Applying for US Social Security benefits at Manila FBU

[JAZZDOG]

13 minutes ago, NancyL said:

I think Jazzdog misunderstood about the "certified" copy of the passport.  An original birth certificate, yes, and it's not very difficult to order one online, but I think they just want a copy of the photo page of the passport that you've signed and dated, like when you do banking business.

Sorry, they also needed to correct their records as they had me as 63 instead of 62. The lady wanted to argue with me over my age. I assured her I had kept track of every year. Probably should have just let it ride.

[Jingthing]

So a normal application where there isn't a question of birth date requires a regular uncertified passport copy and also an original birth certificate?

Sent from my Lenovo A7020a48 using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[taxout]

Since it takes time to get a certified birth certificate from the States -- and some states are quite a bit slower than others -- you should have your certificate at hand. But they won't necessarily ask for it: if the date of birth on your benefits application matches the date of birth you gave when you applied for your Social Security Number, they MAY rely on the date you gave decades ago. Their choice. Probably more likely to ask for the actual birth certificate if you apply from overseas, of course, than if you show up in person at a Social Security office in the U.S. In any event, different folks may have different experiences on this issue.

Edited June 25, 2018 by taxout

[jeffandgop]

This morning, before 7am, I received a call from the SSA.  The incoming caller ID showed a Washington DC ##, but the caller was most likely from the Philippines I believe.

She merely asked me to verify 90% of the details I provided in my online application. 

Concluding her questions after no more than 5 minutes, she said that I would receive a letter from the SSA in 3-4 months detailing my specific benefit amount, and that payments would begin in the first month of my eligibility (Nov). 

I had earlier emails with the SSA in the Philippines that they would email me a day/time for a telephone interview but they never set up the appointment- just called without advance notice. 

Edited June 25, 2018 by jeffandgop

[Tagaa]

Changing the subject line worked...sort of. They sent me back an e-mail with a list of info they needed before they said they could call me. They already had my name & contact info as well as the reference number that they gave me when the application was submitted.

 

So, like a good little do-bee I gave it to them again with the things I didn't include in my first e-mail...like my address and middle name and DOB.

 

Lets see if I get a call now.

Edited June 25, 2018 by Tagaa

[JAZZDOG]

9 minutes ago, Tagaa said:

Changing the subject line worked...sort of. They sent me back an e-mail with a list of info they needed before they said they could call me. They already had my name & contact info as well as the reference number that they gave me when the application was submitted.

 

So, like a good little do-bee I gave it to them again with the things I didn't include in my first e-mail...like my address and middle name and DOB.

 

Lets see if I get a call now.

IMPO you need to hound them to get a reply. One email a week and it still took 45 days for a reply

[jeffandgop]

11 hours ago, jeffandgop said:

This morning, before 7am, I received a call from the SSA.  The incoming caller ID showed a Washington DC ##, but the caller was most likely from the Philippines I believe.

She merely asked me to verify 90% of the details I provided in my online application. 

Concluding her questions after no more than 5 minutes, she said that I would receive a letter from the SSA in 3-4 months detailing my specific benefit amount, and that payments would begin in the first month of my eligibility (Nov). 

I had earlier emails with the SSA in the Philippines that they would email me a day/time for a telephone interview but they never set up the appointment- just called without advance notice. 

Two hours after the interview by telephone originating from the Philippines, I received an email from my original email contact at the Philippines office telling me that he would be scheduling a telephone interview in the near future. I responded that I had just this day gone thru a telephone interview which I presumed had originated from another caseworker in his office and he checked and confirmed that unbeknownst to him a different caseworker had indeed made the interview call. 

[Tagaa]

Just received a call (7:07AM) from a nice lady (Razelle) from Manila. Verified all info, benefits to begin in November, 2018. She will forward an e-mail with info to give to Bangkok bank regarding direct deposit. She needs a certified copy of my birth certificate as there was a discrepancy in my DOB, that was corrected, in person, at the SS office in the US. This makes no sense to me, but whatever, I just want this process to move forward. I asked about the estimate of benefits on the SS website. She says that estimate is what I will receive, so it's not really an estimate. According to her it's correct.

 

Applied on June 14 & call on June 29, with an e-mail as a second request. Not to bad I suppose.

 

Now I can stop carrying my phone every where I go.

Edited June 29, 2018 by Tagaa

[Chicksaw]

I was the OP on this thread. Sorry for the long absence. Here's a bit of an update.

 

Following Pib's suggestion way back in the thread I doggedly kept calling Manila till finally I got through mid-May to a very pleasant lady who told me that my docs had been sent to Baltimore (tallying with what Pib said happens) and that I should be hearing directly from them by the end of July. If I don't I am supposed to contact Manila for a status update.

 

A particular cause for delay in my case is that I am getting Thai Social Security of 3000b/month based on my job here. When this came up at the original SS interview in Dec. the guy from Manila wanted to know everything about it - how much, from when, etc. I sent him a doc in Thai from the Thai SS Admin which I had annotated myself in English. What the lady in May. told me is that that's not enough for Baltimore. They are going to requisition an official translation.

 

Which means a significant delay as the doc goes to some translation service. Plus a bit of research indicates US SS doesn't like anyone getting double benefits and can deduct up to 50% of what the beneficiary is getting elsewhere, which means they might take $50 of my due amount.

 

Which to my mind is totally unreasonable because SS benefits from the US accrue from my work there, and from Thailand from my work here. Why the former should be penalized for the latter beats me.

[NancyL]

Yes, this issue of US SSA deducting 50% of the payment from another gov't pension seems draconian.  They don't ask if you're entitled to a pension from a private employer or if you have your own IRA/401k savings and then reduce your SS payment accordingly, do they?

[Louie Mamuwung]

Sorry to hear about your difficulties. I went thru this last year. Manila would never pick up the phone, etc.

I finally got some action when I made an appointment at the counsulate with citizen services I think they call it. A few days later, Manila called me and successfully completed the application.

I think I read recently that citizen services stopped fielding social security questions.

We were forced to pay in our whole working lives. It's a shame they are dragging their feet when it comes time to pay out.

Have you considered flying to Manila?

Edited June 30, 2018 by Louie Mamuwung

[Pib]

Support from Manila can range from excellent to piss-poor based on my personal experience with my own application a couple years ago and in helping other folks apply with Manila.  Right now I'm helping a person (a straight forth case) and the support from Manila is squaring falling in the piss-poor category.

[Tagaa]

So far so good for me.

 

I do have a question. The lady sent me a 1199A for my direct deposit. I filled out my portion & took it to the bank this AM. They lady signed & stamped it, but did not want a copy. She did not complete the box under BKK Banks routing number which reads "Depositor Account Title." Is this for my name or something from the bank? What goes there?

 

I do not want to send it to them & have them return it because this box is not filled in.

 

Almost forgot....she wants a cert cc of my birth certificate, which I have. She suggested sending it FedEx, UPS or DHL. Well, I live in Bum f#%k Issan & none of them have a location within 150 K's, as far as I know...probably further. I can send it EMS, no problem, but will the Philippine post accept a pre paid EMS return envelope to send my birth certificate back? I've never tried that before.

 

Edited June 30, 2018 by Tagaa

[Pib]

6 hours ago, Tagaa said:

So far so good for me.

 

I do have a question. The lady sent me a 1199A for my direct deposit. I filled out my portion & took it to the bank this AM. They lady signed & stamped it, but did not want a copy. She did not complete the box under BKK Banks routing number which reads "Depositor Account Title." Is this for my name or something from the bank? What goes there?

 

Your name goes there....just like your name is entered in Section 1, Block A.

 

I pulled out my wife's 1199A completed by our Bangkok Bank branch (the branch in the HQ Bangkok Bank building in Bangkok) and the bank entered the wife's name....that is, Mrs. Pib.

 

[Tagaa]

Thanks for that...that's what I thought but as usual with US Gubbmit forms, they have to make it seem more complicated/nebulous than it is.

 

Still looking for info about the return pre-paid envelope to get my birth certificate back. Will the Philippine post accept a pre-paid Thai EMS envelope for the return? FedEx & UPS are not an option out here in the hinterlands.

[Pib]

45 minutes ago, Tagaa said:

Thanks for that...that's what I thought but as usual with US Gubbmit forms, they have to make it seem more complicated/nebulous than it is.

 

Still looking for info about the return pre-paid envelope to get my birth certificate back. Will the Philippine post accept a pre-paid Thai EMS envelope for the return? FedEx & UPS are not an option out here in the hinterlands.

Best to ask Manila.  Did Manila say you had to provide a post paid return envelope?   I thought they mailed back any docs they asked for on their own dime.    

 

Last year when a I helped dual citizen (U.S. Naturalized  and Thai) apply at the tail end of the telephone interview the Manila rep said they would need a "copy" of her U.S. Passport "or" Naturalization Certificate.  Apparently that's a common requirement for a naturalized citizen.  The copy could be provided from the U.S. Embassy ACS who would look at the original to confirm they are real/original, make a copy and send the copy to Manila free of charge since it related to federal govt benefits such as Social Security pension signup.   Can't say for sure the Bangkok U.S Embassy still does this since 1 Oct 17, because since 1 Oct 17 they don't answer questions about social security....they must be asked to Manila....but that does not mean they still don't confirm original docs/send to Manila for federal benefits signup....hopefully they still do that...but I can't say for sure.

 

So, the person made an appt at the ACS, showed up and told them what Manila said/wanted, and the ACS sent a copy of the passport and naturalization certificate.    Manila got the docs from the U.S. Bangkok Embassy ACS within a week....I don't know if they were mailed....faxed....scanned & emailed....just know it satisfied Manila.

 

 

 

Edited July 1, 2018 by Pib

[Tagaa]

 

10 hours ago, Pib said:

Best to ask Manila.

 

 

 

 

 

You know as well as I do that when you call Manila you get a recording that promises to return the call within 5 days...then they never do.

 

Again I'll ask the question..." Will the Philippine post accept a pre-paid Thai EMS envelope for the return? FedEx & UPS are not an option out here. "

[JAZZDOG]

6 minutes ago, Tagaa said:

 

You know as well as I do that when you call Manila you get a recording that promises to return the call within 5 days...then they never do.

 

Again I'll ask the question..." Will the Philippine post accept a pre-paid Thai EMS envelope for the return? FedEx & UPS are not an option out here. "

Mellissa N. - FSP Manila Ramos

[email protected]

[ubonjoe]

12 hours ago, Tagaa said:

Still looking for info about the return pre-paid envelope to get my birth certificate back. Will the Philippine post accept a pre-paid Thai EMS envelope for the return? FedEx & UPS are not an option out here in the hinterlands.

I don't think that can be done. I am sure the post office in the Philippines would not accept it.

At one time DHL would receive international shipments and send them to areas they did not serve by Thai post. Website: https://www.dhltoyou.com/en

[Tagaa]

I finally gave up on a tracked return option to get my birth certificate back. I mailed them the 1199 & birth certificate today via EMS and instructed the SSA to just return it by regular mail. It will probably be fine. Eve if I never get it back I can't imagine what I would need a certified birth certificate for at this time in my life. I've had this one since 1984 & used it twice, up to this point.

 

Anyway, it's all in their hands now. Hope to get the first payment November 3.

[NancyL]

4 hours ago, Tagaa said:

I finally gave up on a tracked return option to get my birth certificate back. I mailed them the 1199 & birth certificate today via EMS and instructed the SSA to just return it by regular mail. It will probably be fine. Eve if I never get it back I can't imagine what I would need a certified birth certificate for at this time in my life. I've had this one since 1984 & used it twice, up to this point.

 

Anyway, it's all in their hands now. Hope to get the first payment November 3.

If you are looking for documents from the U.S., it's fairly easy to get a new official documents for birth, death, marriage, divorce, military service, etc.  They can be ordered online for a small fee.

[ubonjoe]

11 hours ago, NancyL said:

If you are looking for documents from the U.S., it's fairly easy to get a new official documents for birth, death, marriage, divorce, military service, etc.  They can be ordered online for a small fee.

For everything other than military service (DD214) it depends upon what state you want them from. I looked into getting my birth certificate and it requires the application form to be notarized. Not exactly cheap if living here.

[NancyL]

1 hour ago, ubonjoe said:

For everything other than military service (DD214) it depends upon what state you want them from. I looked into getting my birth certificate and it requires the application form to be notarized. Not exactly cheap if living here.

That's a bummer.  Out of curiosity, I looked at what it would take to get mine and discovered I could order online from Summit county, OH for a fee under $25 charged to a U.S. credit card.  No problem for me, since I've kept a couple U.S. credit cards active. 

 

Last year, I got certified copies of Hubby's my marriage certificate when we applied for a Malaysian MM2H visa simply by writing a nice email to the Payne County, OK county clerk, noting how we were married in their "old" court house and how nice the new one looked on their website and how we recently celebrated our 40th wedding anniversary.  She said my email was so nice that she put two certified marriage certificates in the mail for free.  I wasn't asking to get one for free, just asking how to order online because I couldn't find that option on the county's website, but she said my email was so nice, there would be no charge.

[tweedledee2]

 

 

 I first visited Thailand in Dec 2013 to meet my future wife and stayed in her parents home. When I returned home it was 8 above zero with 10 inches of snow. It took me 2 days to make the decision to retire.  I used my 4 weeks accrued vacation for Jan and filed for retirement with my employer.  I applied for early retirement 11 Jan 2014 using the SSA online application form.  I filled out the online form completely and no additional information was ever requested.  All communication with SSA after that was by email or the USPS.

    Feb 1 was my official retirement date. I received my April check first and the 2 make-up checks 2 weeks later. Feb 9, I was on a plane back to Thailand and 9 days later married.  The two best decisions I ever made, marrying Fon and early retirement in that order.

[Pib]

 

Just as FY regarding the mailing/return of original docs to Manila over the last few days I set-in on a phone interview with a person I'm helping to apply for retirement benefits....a dual U.S.-Thai citizen...naturalized U.S. citizen.   As expected they require either a validated/certified copy or original of the person's U.S. passport or Naturalization Certificate to prove the U.S. citizen since the Manila rep says their system does not show U.S. citizenship for the applicant.   Same thing happened last year when helping another dual U.S.-Thai citizen---a naturalized U.S. citizen.

 

The rep said the Immigration & Naturalization Service IT/database system does not fully integrate with/update the Social Security System so it's not uncommon for a naturalized U.S. citizen not to show-up in the Social Security system as a U.S. citizen.  No, I'm not surprised as a lot of IT/database systems between U.S. govt agencies do not interface at all or only partially....just the nature of the beast.  So, Social Security needs to see docs that prove citizenship so Social Security can manually update its IT/database system.   

 

And it could be other original docs that might be needed like a birth certificate if there is a birth date/age disconnect between different U.S. govt agency databases like what Tagaa experienced in Manila needing his birth certificate.

 

Probably better for Manila to identify this need in the early stage of the application versus waiting for the Baltimore SS Office to identify the need which they would have....you would have gotten a letter through snail mail to Thailand probably a month or two later from Baltimore saying the birth certificate needs to be sent...then you would need to mail it to Baltimore or Manila.

 

So, what a person can do is provide docs to Manila  provided through a U.S. Embassy/Consulate here in Thailand.  That is,  you show the embassy/consulate the originals and then they forward certified copies to Manila (no fee)....you keep the originals....originals stay with you...don't get mailed off...just U.S. Embassy certified copies get sent to Manila.  Or, if not using that method you must mail Manila the originals.   

 

For the person I'm helping, they have made an appt at the U.S. Embassy Bangkok to have them validate/certify/send copies to Manila versus mailing off original docs....just like the person I helped last year.   Both of these folks live in Bangkok so getting to the embassy is not a big problem.

 

Below is a partial quote from a very recent Manila email  stating what to do when submitting docs.  "If submitting original docs and wanting them returned,"  notice it says must provide a pre-paid envelope from UPS, DHL, and FedEx Only...and they underlined Only.  But hopefully if not providing such a pre-paid envelope they will still mail the originals back using regular international mail.

 

Quote

How to Submit Documents:

SSA can only accept Original or Certified Copies of documents. To have your documents certified by the American Citizens Services (ACS) Unit of the U.S. Embassy in Bangkok.

On your appointment date, bring your Form SS-5, Original certificate of naturalization and Valid/Unexpired Passport, together with a print-out of this email.

Alternatively, you may also submit the original documents together with a copy of this letter to our office via courier such as UPS, DHL, FedEx, etc.:

If you are submitting original documents, you must provide a pre—paid return airway bill and envelope (UPS, DHL, and FedEx only) to enable us to send back your documents. We also recommend that you choose a mailing service with tracking capability for the purpose of sending your documents.

 

But keep in mind, a person living in Thailand can still submit their application online just like you are living in the U.S.  It's just you will now be dealing with the Baltimore SS Office which is the final approval/processing authority for "all applications with addresses outside the U.S."   Even when Manila submits you application, its next stop is Baltimore for final processing/approval, but Manila will not submit the application until they get all the docs that the social security application system flags as needed such as U.S. passport and/or U.S. naturalization certificate....or maybe even a birth certificate for a U.S. born citizen simply because of a disconnect/conflict of birth date/age showing up between govt databases.    When Manila does their phone interview they are actually entering your data into an online application and they will see real-time any possible docs requirements and can ask for them before they submit the application to Baltimore. 

 

For some folks, no docs will be required....for other folks some docs will be required as every applicant has a different set of circumstances....everybody's life story and data in govt systems are different.

 

 

 

 

Edited July 10, 2018 by Pib

[Rhys]

On 6/13/2018 at 10:24 AM, NancyL said:

It's so easy to do here in Thailand with SS Manila, I don't know why anyone would make a special trip to the U.S. just to apply for SS.

 

They SS Manila seem responsive, with an acceptable waiting time... let's see if they can handle the bumps and tumbles however of not straight forwards claims... I trust they will be up to the task.

[Pib]

On 7/10/2018 at 12:19 PM, Pib said:

So, what a person can do is provide docs to Manila  provided through a U.S. Embassy/Consulate here in Thailand.  That is,  you show the embassy/consulate the originals and then they forward certified copies to Manila (no fee)....you keep the originals....originals stay with you...don't get mailed off...just U.S. Embassy certified copies get sent to Manila.  Or, if not using that method you must mail Manila the originals.   

 

For the person I'm helping, they have made an appt at the U.S. Embassy Bangkok to have them validate/certify/send copies to Manila versus mailing off original docs....just like the person I helped last year.   Both of these folks live in Bangkok so getting to the embassy is not a big problem.

Update based on personal experience yesterday:  As of 1 Oct 17 the U.S. Bangkok Embassy now longer handles "inquires" on federal benefits such as social security application.  I knew that..not new news...that info is on there website and they even sent out emails on that to folks.   However, when they say "inquires" that implies they will no longer answer questions, provide info, etc.  But the no inquires also means they will "not" forward the certified copies to the Manila Social Security Office like they use to; instead you must forward the certified docs.   They will certify/notarized required docs, but no longer also forward them for you also.

 

The U.S. Embassy still certifies documents required for "federal benefits" applications "fee-free"...no $50 charge per certified/notarized doc, but you need some documentation from the govt agency you are applying for federal benefits stating what docs must be certified.  Like in my experience the other day, that doc was the formal email from the Manila Social Security Office stating which docs require certification at the U.S. Embassy such as a U.S. passport or Naturalization Certificate.  

 

[jeffandgop]

On 6/25/2018 at 7:53 PM, jeffandgop said:

Two hours after the interview by telephone originating from the Philippines, I received an email from my original email contact at the Philippines office telling me that he would be scheduling a telephone interview in the near future. I responded that I had just this day gone thru a telephone interview which I presumed had originated from another caseworker in his office and he checked and confirmed that unbeknownst to him a different caseworker had indeed made the interview call. 

While I have yet to receive the letter from the SSA confirming my benefits, I logged onto “my SSA” today to check the status. It now reflects “approved” with my first benefit payment scheduled to start on time in November. I also printed the SSA benefits confirmation letter available as may be required. 

[Chicksaw]

An update re my case from calling Baltimore SS last week: the doc from the Thai SS (in Thai) stating the amount I am getting from them has been sent to a translation service in the US. But, apparently this service is not within the jurisdiction of SSA - contractors I assume - and the SS guy I spoke couldn't promise an exact turnaround time. Pain in the backside.

 

But what might be useful for other folks to know is that good times to call Manila and SS Baltimore seem to  be just after 8am both places (their respective times). I got Rozelle in Manila just after 8am Manila. She was very helpful. Then that same day (night here) I called Baltimore just after 8am EST. My call was answered almost immediate by a guy, who was extremely pleasant, but couldn't really help because of the translation service black hole.

 

So I will be following up in a month. Best of luck to all of you out there applying. Hope your cases go a lot more smoothly than mine.

[Pib]

The Social Security Office at the U.S. Embassy-Manila only advertises their Philippines phone number on their webpage, but they also have a U.S. number.  You are still calling the Manila Embassy it's just to their U.S. number. 

 

If you are in Thailand and have a U.S. phone number via some VOIP service like Magic Jack, Skype, etc., calling the Manila embassy would be a free call....no need to pay for a pricey international call using AIS, DTAC, True, etc.  You'll reach an interactive system....just follow the instructions to connect to a person's extension if you know it or to be connected to a certain section where a human operator will then talk to you and further connect your call.    

 

The numbers are:

(202) 370-6642 or (202) 370-6497

 

I tried both numbers again from my Magic Jack U.S. number just before posting this around 9:30am on this Tuesday morning...each number rang once and connected...and then I was listening to their interactive system asking me who I wanted to be connected to....Press 9 to connect to the Social Security section.  Just last week I used this method to talk to a Social Security rep.