only a handful in the waiting room. There's a restroom too. Hours posted on the door M-F opened 9 AM - 4PM. read more

The most professiona, quickest and accommodating gov office I have EVER been to. I hope all those workers get raises and vacation.

Came here twice this year. Both times were excruciating to wait in line. Around 20-40 mins. Both days were really hot. Got a tan on my feet, got a nice floral tan from my Lace Toms. ON MY FEET!! They check your bags before heading in. Only 12 ppl inside at a time. MASK REQUIRED!! Inside was really cool and refreshing. They allow you to use the restroom. Seats blocked off with caution tape to be 6 ft apart. I was with my mom (as we came here for her retirement and SSI) Wanted to sit with her and an older guy employee reminded me 6 ft apart but if I must insist go ahead. He was really funny and nice. Once we got inside, you get a ticket from the booth. And the wait wasn't that long. Around 5-10 mins we were called. Did what we came to do and done and left. First time we got a employee name Lee, she was really nice, informative, clear and quick. Second time, another nice lady, don't know her name but she helped with our inquiries as we needed. read more

Social Security - Public Services & Government Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Very useful authorization for my new check in with Lao. Thank goodness it went very well with all documentation verified to help me solve my serious problem and concerns. Since my current payments were suspended I am on hold for paying bills and it's very painstakings. Perhaps next week I'll visit with Ms. Collin's on 7th Street. Thank you so much Lao for working best like a qualified attorney and lawyer on my case on my side on a Friday afternoon. Lao really cares about his social security clients activity and needs. My needs were met only because of a kind hearted man who has been so beneficial named "Lao." I tried multiple times in Contra Costa with people that misunderstood me. Lao reaffirmed what was wrong initially by re-reporting my government benefits would take time to be processed and completed by the government payment center. He sympathized with me and listened directly to what I said to help me keep safe. He did a totally outstanding job helping me pass my request through like last June. With "Lao" everything was going well and I managed to make immense progress with a successful recovery for a solid week to come. He did a great job to help me to make the best sense possible of a messy situation that was spiraling out of control for me. His relentless determination and effort and enthusiasm inspired me to share this now. Plus I left feeling genuinely happy about my small victory over the Contra Costa team. (A very disrespectful Contra Costa Social Security Administration office employees were unfair to me.) There is only one exception: to hire handsome men who can make a difference and make a difference for change for the better. He was so reliable and it is so relevant for everyone. Thank God Lao was available to help me clear up my confusion. I am so appreciative of him validating my issues and achieving something for me. Let's give him some credit and consideration for reaching out for me to the appropriate people to help me get paid faster now. A million words cannot express my gratitude and respect for "Lao" in-helping me to keep it together well for bill paying soon. Thank you so greatly for keeping me happy and healthy throughout my visit with the Chinatown community and people it's been a privilege and a blessing for me in every aspect. read more

Wanted to replace my Card .. The process was straight forward . Did my application on line . Choose documents they require to present. That's it . Print your Number and show up at the facility.. Get a number and wait for your number to be called .. Not even 15mins . Showed my application number I did online and my CA DL and Birth Cert .. The person gave me a confirmation as to where their mailing it ... read more

As this SSA office is near Chinatown and FiDi, parking can be a pain. We arrived around 1:40 on a Thursday without an appointment. Waiting room was full Pulled a number from the kiosk and waited. About 30 numbers to go. After about 1:20 we were called. Not too bad. Had 3 issues to work through. The lady helping me apparently was in training as she had someone explaining what to do. Took about 45 minutes to do everything I needed to do. The workers were real nice and thanked us for our patience with the trainee. No problem as long as everything was handled correctly. Definitely will come here instead of the other SF SSA offices. read more

Social Security - Full waiting room - Public Services & Government Near Me - San Francisco, California

One would think that a government website would be flawlessly coded especially when it represents a federal agency. I will be brief.. If you access the Social Security website and wish to contact SS, the next page provides methods recommended. One is by calling, the next is by writing a letter and so on. (the following is one specific example of why I am writing this) If you select the option of sending an email. it allows up to 5,000 words to explain the reason you are contacting them. Once you are done filling in your name, address and phone number along with your message, the message is then submitted. What happens next is the issue... You receive an email confirmation from the SS website acknowledging receipt of your message. Your response is explaining that due to noting your SS number to identify yourself, it would not be safe for them to respond to you, therefore, you must either call..OR write a letter... With all the times I have been on hold with these people, sometimes for an hour and 45 minutes+, or taking a number at an actual local office, and having to wait sometimes 2 hours.... they STILL give us the runaround with wasting time on their website... do they understand that our time is valuable also? Doesn't appear that way. read more

This is the most efficient SS office you'll find. Service is friendly and efficient, and staff are knowledgeable and thorough. The office opens at 9am and the line usually starts at 8:15-8:30. Expect 15-20 people ahead of you if you go right at 9am. The security guard at this site is SO GOOD. He goes above and beyond, and he's alert and aware of all things. He controls the crowd and people flow into the office to ensure there's no overcrowding inside the office (hence the line outside). THANK GOD for the wondeful bilingual security guard -- no doubt he is the key contributor of makes the experience at this office so pleasant. I've had situations where (1) old folks were blasting their phone with TV shows (2) there were 2 patrons chatting up a storm LOUDLY, and (3) people were starting to take out their lunches and have a picnic! (no joke, bread, cheese, meat) ... all put to an immediate end by the wondeful security guard for the comfort of all other waiting patrons. Thank Goodness!!! Once you're inside, go to 1 of the 2 kiosk and get a number, then wait to be called. I've waited as little as 10 mins and as long as 90-mins. SS service agents are specialists so they all do different things.. so your wait will depends on how crowded the day is and how many people are wanting the same service as you. But once you're in front of the agent, they are thorough and knowledgeable. You will be helped if you have all documentation ready and complete. Really, really appreciate this office and the excellent customer service. Once again, big shout out to the GREAT Asian security guard. Great Job!!!! read more

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It's the best local office. Clean and well organized. The agents are friendly, patient and professional.

My mom and dad came in on 4/21 at 11am and was turned away because the lady said they came in too late. Why have business hours posted when your staff can just decide where and when to do their job. read more

went around lunch time on a Thursday and it was so empty! I only had to wait about 10 mins and the appointment was quick.

Best government office experience ever. I was pretty apprehensive about the process and wait involved with updating my social security card. I'd read a few reviews online and most of them mentioned that this particular office was the most efficient and helpful and so I headed out there rather than go to the other locations in SF even though they may have been closer to me. Turns out this was a great decision. I was in an out within 5 minutes on a Tuesday morning in the middle of the month at around 10.45am. Such a short wait is likely the exception for simple social security updates as there were at least 80 people there when I arrived. I guess they had more complicated issues since I got called ahead of all of them. When you walk in, you'll go to one of the computer terminals and select what you're there for and get a ticket. Tickets have a letter and a number. The letter denotes what kind of task you're there for. Social security updates are definitely very quick and there was only one person before me. Do not wear headphones while you're there since the automated system sometimes calls your number very softly. Even though they do call your number again in person, sometimes by name and in Chinese for the older folks visiting, I wouldn't risk it. Just pay attention. Also, do not lose your ticket because the person at the counter will ask for it. For a social security update, I suggest filling in and printing the form ahead of time and making sure to bring the relevant supporting documents. The woman helping me was very polite and efficient and the process was painless. This office is highly recommended for simple updates. read more

Service is friendly and efficient! It's about a 10-minute walk from the bart station (Embarcadero). I came in to change my name after recently getting married. Walked in on a Friday morning around 9:30a, my number was called at 10:15a, and I was out the door by 10:25a. I brought every document I thought they might ask for (birth certificate, passport, original social security card, etc.), but was only asked for: - Completed Application - Driver's License - Marriage Certificate Seems like this is the case for most name changes. By looking at the other reviews, it may be a much longer process/wait time if you're coming in for any other reason! read more

Very quick. Went for a replacement card change of name and address. John made my experience seamless! Thank you for the speedy service.

Fast service if you're changing your name! If I had known it was this quick, I would've done it earlier. Super fast and efficient - mostly Asian workers and clientele. You can't bring in drinks or food but you can leave them by the door. read more

Great staff and great services very helpful and detail to walk me through process and procedure. Made appointment for my paper work.

Remarkably well run compared to other locations. The guard is both nice and professional. Staff seem more competent- make fewer errors. read more

The staff here are super nice .I took my mom to handle the social security number today.The lady was very patient to help us .She's super nice read more

Arrived at 9, got helped at 9.30 and they processed my name change in 3 minutes. Card arrives via mail in ~2 weeks. She reviewed my - birth certificate - marriage license - application for name change and I also brought my social security card and passport but I can't remember if those were reviewed... I just handed her a folder with all necessary documents and it went super quick! read more

I had to take care of setting up my Medicare Part B and went to this Social Security Office to accomplish this. On entry, the guard was polite and thoroughly made sure that nothing dangerous came in with me. The wait was an hour, which I had expected. And finally, the Social Security worker who went over my paperwork was helpful, polite, and very knowledgeable. He even found an error on a form filled out by my employer. So, it was task accomplished. By the way, the rest-rooms are spotless. read more

If you're getting your social security card name changed, DEFINITELY come here! No wonder it has good reviews compared to the mission location. Quick and easy, you go to the little black monitor and select your option, then grab a ticket. Mostly everyone there is old and trying to probably do more difficult things with their social security, so with a name change, its a totally different category and bumps you in a different "line". In and out in 10 mins! WHOO! I filled out my papers online and printed it to bring with me so do that! read more

I didn't bother to make an appointment because the next availability was a month away, but the drop-in experience was very smooth. I walked in on a Friday at 10:15 PM with my completed form and all the supporting documents. By a quarter to 11, I was seen by a very pleasant Social Security employee, who processed my application and gave me a printed letter of confirmation. read more

I went to the SSO yesterday (Tuesday) to get my name changed after getting married and was so impressed by their efficiency & friendliness! Since I read on Yelp that people line up early, I got in line around 8:50am, 10 minutes before they opened. There were around 30-40 people in line already, but once 9:00am hit I was inside the building in less than 10 minutes! They checked my bag at the door, then I waited in a line to check in and get a number. This probably took about 15 minutes - pretty quick. Once I got my number and took a seat, I was called to a window in about 10 minutes. The woman helping me was super friendly, checked my documents (ID, SS-5 form & marriage certificate), got me into the system, and handed me a receipt letting me know that my updated SS card would arrive in 2 weeks. I was out of there by 9:30am, which is pretty amazing! I've never had such a fast and positive experience with a federal establishment before! Hopefully the DMV will be just as great, but won't get my hopes up! ;) read more

The staff at this Social Security Administration office are friendly, courteous, and efficient. I came here in 2005 with my aunt and uncle so they can get their Social Security Cards. One of my aunts helped my cousin apply for a Social Security Card as well. Apparently, they were able to get everything taken care of in an hour - extremely efficient. They all received their Social Security Cards just one week of having the paperwork submitted. ADVISORY: This is a government office as well so when you go in, it is likely that you may have to go through a security check point. read more

My wife an I visited the Chinatown social security office this morning. The wait wasn't too bad since we arrived around 9:30 and expected that there would be a pretty good crowd. The representative that helped us was indeed kind and helpful but unfortunately we needed to see someone else and were told that we would need to wait an additional 40 minutes. With thoughts of a nice cup of coffee in mind we decided that we would seek one out and return in plenty of time for our new appointment. This was not meant to be as we were met with a surly, officious security guard , who told us that we would lose our appointment and would have to reregister for a new one if we left. As we slinked back to our seats we noticed additional unnecessary behavior from this same self important official. To others.. "No, you can't stand in the waiting area." "No, you can't drink coffee here." "If you don't have an appointment, you should come back later." ( plenty of seats we're available) Does he really have to frisk some elderly people after having searched their bags? It's bad enough that agencies such as this i.e. DMV, are understaffed and require way to much time to take care of necessary business without the additional aggravation of having to deal with some of this caliber. Maybe it's a job requirement to be rough, sour, and unpleasant. His apparent constipation shouldn't become everyone else's problem. read more

I can't believe I am reviewing Social Security. What?!? So I expected the visit to be a painful experience, and it turned out rather painlessly. Thank goodness. In and out of there under 40 minutes. If you expected less time than that, you have to check your expectation. It's a government agency afterall. No hassle. Resolved under 1 hour. BAM! DONE! I did do my research and downloaded a form before going, so that may have also saved a few minutes. #Impressed. #Surprised. #YouRock read more

I wasn't able to log into my account, I called the main line, and they told me I had to go in to get an activation code. This alone was terrible; how can a website in this day and age not verify who you are and requires you to show up in person for a code?! So I go there on a weekday afternoon. Place was packed. First you get a number. Then you wait a while until they call your number so you can check in! What is the point of this check in if you already got a number?! At the check in, they don't even ask for the purpose of your visit so it's not like they're segregating you into different lines for different purposes (that's what they do at the DMV). After the check in (probably took 30 minutes to call my number), I waited nearly 1.5 more hours to get called. The woman who was helping me was very very nice and went out of her way to check a few extra things in my account for me, but she was so slow! She even got up twice while she was helping me, unannounced, and just disappeared for her desk for a few minutes mid-transaction! This place is worse than the DMV. Reason being that the workers are extremely slow and probably incompetent. The system they've set up is also wholly inefficient. read more

I'm so pissed today. Before, I had appointment but can't make it and want to make an appointment (they can't make it for me). I need to walk in. When I walk in and wait an hours, they told me to wait another hour. I can't make it another hour because I had doctor appointment and want to make another appointment but still can't. What happen to the government policy sucks man? Waste my times always After a week, I came still need to wait for 4 hours to processing all the paperwork. But it is done. The staffs here are nice that's the only thing is good. read more

The Social Security Administration office: The horror! The filth! The line! The freakshow! Um, NOT here. Yep, that's CORRECT: the office at 560 Kearny is blissfully FREE of the following: security check at the door, cracked out or mentally ill clientele, fighting, angry hookers, two hour waits. What the office at 560 Kearny DOES have: comfy chairs, polite staff and clientele, a clean waiting area, a wait time that can fit into a lunch break. Most of the horror stories you'll hear about the SSA are for the 5th and Market location. So, for those of you who need to change your name with the U.S. Government, do not fear mon petite coeur du sucre! Just follow my steps below for a QUICK AND PAINLESS NAME CHANGE with the Social Security Administration: Step 1: Gather all documents: A) Driver's license or Passport B) Proof of legal name change (for EXAMPLE: Certified Marriage Certificate) C) Form SS-5 http://www.socialsecurity.gov/online/ss-5.pdf NOTE: you may want to fill this form out in advance - changing your name can be emotional and you may want to really consider it carefully before you do it. Also consider bringing reading material, homework or some other diversion. Step 2: Do NOT go to the 5th and Market location. Yes, it's the first one to pop up on the SSA office search. No, you don't HAVE to go there. Step 3: Go to 560 Kearny St. After entering the door, you may be a bit confused about where to "take a number" as the large sign instructs you to do. The "take a number" location is at the doorway across from the waiting area (it's one open room, so you can't miss it). Step 4: Go to that doorway, and press "1" on the little keypad to the right of the monitor screen. A ticket with your number and your VERY ACCURATE estimated waiting time will print out. Step 4: Take a seat and read your book/do your homework/knit/plan world domination. I went at 1:00 on a Wednesday and my estimated wait time was 35 min. It's likely shorter first thing in the morning (they open at 9:00 a.m.) NOTE: You'll keep hearing what sounds like bingo announcements in Mandarin. If you're TOTALLY clueless (like me) you might think that they're calling out NUMBERS in Mandarin and get all nervous that you're going to miss your turn. ACTUALLY, the announcements are people's NAMES. 99.9% of the clientele here are elderly Chinese. Step 5: When your number is called, go to the window of the person who called it (there's 5 windows, only 2-3 are open so it's pretty easy) Step 6: Hand the clerk your documents. He/she will type in your info and make copies of your marriage certificate and driver's license/passport. Then he/she will show you a form and ask you to verify that the name and address are correct. REVIEW THIS CAREFULLY. Not because they're likely to make mistakes, but b/c you DO NOT want to have to come back to do this ALL OVER AGAIN, no matter how NICE the staff is. Step 7: Once you've confirmed that the information you've received is correct, you'll receive a receipt. Your new SS card with your NEW NAME will be mailed to you at the address provided. Total time it took for me to change my name from Hannala Sparkle Pants M. TO Hannala Sparkle Pants M. T. (NO HYPHEN!!!): 29 min. (ok, MAYBE my middle name ISN'T "Sparkle Pants" - BUT, if I'd wanted it to be "Sparkle Pants" I could have changed it to that simply by writing it on the form) Total fee: $0 Total processing time to receive new card: One week! Next step: The DMV :-( (p.s. if this review looks familiar to you, it's b/c I posted it last week, only to have it deleted when Yelp moved the reviews for the 5th & Market location to the correct address) read more

Beginning the tedious process of changing my name & starting point is w/ the SSN - luckily the Social Security Administration office is right across the street from my office Walked in & saw about 3000 people in line so immediately left & called for an appt.....they were booked for the next 3 weeks but at least I was guaranteed no waiting in line & I was in no rush so no big deal! When I went back for the appt, the place was just as packed as the last time but after checking in at the computer ( they're like the airport kiosks ), w/in about 2 min, my name was called.....getting to go in front of all those people in the waiting room = score! Their website is easy to use so I could fill out my application ahead of time & I knew what paperwork I'd need to bring w/ me.....thanks for making sure I was prepped! Took care of my needs, processed my paperwork, got my receipt & I was out the door in less than 5 min. And best part is my receipt says when to expect my new SSN card & I heart people who set expectations. I'm totally loving this place! read more

Getting married is fabulous, but officially going from Rebecca W. to Rebecca O. via bureaucratic government channels had been filling me with a paralyzing dread. A recently married friend had mentioned having good luck at the Chinatown Social Security office, but when I searched for it on www.ssa.gov, no mas. Luckily, Hannala's review absolutely saved me. Armed with all of the info, appropriate forms and documentation I needed, I headed over to 560 Kearny. The waiting room was clean and pleasant and the best part is that I was done in less than an hour. If you can't take Muni, the Portsmouth Square Garage is very reasonable at $3/hour. It's 2 blocks away at Kearny & Clay. It's nice to finally be legit. Rebecca O. in the house!!!!! read more

Came here on a Wednesday morning a little after they opened. To be on the safe side, I put in about 1hr and 15min worth of quarters in the meters, preparing to wait while I catch up on work emails, phone calls etc. I walked in and grabbed a number and within 5 minutes, my number was called. What?? I haven't even gotten through my voicemail yet! After I checked in, I waited only about 10 more minutes before they called me back up to the window to process my paperwork for a name change. I was in and out of the social security office in 20 minutes. MIND. BLOWN. What an amazing way to start off my morning. Never thought I'd say that coming out of a government building. A note: to change your name, fill out the name change form prior to coming to the office and bring with you a government issued ID (driver's license, passport, etc) and your original marriage certificate with your new name on there. This makes the process faster. Next up, DMV.. read more

To have come without an appointment and be finished with my business in about an hour is truly impressive. This is what I experienced in this branch of Social Security Administration, which I chose because it is near my work. The process is fairly easy. You have to get in line and be subjected to a brief security check. The guard only asked to inspect my purse and I did not have to take off my shoes. The line was long, but it moved in a reasonable pace. If you are in a hurry and/or just trying to be more efficient, make an appointment. Convenient and surprisingly more efficient than others, this SSA branch helped me reclaim my name without much of a hassle. If you are in the Financial District and have business with the SSA, this location is where you should go. read more

I wish the DMV was this painless! I finally got around to changing my name after being married for a few months. I read a bunch of Yelp reviews and decided my best option was to go to this location. I arrived here at around 8:15 AM on a Monday and there were about 10 people in front of me. It wasn't too bad as folks were very patient. At one point, some random lady tried to cut in line in front of the nice old couple in front of me. They told her in Cantonese that there's a line and proceeded to move over to block her. I was cracking up until I realized she just got behind them and now she's cutting me! I looked at her and said "you shouldn't cut in line." She waved her hands at me like she didn't get what I was saying, mumbled some words and left a minute later. Needless to say, the patrons here don't mess around! :) The doors opened at around 8:55 AM to start letting people in. There was a security guard who asked to check everyone's bags and backpacks upon entry. It was a quick check and it was not thorough. Everyone in line proceeded to obtain a ticket number from the computer kiosk. There seemed to be a few options but I noticed that everyone, including myself, checked #3 "all other business" - and like that, I got a number. I waited less than 10 minutes before my number was called. You have to really pay attention because some of the window attendants do not speak clearly the English numbers (or rush in saying it) and instead say it in Cantonese. When my number was called, the guy took my application and after a minute said "please wait and someone will call your name." I was thinking "oh shit, now I'm going to be stuck here for hella long..." - But I was very wrong! I waited another 5 minutes before another person at the window called my name. She processed my name change in a few minutes. All in all, it took me about 15-20 minutes total and I was on my way to work. W00T! read more

I came here during my lunch break on a Friday to get my name changed. You'll have to show your bag to the security guard when you walk in, then use a touch screen computer to get a number. There are five windows but only three were used from 12 pm to 1 pm, so I don't know if the other two employees were on their lunch break or if they only have three windows available at all times. After I got my number, I noticed that there were 14 numbers ahead of me. It took about 70 minutes for them to call my number, and once I got to the service window it only took five minutes to complete the paperwork. I just brought my marriage certificate, the form, which I had filled out beforehand, and my passport, and that was sufficient. read more

Government offices to someone with disabilities is like Hell on Earth. I will never understand why they act as if they are accomodating, when they honestly don't make it any easier for you. Upon walking in I noticed a sign on the wall reading something like, "If you are blind or visually impaired", I found this to be weird because I'm willing to bet my paycheck that a blind person cannot read a sign that's not in braille. So what's my problem? I'm mildly hard of hearing. Throw an accent on something and it gets really difficult for me to comprehend, and if it's being broadcast out of a muffled speaker system? Why am I even bothering? I arrived to the office 20 minutes before opening, took a number and sat down. FYI, they even have an option on the ticket machine that asks if you are blind, deaf, or hard of hearing, something they'd like to know so they can "better assist you". Great, I thought. Only to realize that I'd never get my turn because I missed hearing my number being called. I couldn't make out whether someone was saying 35 or 45. Even the DMV has visual number displays for people to refer to, seriously? This review probably isn't helpful for 99% of the people reading it, but maybe, just maybe, someone who works for one of these agencies will read this and get a clue. For what it's worth, if you're getting a name change, it appears as though they call numbers based upon the complexity of business. I noticed most of the women getting name changes were in and out before most of the people ahead of them. As for me, I'll be mailing my documents to the office tomorrow. EDIT: So if anyone was wondering how long the process took for mailing. I mailed all my original documents into the office about a week from my original review. It took a month for them to return with a letter stating I'd get my new social security card within 2 weeks. The card actually arrived about a week later. read more

Wow, I gather I am running the party here. I don't know why everyone loves this place. Maybe there is turnover in the staff and everyone that gave it a 5 got to deal with different people than I did. I am a fiduciary for my father-in-law who is the SS beneficiary. The VA has recognized me as such and I submitted all the documentation that satisfied the VA. All I wanted to find out was whether a direct deposit request submitted directly by a bank had been already processed by SS. The young staffer after clicking at her computer for minutes and asking me all sorts of questions then abruptly told me she could not talk to me because SS does not recognize any of the document I had submitted. I was OK with the facts, not with the tone. She also made stupid statements such as "if you live in California and your father-in-law lives in Novato, how can you possibly help him with his financial affairs?" As a minor detail, if you are not Asian and less than 100 years old you are going to stick like a sore thumb in this office. I noticed that all the conversations around me were taking place in Mandarin or Cantonese. read more

This isn't a review for the office, but rather the pleasant private security officer who works here. He's such a wonderful help to everyone and although I'm sitting here in what I think will be a 1.5 hour wait, I can't help but smile because he's just so great! There's a reason this office has 4.5 stars. I don't think I've ever been so happy while in such a long line. read more