cusanus

Only SSA announcement re 7162 2025: https://secure.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0302655010

Pretty sure non-O retirement will still renew for five years. I last did mine a year or two ago in CM, it was all online, never left the house.

Mail should take two weeks exact, though this last six months it's been erratic. As I said, I never had problems for ten years, never bothered to check, but since then I wait three weeks and email Manila (attach copy of the filled in form) and ask if they'll check. Usually, they get back to me. [email protected] I think is the email. I've also called SS in the states with a Magic Jack and gotten a decent answer, but this year I think it's a mess.

This stuff is right under your SSN on the last barcode version labeled BNC BIC and COC, sorry not BIN. I don't recall what the BNC stands for or the BIC, but COC means something like center of control, I think for me 929 stands for Chiang Mai. Sometimes if you call SS they want to know this number, so it could be helpful. You can Google it, but not necessary. I ignore the DIBIND 71DES stuff under that, but just look at a copy of last year's form and at least add in the COC.

I always send regular mail and had no problems for 10 years prior to covid. One might assume it's more likely to be ignored if sent courier because it's a PO Box, but I think that makes no difference. Still a waste of money in my opinion. I've sent 2-3 in some years for others when mail was disrupted and am sure nobody bothers to think about that. I prefer using the last barcode because it might facilitate processing, but there's nothing wrong with using the blank IF you get the SSN on there and you can add BIN and COC as well. I wait a few weeks and email Manila to ask if it was received and include a scanned copy which I believe they can use to register the form themselves. I'm sure I am more proactive (paranoid?) simply because I've been helping two friends over the years who have had more than their share of problems while I've never had a missed letter either way, but covid kind of complicated things. So, maybe wait another week or two for the form to arrive and not let me worry you, but if September comes around and there's still no announcement from SS that might be time to act (again). Good luck.

Oh, yeah, my apology. I thought you meant a date. Thanks. THERE IS NO DATE in the barcode, same stuff every year.

Exactly what again? That was the 2nd page barcode. The first page barcode has no date on it, either and again shows the same numbers as prior years. Soooo, maybe try a different barcode reader. My form isn't altered for prior years and shows no date in the barcode. You must be special.

Interesting, and two of you, because when I use my barcode reader there is no date on mine. The top portion reads 861019X, the bottom is just my SSN followed by 80189 just like prior years. How do you get 2024 out of that? It is NOT altering the code for me. Maybe for you. What reader are you using?

The only one I could find. It works fine in CM without VPN. Try again. https://www.ssa.gov/foreign/ssa7162ocrsm.pdf

Assume... makes and Ass of u and me. 🙂 But I wager you're right.

Yes, you're living abroad means you're duty bound to report that address. ANYWAY, one thing I didn't like about the blank form is you only get four lines to type your address in the upper box which really isn't enough. You can make it work, BUT, the newest PDF is revised 2023 and since it says clearly "Discontinue Prior Editions" it could be a violation to use them. This one, however, is also fill in only and as you might guess already, you get TWO lines of fixed font text. With your name, It's entirely impossible to fit the address into that box and impossible to write in using the edit text feature with a PDF editor. Photoshop would work but you have to make the font pretty small. Here's the form: https://www.ssa.gov/foreign/ssa7162ocrsm.pdf. You tell me. I tried to flush out a 2023 from a different source but they were all prior revisions. Well, that's the gummint's bureaucracy for you. I guess you should be safe using the 2021 revision if you're not the paranoid type, but I think it would be better to just print the blank and use a black pen to fill in the information. It doesn't say you can't use the lower space or use a black pen. Do NOT forget to put in your SSN under the telephone box, and it helps to pen in the BNC, BIC and COC. Or just have faith and wait until the form comes, we all know the gummint is here to help us and if your check doesn't come it's for sure in the mail. Oh, yeah, you could also print and scan back the 2023 revision and then use either Acrobat or Foxit to add text. Have fun, boys, see ya tamale.

I've done it several times for myself and others and it was always accepted when for some reason the mail didn't come through. I add a remark to that effect in the comment box. There is other data on the form besides the barcode. Ok, I logged into Hellofax.com and tried to send 2025 as fax. Since it's still sending eight minutes later it's safe to say the fax number for SSA 7162 forms no longer works.

Different strokes for different folks. I'm not paranoid, just have a lot of time on my hands and want the gummint to know for sure I'm not dead yet. Just kick back and wait it out if that makes you feel good.

I used Photoshop to white out Jun 6, 2024 and put in 2025. You could have printed and used whiteout to do the same. Also erased date and signature on 2nd page, printed and signed/dated for 2025. In remarks I mentioned that the form did not arrive as expected.

Yes, in the past several times they have replied to a query to say the form had been received, and in some cases I believe they used a scanned copy to post it, even though on the SSA website it says only originals are accepted. I have two aging friends that I help with those things as well as my own. Of course, this year may be different because of the political mess in the states. It may take a while, though. Wait and see... Yes, a fax number did work in 2019, fax # 410-966-6782 but doubt it still works. It did then, I used free fax service app through Dropbox called hellofax.com