Just wanted to share my experience 1. Call the local number ahead of time. The 1-800 number is a trap, you wait for over 1 hour on hold, and then they can't help you anyways. The local folks know exactly what can be done (their services have been scaled back because of budget cuts), and if you need an appointment or a walk in is okay. If an appointment, might be ~6 weeks out because of backlog, be prepared. 2. 4 separate people will ask you why you're visiting, be super clear in what you need + if you have an appointment or were told you didn't have to make one. 3. Listen carefully for the numbers being called. Their PA system is super mid, and depending on who is calling the number from what window, it might not be clear. Lol everyone in the waiting room banded together to try discern what's being said. "You got that ticket number?" "Think it was this, who caught the window number?" 4. The employees are short staffed, but very empathetic + helpful. You just have to work together with them, have your id + documents ready for when it's your turn and they ask for stuff. Thanks to the guy that helped me (think AF vet?), got what I needed to file taxes for my mom who recently passed. read more

Efficient if you follow instructions and have all your documents. Security checkpoint was fine. Opt for street parking if driving - $1.50 per hour and meters take coins and cards. Structure parking is across the street but rate is $12. There is a bathroom available inside the building after you go through security. read more

Excellent service and run well. Short wait time. Sign up online first and make sure you have all your required documents before heading over. There are two entrances and you have to go through a scanner. Be prepared aa this can go slow. read more

I saw most of reviews which most people had terrible experiences. But I was lucky to be taken in earlier despite having an appointment at 9am. They open exactly at 830am. They advise to check in on your phone with confirmation number once outside the door. The worker who helped me said that most times the people don't have current address where the SSN card be can mailed to and correct documents. I got receipt of my application, instructions in case my card doesn't come in 2 weeks, number to call. Card came in within 2 week mark so I can begin my next steps to changing my last name. Much appreciation to the staff for making my first trip to SSA building a successful one. read more

At 2pm on March 5, 2026, I called 800-772-1213 10 times. The automated message would not take my call. I requested "Operator", "Representative" and "I need help". Nothing worked. They keep saying "Sorry. Goodbye". The SSA message was "If you're finished, feel free to hang up" 50 times in a row. No one to answer. It's like they don't want to help you on the phone. read more

Helpful and informative it was fast and they fixed the problem fast thank you very much

They actually gave us the paper with the right number to make the appt with Honolulu office. Even though we wasted an hour. read more

Social Security Administration - the number to call honolulu social security office for make an appt - Public Services & Government Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Honolulu location doesn't take walk-ins for social security card replacements... make an appointment. I don't know about the other locations but for Honolulu... got there before they opened... stood in line... then they announced that no walk-ins would be taken. They are short staffed. Boo. Good luck everyone~ read more

Note to self., Be very patient, this is the Federal government you are dealing with. I don't recall or did I visit the Social Security Administration before? Well this visit I am doing it for my Momma! I needed to submit a requested document and the envelope to send the documents wasn't attached so I made a spontaneous stop and I had to get it over with I had 10 days to submit. Ok, here goes my experience. Parking: I scored a street parking close to the Social Security Administration. Need to find your own parking as the lot is closed to permit parking only. Location: 500 Ala Moana, do you ever noticed the nice huge "500 Ala Moana " sign in front . Adjacent to Restaurant Row and depending which way you come in, it is a tricky one way road. Security: Just like TSA, you will have to go thru the security, Full scan of your bag and yourself. hehe. Check in with security, they will let you in. Check in on the kiosk, with your info. ticket will print out with your number. I saw quite amount of people waiting and luckily I read that the numbers are called out of sequence, depending on what business you are there for. I was called before others were already there before me, still waiting. There was a sign about not using your cell phone but I think while waiting the phone really helped me kill time. The wait was over 30 mins. My number was finally called, I found the window I had to go to, gave the documents to the SSA staff, I thought it was original documents, I had to submit from reading the letter from SSA but staff made a copy. I was worried, I didn't want to come back again so I told the guy just take the original copies. hehe. He still made the copy and gave back my originals. All done, I am glad I got this done and out of the way. Luckily had enough time in the meter. Hope I don't have to step foot back at SSA for awhile and everything's all good! Thank you staff @ Social Security Administration for all your hard work, we do need our Social Security & its very important to all of us, but just don't forget to be patient here! read more

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Very secure with guards present, great direction, and assistance to anyone coming to have an appointment with representatives of the Social Security office. read more

No one answers. Wait time 120 min plus. Even though you enunciate clearly, and no matter how many times you try, the va tells you you said some other letter and says " is that correct?" Definitely not and this has been an ongoing problem for years. Want to make a. Appt? You wait just as long or longer than some one who doesn't have one. People get past the security guards with a drivers license and do not have to go through security and clearly not locals. The guards ask each other questions they don't know the answer to. Very frustrating. read more

Waited a month for an appt. After I waited on hold for hours to get said appt. Went in and was harassed immediately about not having real id. I then showed my passport and the guy was totally rude. Checked in and was see right away. I was very polite asked questions she asked me if I was not smart? And wouldn't answer any questions. I've honestly never had anyone be this rude to me. I was holding back tears and had my husband come over to help ask her the questions. She then processed to close the curtain and tell security to escort us. I was appalled and it was so scary to be treated like this. I called the number after I left in hysterics and the woman on the phone was so kind and helpful and apologetic. I am just so shocked someone could be that way. My young daughter was there too and she was traumatized by security and all we did was not get our questions answered. It was a horrible experience read more

After waiting 4.5 hours one day and two hours the next for the national line I found the local number and waited 15 minutes. The very nice person answering the phone took care of my business and also took the time to refer me to another website with a checklist she thought I could use. Thank you! read more

Tried to login to the SSA website to access my account and make an address change. My longtime login ID method no longer works. Under the new method, I need to take photos of my passport, drivers license, or other government-issued ID (front and back), then take a picture of myself so the system can verify it is really me. Six tries later, the system finally accepts my ID photos. However, the "live motion" detection during the selfie is not working and/or facial recognition is having issues. All my selfies keep getting rejected. I can't get a new login with this method. I call the SSA phone number for help and get the usual "call menu bot". Tells me I need to visit the local office in Kapolei and that I will need an appointment, which I need to make online. Of course, to make the appointment online, I need to login first, which I can't. I tell the bot that I want to speak to an agent. The bot transfers me to a phone queue to speak to an agent. The transfer message politely tells me "the wait to speak to an agent is more than 120 minutes". 45 minutes later, after a message thanking me again for calling and telling me how important my call is, the call drops. We all need to thank President Trump and Doge for making government so much more efficient. Is anyone else having this much fun trying to accomplish such simple tasks that used to take less than three minutes online? read more

I finally received a number for the Honolulu office especially when nobody answers the numbers online. I spoke to an agent named, Lance Serikaku who guided me through the process. He was very patient and very nice when he interviewed me. I've spoken to people on the mainland and they were really grouchy or rude. This guy eased my worries and explained everything in detail. They should clone this guy so he can help everyone. read more

Great service. Fast and easy. We came early to look for available space for parking. The traffic is not bad especially early in the morning.

Be prepared is all I can say. Can't stress it enough. Four stars for the struggle and Aunty telling me she don't know what's online PRO TIP: You can't get a card printed on the same day. It will be mailed from Baltimore office, timeframe 14 days. You will however get a receipt but it won't have the social security number on it. They can also provide a printed copy of the order showing your social security number but also stating it is not to be used as identification. Replacement Social Security Cards: You can fill out an application online. You must visit the Social Security office within 45 days of your online application submission. When you do your online application there are identification items that they list online that will not match the criteria when you go in person. PRO TIP: more documentation is always better. Documentation must be original ms. They don't play. PRO TIP: check my photos for the types of identification accepted for minors. Birth certificate is not considered identification. Current medical card is good or a letter from the school on school letter head but it needs specific information. Early Bird gets the work: Also very important: people line up before 8:00 am. The office opens at 8:30 am Monday through Friday. Don't go during lunch or afternoon. You will wait at least an hour and a half. Best bet is to go early in the morning before 8:30 and get your name on the list. If you don't fill out an online application the indoor guard will give you one with a pen and clipboard. Parking: When you arrive park on street or 3 blocks away near Richard Street there is a lot with meter parking. Richard street parking only take quarters. Regular street parking takes debit or credit and quarters. Check in: After parking you'll walk to the front of the building facing Ala Moana Boulevard. There will be stations for a line. You'll need to state your business and provide an ID. Your name will be out on a list and you'll wait until they can take you in and search you before letting you through to another waiting room. Once your called you'll go through a metal detector and your property will be scanned. It's a Federal Building. It's to be expected. After that you'll check in at the Social Security room where you'll answer Covid question and upon clearance check in at the kiosk with your name and confirmation number if you applied online and social security # for you and your minor. You'll then get a number and wait again. Almost there. You'll get called and go to a window to do the interview and finish the process. This office is also the same one for people inquiring about benefits. All in all it took me three tries to get it right and I wasted a whole day on it but I get it done on the third try. I hope this information helps. I only got one person that was not personable, she is the one that stated she doesn't know what it says online but she gave me the two flyers that I took a photo of for identification. Replacement limitations: Also it states online you can only get two replacements per year and ten total for a lifetime. I know right ‍. The printout I got today shows we can get three replacement cards per year and ten total for a lifetime. Hope this helps. read more

Social Security Administration - Sample medical record as identification. Please read. - Public Services & Government Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Does the online application work? I called and was on hold for 1.5 hours....no one picked it up.

Dealing with Social Security (SS) like pulling teeth? Read on... When you have to deal with a government agency the first thought that comes to most people's minds is usually not positive. A Glum or pained expression on one's face is usually the norm. Like going to the dentist- not looking forward to it, but you have to get it done. I am happy to say, my dealings with the Social Security Administration, both locally and nationally have been courteous, thoughtful and pretty smooth. The one area that you might get frustrated with is when you make the initial call to their nationwide call center- this may take some time to get through, but once you get through this, it's " easy peasy" as noted Yelper Lyla D says. There are several ways a person can initiate contact for information for enrollment, replacement, etc. one is by computer (internet), another is by phone conversation, the third is by going down to the SS office at the Prince Kuhio Federal Bldg. downtown, taking a number and waiting your turn. (This can take awhile, sometimes a couple of hours) The option I took was to call, book an appointment (which is usually for several weeks later) for a live, face-to- face interview inside the back office. You show up at the SS office just before your appointed date and time, take a ticket to let them know you have arrived and take a seat and wait to be called. When the appointment was made, they sent a reminder a few days before and also left a message to remind me. That's great service! The appointment went smoothly, all questions answered, I cannot emphasize more the great service I received. If you have time and plan ahead, I recommend making an appointment for a future date if you do not wish to take care of your business through the internet. Double thumbs up to the Social Security Administration for a great service experience. read more

Social Security Administration - You can set up your online SS account like this - Public Services & Government Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Getting ready to retire than you need to call for a appointment it's much faster got an appointment with in a short time and I was on my way to get my answer in on time and I must say I had the sweetest person helping me all the way read more

I started to ask a question when I called and the lady interrupted me and said "No" and hung up. Called again and she hung up again.

If you're changing your name due to marriage, it's a streamlined process with the Oahu SSA. I would reccomend parking at the Waterfront Plaza and walking across due to construction. Make sure you have all your documents printed, signed, and sealed in an envelope. You won't have to stand in line but will be able to drop off your paperwork at the SSA office in a mail bin. read more

Did you know? The Social Security Administration (SSA) was created in 1935 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt to administer the social insurance programs in the United States. The agency covers a wide range of social security services, such as disability, retirement and survivors' benefits. During the past 80 years of the SSA's existence, the SSA has seen numerous name changes and operational revisions as different administrations shaped the agency into their desired forms. The SSA provides a wide range of services, including determining citizen eligibility and premium payments for the Medicare program. At some point in every US citizen's life, one has to either go to their local Social Security Office or register online to receive service or benefits. Now, I'll readily admit that going to a Government Office isn't top on my list of things to do in my Life but, THIS visit will affect my and my family's future so I'll gladly do it. We set out having previously completed online forms but since we had questions which we could not find answers to online we chose to just go to the SSA in person. We made sure that we had at least 3 forms of identification (passport, HI Driver's license and past 2 years tax filings). Entry into the Prince Kuhio Federal Building is monitored and secure so make sure you're not carrying in any item(s) that could set off the detectors as it's more stringent than going through TSA. Upon entry into the Social Security Office, we immediately took notice of the crowded lobby which was standing room only. I took a deep gulp and resigned myself to spending the rest of my day in that lobby. The security guard was helpful in pointing out the queuing system which allows each visitor to categorize the visit reason to an assigned representative. After receiving our ticket from the machine, we managed to find an empty seat and checked the display monitor for our place in line. A woman next to me said that she had been waiting over an hour and told me she hoped to be seen soon as she was getting hungry and thirsty. I started to wonder if we should have eaten lunch before going to this office. But, lo' and behold...within 15 minutes of sitting down, our number was displayed and a representative called it out. We were fortunate that there was only one other person who had previously signed in under the same category as us. We met with a SSA representative who immediately introduced herself. She was friendly and had a nice calm demeanor. We provided all of the documents that we had completed online and asked her the questions that had been "bugging us" because we couldn't find any definitive answers in the online FAQ. Within 10 minutes, we completed our transaction, got our questions answered and were even complimented for being so organized and proactive. This was not our first time to come to this Office and we've always received excellent information and service. However, this visit was by far the quickest! Easy-Peasy. read more

Social Security Administration - Public Services & Government Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Appreciate the work and attention to my wife. Thanks for your assistance and information sharing!

The short hair women very rude and no impatient，don't answer my questions and not confirm my information just said we will send you two weeks later,I feel sad over there.not busy time read more

GO EARLY!! Went on a Tuesday morning and took the Pali at around 7:30am. I used the parking lot right across from the Fire Department on Queen St. Didn't know how long it was going to take so I paid for 6 hours worth of parking ($15). Had to walk through a metal detector before entering the building. The Social Security Administration Office were located across the courtyard. I waited about 5-10 minutes in line to get to the blue kiosk where you sign in and get a number. I sat for about 5 minutes until my number got called, took care what I had to do, and was out there in 10 minutes! So fast! Lesson learned, if you go early, you won't have to wait as long! Pleasant experience. read more

Went again to Social Security and again they were super nice!! Awesome! Sometimes certain government agencies are kind of robotic in treating you, but I'm impressed with S.S. ! They really take good care of you! read more

it is so frustrating that employees get away with treating the customers like they do not matter. I have called so many times and wait up to 20 minutes and once I get transferred the employee picks up and hangs up. I call back and the same thing happens. This is unacceptable. I understand they may be overworked, but this seems to be their standard procedure for taking phone calls. read more

The office got my name wrong on my SS card. After several attempts to reach them by phone, they realized their mistake and had me go to the office to resubmit papers. My appointment was set for 12:30, but they didn't have me scheduled. Fortunately, I was still able to see a representative who seemed confused as to what to do. Two managers were condescending and instead of apologizing, one just walked away while the other tried to make me feel bad. Then she ended our conversation with, "Well, fingers crossed. Hope we get it right this time." I was surprised that all the office staff take their lunch break at the same time. Dan, one of the supervisors accused me of being rude yet he kept talking over me. I asked to speak to a manager but the rep didn't have a name or number to give me. Also, he asked for documents that I had just submitted and gave me wrong information and was corrected by his manager. I was appalled when he told me, "I'm moving like this because the last person I helped took so long". Tacky. These government workers need to go through customer service training, become organized and know their job. One star is too much. read more

Very rude and not helpful on the phone. Man was unable to answer most to all of my questions and told me he has no control in anything I was inquiring about except online services (which I was calling about). At the end when I asked for his name he hung up without a formal closing and seemed as if he was in some kind of rush. Man was very condescending and had no solutions to my problems. I would rate my experience 0 out of 5 stars if I could. read more

I dreaded coming here to change my last name after getting married. But overall it really wasn't so bad. Parking: there are a few areas that Waze recommended were to park near by. I do suggest parking at Waterfront Plaza. Plenty of parking and it's across from ss office. I was there for about 3 hours and end paying $18 for parking. SS office: you will need to go through metal detector so make sure don't bring anything that will set it off. I arrived at 10:30am and it was already pack. So bring books or anything that will entertain you. Although there is a sign that says no cell phone, everyone was on their phone and it was noisy. I wish I could have used my headset but they do call your number and it's hard to hear. When you go through the door there is a check in area to get your number. Seating is limited but make sure you sit facing the monitor to keep an eye on your number. Reason I was there was to change my last name because I got married. There is an option for you put your marriage certificate and your application in an envelope and just drop it off. I decided to stay and speak with someone since I am neutralize citizen. I'm glad I did because I was required to present my citizenship certificate. There is a little snack bar area for drinks and something to eat. You can bring your own food and drink, which I recommend. It's hot inside since there is so many people in a small area. The wait was 3 hours but the process only took 3 minutes. The staff weren't rude like everyone told me. They were surprisingly friendly. read more

I'm probably wasting my time writing this review but I need to get this off my chest. I went to the social security office almost a year ago and left there in total disgust! There was a big polynesian security guard that totally treated me with disrespect. I asked him about how long it would take because I parked in a meter stall and he just went off. He was so mad I had to back off because he was a big dude and obviously unstable. I am so dissappointed that a person of this character would be allowed to work dealing with the general public. read more

I just had bad experience today, Me and my wife said hi to her no feedback. Just ask us "what are you here for today?" With her mad face. she don't wanna answer anything, rude to ask for my paper work that's she needs. Walk away her desk without notice us and came back to the desk and just said "all done" Don't even inform the document will mail to your address if we didn't asked her. Very terrible customer service !!!!! It just her because I had good service from other windows before. If I'm not in hurry to go work I will get another ticket to wait for another window!! She is not qualify to work for customer services at all. read more

My biggest tip for this office: ONLY GO IF YOU HAVE THE DAY OFF !!! Okay now that I got that out of the way...let's be real. No one looks forward to going to a federal establishment because of the wait! I can tell you now if you go here in a rush for anything you will leave mad. So request the day off, call someone to take care of the kids for a bit and don't forget your quarters cause you will be here a bit. My experience: Easy to find right across the way from restaurant row. Parking is either street parking with a two hour limit or in the parking garage at the unemployment office. I went with street parking, put 2 hours in and crossed my fingers. The entrance is on the makai side. There will be a security team there, put your bag on the conveyor and walk through the metal detector. The security team here is very impatient so be ready with your ID in hand and follow their instructions. Walked into the social security office, kiosk is on the left side of the entry, pull a ticket and get comfortable. Bring some entertainment because the room is awkwardly silent. I waited about an hour and 10 minutes and mind you they do not call tickets in order. The clerk at the window was very friendly, a little tired but hey it's a friday couldn't blame her. Only had about 10 minutes of face time and I was done. My new card is being sent to me within 2 weeks and that's all it took to change my name on my social security card since I got married! read more

As with all offices like social security or dmv, go with the expectation that you'll wait a little bit. I arrived on a Tuesday around 10:10am to get my name changed on my card due to marriage. I was out of there in about an hour no problem. I completed my form at home and printed it out and brought my marriage license and identification. I didn't deal with parking by having a friend drop me off and pick me back up but my husband parked at waterfront plaza when he came to this office a while back. Office is clean with adequate seating Numbers are sometimes hard to hear so pay attention. If you go to the bathroom tell the security guard your number and they can help listen out. Numbers are called out of order and are related to the reason you're there. The woman who helped me was very efficient and quick. Got a receipt after I was finished talking to her telling me my card with my new name will be mailed and arrive in about 2 weeks. Can't complain about this experience but go with the expectation that you'll wait some time. I overheard the security guard say that Monday's and Tuesday's are busy but Wednesday's are not so busy because it's only open half a day. Update: my new social security arrived in my mailbox 6 days after my visit. read more

Have you ever experienced turning in something and finding out it got lost somewhere? Yup, I have! I don't trust mailing important documents via mail, so I chose to go down to the office as the chances of something getting lost was slimmer, right? WRONG. I went down to the social security office to change my name due to marriage 3 weeks ago and was told after I checked in by the security guard that since I had gotten married less than 2 years ago, I didn't have to wait in line. All I had to do was place my completed application with my original marriage certificate in an envelop and drop it in their slot next to window 7. I kept thinking, well that's way too simple! Knowing it should come in the mail within 10-12 business days, I eagerly checked the mail after that timeframe, hoping my social security card would come in the mail, just to find out it wasn't even processed yet after I called SS to check on my status. The number provided on the SS site is this general SS phone number and they could only look up the database to see if my last name got changed or not, but couldn't actually give me an actual status of my application. The man I was speaking to also mentioned I was supposed to submit other documents like my SS card and birth certificate as well instead of just my application and marriage certificate. Which of course made me upset because I was told by the security guard I only needed to drop off those 2 things. So now I'm confused and upset, thinking I did the wrong thing. But probably more upset that I didn't even get my certificate back in the mail if I had in fact done my application incorrectly. The guy gave me the number to the Honolulu SS office, so I called that number the next day since the office closes half day on Wednesdays. But I couldn't quite figure out how to get my status since it was an automated machine and it kept asking me for my confirmation number, which I didn't have because I dropped off my documents in the slot and didn't get anything. So more upset, I went back to the office around 2pm on a late lunch break on a Thursday and waited about 10-15 minutes for my turn. After I told the agent my situation about how I submitted my documents and how the guy I spoke to on the phone said I did it wrong. But the agent insisted I did it correctly. I then ask him, "why hasn't my application been processed yet?" And he responds with a generic answer saying sometimes it takes them a month to even see the application. Ummm...your site says it takes 10-12 business days to get your SS card! So I kindly asked him if he could check the status of my application and if I could have my marriage certificate back since it was my only copy and I needed it for other things. So he leaves to check on it and was gone for about 20-30 minutes. He finally returns, just to tell me he can't find my application. Then he IMs all his coworkers to see if it may be on someone else's desks. Then he leaves again to check with the other coworkers who didn't respond back to his IM. Then another 5-10 minutes later, he returns and tells me "I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but we can't find it and it appears to be lost." Literally in tears due to anger, I demanded they reimburse me for losing my original marriage certificate since it's not free to get a replacement. The agent then went to ask his supervisor if they could make that happen. But in the end, they couldn't do anything about it. They can only reimburse me if I had mailed it in through certified mail, as they have no proof I even gave them my application and document. So pretty much, he told me there was nothing else they could do for me. Perfect Let's just say I wasted 3 weeks for nothing and now missing my original marriage certificate along with having to paid for another copy. AND after I get my new copy of my certificate, I have to repeat this SS name change process all over again and hope to wait the normal 10-12 business days to get my new SS card! Tip: do NOT drop any of your documents in the slot as they are so irresponsible to lose your stuff. Trust your instincts and just wait in line so you can hand your documents to the agents and ensure yourself with receiving a receipt so that way if they come back and tell you they lost your document, you now have proof and will get reimbursed for any losses. read more

Social Security Administration - grab a ticket to check in - Public Services & Government Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

I mentally prepared myself. As with any government office I visit. And went online to make sure what documents I needed. GO ONLINE & check first-u don't wanna head down there & ur missing something! Parking:NONE must park on the street, this can be a hassle. Or there's a parking structure across the street from unemployment office($3) or just park at restaurant row($idk)-we parked on the road, 2hour meter parking...so this frightened me bc I didn't know how LONG the SSA office will take. Finding entrance...it's on the Makai side. Security: must provide Valid ID, he will let u in one party at a time. They are friendly & fascinated & must be bored, the 3 men asked my son how old is he(17)how tall is he(6'4)what does he play(piano)where he's going college(USCG)they were cool. Meanwhile, I totally forgot I had my new 5in. Knife in my purse((I take that kidnapping, assault shit serious, all my kids have a knife, my daughters have pepper spray) and it went thru X-RAY which they found and told me put it in my car. Duh, I'm an idiot! I totally forgot it was there. So leave items in car, cuz they'll find it. Lol Ok, head around the corner, you'll notice the waiting room. Use the CHECKIN KIOSKS to the left of the door, it will give you a number....another security sheriff guy is there & can assist, hes friendly just don't piss him off, cuz he went from HI5'ing my toddler to -----going 100 on a lady who started to be obnoxious & kicked her ass out. Now, we wait. This was 1130am, Monday morning, we were called at 1:00. So abt an hour and a half. Seriously not as bad as I expected & waaaaay better than DMV(which took 4 hours to renew license) read more

They say that we have the power to create heaven or hell with the thoughts in our mind. Well friends, if you want to experience the greatest test of human patience, I invite you to visit the social security office. Although I've been married for years, I never got around to changing my name on my social security card. But since I'll have to renew my drivers license this year, I realized I'd need to get an updated social security card with my married name. It's been more than two years since we've been married which means I wasn't able to drop my application and documents into the easy processing box. See how we really do punish ourselves when we procrastinate?! When you first get to the social security office everyone waits in line to get a ticket from a blue machine which asks you what you are there for (ex: social security card, other, etc), if you are hearing or visually impaired and for your SS#. On the first day I was there, yes guys this was a two visit ordeal, there was an elderly gentleman in front of me who tried to punch in his info on the touchscreen. He was visually impaired and had to ask me what the screen said. Does anyone else see how this makes NO SENSE (you know, since he's visually impaired)? I ended up tapping in his SS# because he couldn't tap the numbers in correctly (you know, since he's visually impaired) and it was taking him forever. I should have taken this as a sign from the Universe to turn around and not change my name. Lol. I got my ticket and asked the security guard how long it would take to get out of there because I only had an hour on the first day due to a meeting I wasn't able to move. He told me: "Oh you only have about ten people in front of you. It shouldn't take long." I don't know if he didn't hear the question properly or if he just didn't see the 30 other people in the room. But I naively believed him. I realize that when you go to any government agency you're bound to wait, but the system they use is really, really odd. I was given a number A260 and saw that A250 has been called. You would think that A251 would be next, but nope, next up on the screen we're X710, X717, A363, R618, S844, D724, D783, Y487. This entire system goes against the rules of logic and common sense. I realize that they categorize different needs and situations in this system, but we all have no idea how long we'll be there, and you are thrown into an abyss of waiting. I ended up having to leave on the first day before my number was called, but at the rate we were going I knew it would take at least another hour before I got called. I came back the second day and went through the exact same process. Once I was called I almost knew what it would feel like to win the actual lottery! I wanted to do a cartwheel and throw confetti in the air. My suffering was finally over! The woman at the window was not as amused by my excitement, but she processed me quickly and got it done under five minutes. I want to buy cupcakes for everyone who works in this office, day in and day out, because that place is PATIENCE on Earth... My card will take 10-14 days to be shipped to me and then I get to go to Honolulu's other next best place to learn supreme patience: the Department of Motor Vehicles. My advice: -Check the website online and print out your papers beforehand. Also double check the exact documents you need to bring. It's originals only, no photo copies. -If you're recently married and are doing a name change, you can actually just mail everything in and don't even have to go there. This would have been my first choice if I hadn't been outside of the time window. -You'll need to go through a full security ID and bag check to get into the building. There's an entrance on Halekauila which you should use, and not the one on the Ala Moana Blvd side. Trust me, it's way less busy. -Metered parking in the area is two hours max. There are public lots nearby but you need to get there early because they fill up pretty quickly. -Bring a book, bring your sudoku, bring a wi-fi card so you can watch videos, because cell service is poor in the room. Set aside two hours to get this done if you're just getting a replacement card. This way you're not stressed out about have to leave in less time. It took me 75 minutes of waiting, not including the 15-20 minutes it took for me to find parking because the lots were all full. If you're there for something other than a simple social security card replacement, may the force be with you. read more

I just left the Social Security office and need to give them a shout out. I just went to get a replacement card and found it quite efficient. The young lady was very pleasant. Thought I'd write this review to help anyone else avoid the pitfalls I ran into. First of all this could have all been done online if Hawaii state was tied into the Social Security office system. Apparently many other states have their drivers license data base tied into the Social Security office, but Hawaii is not. This means we have to go down in person with our documents to request a replacement Social Security card. You can download the necessary forms on your computer at home. Complete them at home prior to going to the Social Security office. There is NO PUBLIC PARKING allowed around the federal building. You will need to find either street parking, courthouse parking or the State parking lot under the Department of Transportation building parking lot. Enter from Halekauwila Street and it's $1/hr. Once parked, continue to the Federal building. The public entrance is on Ala MOANA side of the building. You will need identification and will be required to go through a metal detector. Be sure to remove watches bracelets belt buckles and anything else that might cause the metal detector to alarm. The Social Security office is on the floor where you enter. The guards will direct you past the elevators and to your right. At the entrance, there is a machine where you need to check in. You type in your name and Social Security number and select while you're there. It then put you into a que for the service you require. I was glad that replacement Social Security cards have the shortest que. Now you just sit and wait to be called. When you are called to present your application and your ID. The clerk will check all the information and have you proof it then let you know that the card will be mailed to you within a couple weeks. That's it pretty simple the most humbug part was having to get parking and having to go down. Good luck read more

If you're getting married and need a new social security card, you won't have to stand in line. All you need is the application and your marriage certificate. Then next to window 7, drop your application in the slot. Quick and simple! Update: They don't issue social security cards there. You'll have to wait for it in the mail. Thought it was going to take long but within 1 1/2 weeks I received it. Faster than I thought. read more