Applying for California Letter Without Social Security Number (SSN)

In case you missed it on the the USMLEtoMD forums, this is the email-response from the Medical Board of California (MBC) that a reader had posted about his query on applying for the California Letter (PTAL) without a Social Security Number (SSN) - for example for those on B1/B2 visas:


The MBC will accept applications without a social security number (SSN) under the following conditions:

1. Once the application has been received and reviewed the application fee will not be refunded.

2. When all licensure/PTAL requirements have been fulfilled, a letter will be sent to the applicant to assist in obtaining a SSN.

3. If the board does not receive proof that a SSN has been obtained within one year of file review then the applicant's file will be due diligence closed and purged."




The 'letter' that they talk about above will be a letter expressing the need to have your SSN issued, which you need to carry to the nearest social security office in your area, once you are the USA - or call SSN administration to find more details


Read the forum thread here


Some people have suggested other ways for an B1/B2 visa holder to get a Social Security Number might be taking the drivers license test and then having a letter issued by the license office for a SSN request to the Social Security Office - since Drivers licenses cannot be issued without a SSN. But most states don't allow that anymore. Read more at California Letter and Social Security Number



Also Read:

- What is the "California Letter": Basics & How to Apply

California Letter (PTAL) and the Social Security Number

A Social Security number (commonly known by its acronym - SSN ), in the United States, is a very important number that serves as a tax identification number, is your national identification and later serves to give out various economic benefits (called social security) to you when you reach retirement age.

Since the later part of 2006, the California Letter now needs the IMG applicant to have a Social Security Number at the time of the application. This is what the Application Form says about Social Security:

"If you fail to disclose your social security number your application for initial licensure will not be processed AND you will be reported to the Franchise Tax Board, which may assess a $100.00 penalty against you."


Of course the penalty would apply for those people who do not list the number despite having the SSN - for the others without the number, the California Letter application will simply not be processed, until the number is obtained and submitted to the Medical Board of California.

An IMG friend called the PTAL folks and they told him that he could submit the PTAL application without the SSN, but it will only stay on file without being processed - it will be processed ONLY after he obtains a Social Security Number. Hmmmm !

Q. What visa types are eligible for Social Security Numbers ?

A. As I said before, the SSN serves as a tax-payor ID and is thus tied to employment. For non-US citizens on visas, a Social Security Number is granted only for those visa types which have a US work authorization, which makes sense - "why have a tax ID if you are not authorized to work in the first place" ! So for IMGs on J1, H1b, F1 visas, etc., getting a social security number is easy ( psst ! the fact that F1 students get social security numbers once they get some on-campus employment is an additional advantage of the GRE Route to Residency).
But for visas such as B1-B2, H4, etc. lack of work authorization in the USA makes them ineligible to apply for Social Security Numbers.

Click here to see the Social security website section that explains social security number eligibility for non US-citizens.


Q. How can ineligible visa types like B1 B2 H4 visas obtain / apply for a Social Security Number (SSN) ?

A. Here is a US goverment Social Security website that explains how non-citizens without work permits could get a social security number.




Also Read:

- Basics: What is the California Letter / Postgraduate Training Authorization Letter (PTAL) ?
- Download the PTAL - California Letter application form [PDF] for IMGs
- Visa Basics for IMGs / FMGs planning USMLE - Residency





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THE CALIFORNIA LETTER / PTAL : Basics

Awrite ! This is for those fellas who will take nothing less than the state of Arnold Schwarzenegger & Beverly Hills for a Residency. To be a special place means you gotta have special credentials. It's funny how this country called USA is called United States and Yet each state seems to have it's own distinctive requirements all the time :-)

For starters, the so-called California Letter is actually a slang for 'Postgraduate Training Authorization Letter' or the PTAL. Like in the US, Bob is a slang for Robert, Bill for William, Dick for Richard, Liz for Elizabeth,  and I can go and on ..but then I would lose you to other websites  ;-)

A PTAL is a requirement prior to starting residency training in the state of California  - ONLY for International Medical Graduates. It is NOT required for graduates of US or Canadian medical schools 

Yet, there are some programs that will give you an interview without the letter, but they will assume that you WILL have the letter ready before the Residency Begins.

• Kaiser Permanente MC, Oakland
• Cali Pacific Med Center, SF
• San Joaquin Gen Hosp, Stockton
• Kern MC, Bakersfield
• West LA VA MC, LA
• King/DREW MC, LA
• USSF, Fresno

Clinical Requirements to be eligible for the California Letter (PTAL):

A. Instruction in the clinical courses shall total a minimum of 72 weeks in length.

B. Instruction in the core clinical courses of surgery, medicine,family medicine, pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology, and psychiatry shall total a minimum of 40 weeks in length

C. Specific minimum Lengh of clinical courses (you need to submit a certificate of completion as proof for these) :

• Surgery : 8 Weeks
• Medicine : 8 Weeks
• Pediatrics : 6 Weeks
• Obstetrics & gynecology : 6 Weeks
• Family Medicine : 4 Weeks
• Psychiatry: 4 Weeks

(Thanks to Abi on helping me out faster on this one...)

Q. Sweet, so How Do I get this California Letter ?

A. The official Application forms (L1A - L1E, etc) with Information on document requirements, application process and fees can be downloaded as a PDF file from Here

Official California board Site = http://medbd.ca.gov

You can request an application package by emailing to : webmaster@medbd.ca.gov

More Contact Information:

Medical Board of California
1426 Howe Ave., Suite 54
Sacramento, CA 95825-3236
Tel: 916-263-2499

Q. So How Do you use this California Letter while applying for Residencies ?

A. As ECFMG mentions : "Applicants to programs in California must submit the California Application Status Letter, issued by the Medical Board of California, for scanning as one of the letters of recommendation to California programs"

Read the complete Instructions for California Letter on the ECFMG Site Here



Note that it costs about $500 - 600/- to get the whole process done, and it's advisable to do it much before August - September to have it on time for 1st September application deadline




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