HOW-TO

How to Get a UMID Card

The UMID has moved to the EMV-chip MySSS Card. Here is how SSS members apply through the My.SSS portal and a partner bank, and what it means if you already hold a UMID.

Step by step

1. Check that you are eligibleYour SS number should be tagged permanent, you should be registered on the My.SSS portal, and your address, mobile number and email in SSS records should be current. You also need a PhilSys National ID on record.
2. Make sure your details matchYour name and date of birth in SSS must match your National ID exactly. Fix mismatches first through SSS, otherwise the eVerify check will fail.
3. Log in to My.SSSGo to member.sss.gov.ph, sign in, then open MySSS Card under the Services menu. If you have no account yet, register on the same portal first.
4. Confirm details and give consentReview your personal information on screen, then consent to National ID eVerify and a facial scan. This is how SSS confirms it is really you.
5. Choose a partner bankSelect an accredited partner bank and agree to the data-sharing terms. Availability of banks may expand over time, so pick from the list shown to you.
6. Finish the bank stepComplete the bank's verification through its app or a branch, open the linked account, and pay any card fee the bank charges. Ask for the amount before you confirm.
7. Wait for releaseProcessing runs about 15 working days within Metro Manila and about 20 working days elsewhere, as of 2026. The bank tells you when the card is ready.

The UMID has become the MySSS Card

For years the Unified Multi-Purpose ID, or UMID, was the single card that tied together your records across SSS, GSIS, PhilHealth and Pag-IBIG. That is changing. In October 2025 the Social Security System stopped accepting new UMID applications and began rolling out the MySSS Card, a modern card with an EMV chip that works as both a functional government ID and a bank account card. If you are searching for how to get a UMID today, the MySSS Card is what you will actually receive.

This matters because the process is no longer a walk-in biometrics session at a branch. Instead, an eligible member starts the request inside their online SSS account, and an accredited partner bank finishes it. The card is issued once your identity is verified against the national identity system.

Who can apply

The MySSS Card is open to members, pensioners, prior registrants, individual claimants and representative payees. Before you begin, four things need to be in order: your SS number must be tagged as permanent, you must be registered on the My.SSS portal, your contact details in SSS records must be current, and you must already have a PhilSys National ID. Because the system cross-checks your identity, your name and date of birth in SSS must match your National ID exactly. Even a small spelling difference can stop the verification, so it is worth fixing mismatches before you start. If you have not registered for the National ID yet, our explainer on what PhilSys is and how to apply walks through it.

How the two-step process works

The first half happens on the My.SSS portal. After you log in, you open the MySSS Card option under the Services menu, confirm your personal details on screen, and give consent for the National ID eVerify check and a facial scan. You then choose a partner bank and accept the data-sharing terms. If you do not yet have an online SSS account, you will need to create one, and our guide on registering with SSS online covers that first step.

The second half happens with the bank. You complete its verification through its own app or at a branch, open the account that the card is linked to, and settle any fee the bank charges. Once everything clears, the bank lets you know the card is ready for release.

Treat the MySSS Card like any bank card. It carries account features, so guard the PIN and never read it, or any OTP, to a caller or a messenger.

Fees and how long it takes

SSS does not charge for the card itself. However, the partner bank may apply a fee, and the exact amount depends on the bank rather than SSS. Always ask for the figure in pesos before you agree, and treat any number you read online as an estimate to confirm on the official portal, as of 2026. On timing, expect roughly 15 working days for release within Metro Manila and about 20 working days outside it. These are working-day estimates, not guarantees, so plan around them rather than booking anything that depends on an exact date.

If you already hold a UMID

There is no need to panic if you have an existing UMID card. It remains a valid government ID and continues to work for the transactions you already use it for. The shift to the MySSS Card mainly affects new applicants and members who have lost or damaged their card. If you are getting a National ID at the same time, you may also find our guide on how to get the National ID online useful, since the two records now work closely together.

A quick note on accuracy: Gabay is an independent guide and is not SSS, PSA or any government office. The steps above reflect the published SSS process as of 2026, but rollout details and partner banks can change. Always confirm the current requirements, timelines and any fees on the official SSS website before you act.

Gabay is an independent guide and is not affiliated with any government agency. Fees, links and steps can change — always confirm on the official portal before you act. This is general information, not legal or financial advice.