watthong

Thank you ubonjoe and DrJack for your advice and input. Much appreciated

Just went down my condo front office to get a new TM30. Well, surprise, they don't do TM30 anymore. In its place I got, as a receipt of registration, a print out of a screen shot from the receptionist smart phone, featuring a registration number (with immigration) along with my name, address, (new) passport number - and something to the effect of "this person resides here as of today." It also features the date of my last extension application. That's all. No matter how I insisted I need a TM30, this is what the condo office staff can produce for now - "any problem please have Immigration call us." Anybody has similar experience re TM30?

I am sure you are still hearing of "covid" as a virus, whose current name is covid19. Until one morning when we wake up and the whole world is abuzz with news of its total eradication, until then: Yes, it is still a thing.

TallguyJohn, you're a saint, first for your tireless update of the covid vax scene, second for still managing to calmly deal with those who are triggered by the word "vaccine" and unable to find their inner peace when people around them keep going to the clinic to get their shots. What a feeling to find out we are still living among lunatics straight out of the dark ages. Following your lead, we went to the dermatology place on Monday and were in and out in 1 hour. Quite a lot of people there where the staff got overwhelmed at some point, but somehow we all managed. Just walk in, you will spend about 5 - 10 minutes longer than those with appointments, for having to register on site. Considering the size of the crowd that day, it was also announced that the clinic will be able to provide the bivalent booster till the end of this month, so "don't panic." For those who are interested and not sure of the timeline, get your booster shot 6 months after your last shot, whether it was the parent shot or another booster shot. We now are getting into the 3rd year of getting vaccinated, and the medical authorities are still in the observing mode, so they (tell us) just have to play by ears, in short nothing is set in stone. If you suffer vaccination fatigue, just pencil this in your calendar, get the latest booster every 6 months onward. In the meantime, keep washing your hands, wearing your mask, and checking back in this forum periodically to see what TallguyJohn has to say. Think of the time in recent past, say a couple of years ago, when we had to push and shove and were willing to pay any price for any shot down the arm... Oh, and don't let those bawling at the moon fool you.

Thank you for the info. I try not to get confused regarding what goes before what. So I'm going to list below what needs to be done and the order of steps to take: 1) Don't bother with TM6 anymore (no need to fill out the card number on any form or include copy of it with any application.) 2) Get new TM30 from landlord that shows new passport number. 3) Go to CW for transfer of visa stamps. The required documents include "copy of TM card" (item no8 on the list on page 2 of the application form) so I assumed it's the TM30 (not the TM6 since this one has been discarded.) 4) Go to SP for the usual annual extension, and the 90 day report (which also is coming up) with the usual set of copies of documents. 5) Re TM30, way back when I submitted the TM30 (made in Samut Prakan) for 90 days report at Samut Prakan, it went though for a couple of times without any hassle, then when I submitted it for the following extension, the IO gasped at my TM30 and had us take it to another window to get a certification signature and stamp. So my guess is that the new (with new passport number) TM30 will also go through certification at my next extension at SP? Or CW will do that during transfer of visa stamps? Am I doing the procedure correctly? Thank you in advance for your advice. Much appreciated.

My retirement extension is due soon. The original visa itself was issued at CW, but for the last few years, the extension renewal is done in Samut Prakan where I currently reside. However I need to do a visa stamp transfer to my new passport that I received a couple of weeks ago. My question is can I do both the stamp transfer and the extension renewal at the same time at CW? I know that for 90 days report that has to be done at SP and the stamp transfer at CW, but for the extension renewal I'm not sure if that is regionally restricted? Thank you in advance for your advice/input. Also my TM-6 departure card, issued in 2017, is getting a bit long in the tooth ie the date has faded to almost nothing to the point the photocopy machine can no longer capture. Can I ask for a "new" copy of that TM-6 at either CW or SP office?

Just to add to the above, the US system has another Social Security allowance, aimed at the disabled and the indigent 65 and up. It's called SSI (the I stands for implement). This would require the recipient to reside in the country. They can travel abroad but for no more than 30 days at a stretch. Where as the general Social Security (aka SS benefits) is basically the recipient's own saving during his/her working life, so it has no calling on where they reside as any particular moment.

How true. At 58, one would have "lived and learned..." Failing that I'd call this phenomenon the Anthony Bourdain syndrome.

I know, I would too but my other significant half insisted, so instead of going out for buffet we went to DHL and thus peace was preserved in the family... Anyway, a quick update/summary of my application: it took exactly 4 weeks... 1st Friday of Feb: application package mailed to US embassy. 2 weeks later, the halfway point of the 4 weeks, the new passport was mailed out (The update from the travel state gov also informed that it would take up to 7 business days to arrive at the embassy.) 2 weeks later, 1st Friday of Mar ie yesterday, I received it (the embassy having emailed the EMS tracking number 2 days prior.) Again thanks for your advice at the start of this "mission." Much appreciated.

I did mine by mail at the beginning of this month. At first I had thought of going in person like you did, but then got cold feet and decided to play by the embassy suggestion, ie do it by mail. Now I wish I had taken the initiative of contacting ACS and going in in person like you did, much surer and I'm sure quicker since the payment is transacted on the day it was made (as opposed to having an extra step of cashing the bankdraft). I also did notice how their instructions did not say outright "DO NOT" apply in person... Anyway, doing it by mail turned out to be quite a hassle: of going to the bank for the bankdraft for return envelope, then going to DHL and paying 600 baht for the services. DHL delivered my package to the US Bkk embassy Feb 6 Monday, I then started to fret whether my photos were correct, etc. where as going in person I would have known whether they were ok on the spot. Last week I checked on the travel state gov page and learned that my new passport was mailed out (from the US passport center) on Feb 17 - so the old one went in the embassy on Feb 6 and the new one got sent out on Feb 17 (10 business days). Not bad. The update gave a tracking number and mentioned that in case of going via the embassy it might take up to 7 business days to get there. As of today I'm still in that window so I wonder how long at the last leg did it take yours to get from the embassy to you...(that is if you did track yours on the trave state gov website}?

No, the wrong extension that I keyed in was of course by accident, it's one single digit like "press 3 if you want this, press 4 for that, etc." Can't remember which one. Furthermore, the live person very. very quickly transferred me away the moment she heard me utter "SSA benefits."

I called back SSA Pennsylvania on skype this morning Thu Bkk time 1030am. Got through to a real person almost immediately. After taking care of business at hand (more on that later,) I ventured to ask the lady what number that showed up as calling number on her screen, and what time zone she was in. It showed up as a 714 area code number (Orange County, Calif.) And her time zone was 10 pm East Coast, which translated to 7pm for the 714 area code (thus the line was open for me to access a real person.) The 714 number looked familiar, turned out to be an old phone number I had way back when (I can't remember whether it was from a sim or google voice or skype.) However the skype number I have recently purchased from Skype is a 315 (New York) area code number and should have showed up instead of the 714. Neither I nor the lady rep have an answer to this riddle. She asked me 3 security questions, and I got stuck at the last one, which should be the easiest, "What is your address on (SSA) file?" Apparently I still have PTSD from my past failure to establish an My SSA account prior to coming to Thailand. As a result I mumbled and fumbled trying to come up with my LAST US address I thought I had on file. That aroused her suspicion and understandably she got recalcitrant when I asked for another alternative security question (or worse yet, when I suggested she gave me a hint of what city my on-file address might be!) "Well then you'll have to come in to your local SSA office to straighten this out." I explained to her that that would be a fate worse than death, or something to that effect, since I now reside in Thailand! A light bulb went on and she asked me to tell her of my current address, again I fumbled "...oh sure, well, let me look around since it's a long one - ah, wait, it's right here on my COLA letter I just got a couple of days ago!" At this point both sides breathed a sigh of relief and I realized my mind had got so fogged up in the past that I completely forgot the present. The update went smoothly and quickly, basically giving out the new routing and account number (she did ask for the old account number though) Next month ie Feb I should get my SSA via the new account number. "Anything else I can help you with?" - I then asked her about my 7162 status. So far she said there's no red flag raised in my file about stopping the deposit, so she guessed everything is (still) kosher - though she couldn't tell whether my 7162 return has been processed or not. Above is my experience of dealing with the aftermath of having my bank account hacked over the new year holidays. Getting new account, update paypal, update SSA and the only thing left is updating my transferwise account, which is not an update really, just have to give them the new bank details when doing my next transfer. Last but not least thanks to all who have chipped in with advice/suggestions. Much appreciated and I'm happy to report a successful outcome.

I called back SSA Pennsylvania on skype this morning Thu Bkk time 1030am. Got through to a real person almost immediately. After taking care of business at hand, I ventured to ask the lady what number that showed up as calling number on her screen, and what time zone she was in. It showed up as a 714 area code number (Orange County, Calif.) And her time zone was 10 pm East Coast, which translated to 7pm for the 714 area code (thus the line was open for me to access a real person.) The 714 number looked familiar, turned out to be an old phone number I had way back when (I can't remember whether it was from a sim or google voice or skype.) However the skype number I have recently purchased from Skype is a 315 (New York) area code number and should have showed up instead of the 714. Neither I nor the lady rep have an answer to this riddle.

I just tried again with the added "67" prefix. Same (non)-result.

I didn't have the "US phone numbers" of SSA Manila until I ran into your post tonight. The number that I called was their (SSA Manila) "Manila number." Of note is one instance I keyed in the wrong extension and ended up with a live person who quickly transferred me to the FBU department, that didn't help much but at least I know their "live" connection is working...

it's 315 ( phone number purchased from Skype). I deliberately chose that zip code (New York) just to be "in sync" with Pennsylvania time wise. Let me try to add the 67 prefix and see if better luck. Will report back shortly, thanks.

Thanks for the SSA Manila "U.S. phone numbers"=> 202-370-6642/6497. I called their Manila number this morning during their office hours but whenever they started putting me on call, my call invariably dropped...I was calling on skype from my desktop so I don't know whether that had anything to do with it or was it problem at the Manila end (6 attempts.) On the other hand, I wonder if you have any experiences/difficulties calling SSA Pennsylvania => 800-772-1213? I called on skype during (their) office hours and the robot told me it can't transfer my call to a live person because the office was closed. It's the 1-800-1213 number and I called around 11 am Tuesday their time (Tuesday night BKK time.) I tried repeatedly telling the robot that I would like to talk to a live person (by pressing "0") and it told me "office is not open at this hour" and to call back during business hours...I just tried again tonight 9pm Thu BKK time at the opening of their office hours (9am Thu their time) to same result. If you have any other suggestion or how to get around this issue that would help me a lot, thanks.

I also have no issue calling SSA USA currently (aside from the fact that their robot won't transfer me to a live person, but that's another story...) However I could stay on hold forever once they let me wait, and no dropped calls so far with them.

I tried to call US embassy in Manila (re SSA benefits) via skype. After a lengthy intro, I was put on hold when dialed the correct extension into the SSA department, "all our operators are busy....," then a few seconds later, the line was cut off. That happened repeatedly in half a dozen attempts. Just wondering whether that's skype doing that, or the embassy end? Using skype on my desktop.

Were you able to talk to a live person? or with the auto answer option? If it's the later which option did you choose to be able to make the bank details change? I called during (their) office hours and the robot told me it can't transfer my call to a live person because the office was closed. It's the 1-800-1213 number and I called around 11 am their time Tuesday (tonight Tuesday night in Thai time.) I even tried telling the robot that I would like to update my bank account info and it told me to call back during business hours...I was calling on skype.

Providing one has a MY SSA account, which as mentioned earlier I do not currently. I will ask if they could help me registering for one when I contact them via phone. Thanks.

Thank you for the clarification, that's what I thought how it would go. So there is no way to just "updating" your bank (source) account. Basically just adding a new one as you go ie when you do the next transfer. Btw Wise will let you "disconnect" the one it has stored in the system that you have been using. And that's what I did with my now-former account.

This particular clip, like many others similar on youtube, is about adding a "recipient" account ie destination (as opposed to adding a "payer"/paying account ie source.) As I have mentioned in the OP, for adding recipient accounts the option is right there (on their website,) you don't really need to look any further.

My bank shut down the "compromised" account and was waiting for me to contact them to straighten things out. Which I of course did. I was relieved to know that that account will remain "open" for another 90 days just for the kind of SSA direct deposit transfer that I was worried about to be able to come through. (I didn't ask for it to be resurrected, simply because it had been accessed fraudulently.) They won't do anything with it without me making a specific request each time. I just got them to transfer the Jan SSA deposit to the new acct, which they willingly did. So I think that is their protocol for dealing with a "hacked" account. Re My SSA account, I think I had run into one inert/inept bureaucrat who was not willing to help for that one visit and I should have asked for his/her supervisor. Or try another branch. Unfortunately at present time a trip back home is not on the horizon anytime soon. (My last trip home still gives me nightmares... but that's another story:-( So I will try the 800 number and see how far I can go. Thank you for your advice, much appreciated.

I don't have a My SSA account unfortunately. I tried to open one when on US soil and ran into trouble with having too many addresses in the past and SSA system wouldn't accept the one I gave it. Even went in person to my local SSA office and they couldn't help either! Was told to contact the 3 big names that give out your credit score and have them told me which one to use. So I gave up (out of disgust) and wouldn't attempt again to open one (My SSA account) now from foreign (aka Thai) soil.