9 hours ago, ThirdRock said:

I have sent 7162 by Thai Post EMS for years with no problem.  I have used regular mail for other things and never had a problem, for wanted to be able to track receipt of the SSA form. I was curious about the August/September gap and remembered the USPS site has tracking using the Thai Post EMS tracking number.  Checked online and it shows the two-month delivery time from NYC to Wilkes-Barre, and was picked up at the PO 5:33 PM 13 October by "JD".   Great service!  70 days to travel 120 miles!

On a side note, I had a friend in Dallas mail documents from the Dallas main PO to the neighborhood PO three miles away, and it took 15 days.  

 

Mine was sent 15 June, processed 29 June. Record time. 

On 11/24/2022 at 4:00 PM, rabas said:

The second letter was probably triggered by long delivery times that exceeded the 60 day return period, which could trigger a computer flag. My own letter took almost 100 days.

 

Their second letter stated "If you mailed the first letter just before receiving the second, then you do not need to do anything", because they will continue to process the first letters until the very end of their processing window.

 

Just to be safe, I faxed my 2nd letter to them today. A tip, the only fax machines I found were limited to A4 size (no adjustments).  The personalized barcode is on the letter's edge so the fax operator shrank the letter to A4 size before sending. The SSA's fax machine received the letter with no problem. Their fax number is 1-833-719-0632.

 

What hours is the fax line open?

 

I asked because I tried a couple of times and the phone would not answer. Thanks

1 hour ago, racyrick said:

What hours is the fax line open?

 

I asked because I tried a couple of times and the phone would not answer. Thanks

I  accessed the number around 11am Bangkok time last week, I tried again just now and still get a fax tone. I assume it's always on.

 

Make sure you use the correct access code like 009 (TOT) before the number. Try calling with your phone first to hear if you get a fax tone. The machine answers after one full ring.

 

Good luck.

1 hour ago, rabas said:

I  accessed the number around 11am Bangkok time last week, I tried again just now and still get a fax tone. I assume it's always on.

 

Make sure you use the correct access code like 009 (TOT) before the number. Try calling with your phone first to hear if you get a fax tone. The machine answers after one full ring.

 

Good luck.

I have used free online fax services to send forms to SSA.  I later called and confirmed that SSA did receive them.

3 hours ago, rabas said:

I  accessed the number around 11am Bangkok time last week, I tried again just now and still get a fax tone. I assume it's always on.

 

Make sure you use the correct access code like 009 (TOT) before the number. Try calling with your phone first to hear if you get a fax tone. The machine answers after one full ring.

 

Good luck.

Thanks so much. Worked-fax done!!

20 hours ago, racyrick said:

What hours is the fax line open? I asked because I tried a couple of times and the phone would not answer. Thanks

We forget about the fax number. What's wrong with using that? Anyway, it's not necessary to use a fax machine. On your computer you can go to HelloFax (Google it). It works great, keeps a record of past faxes, received or not, etc. Been using it for years, even for SSA a few years back. Not sure if it works with Android.  The fax number I used back then was 410-966-6782, no idea if it still works. Thanks for the new number.

Latest advisory from FBU-Manila:

 

Link to above advisory follows:

https://ph.usembassy.gov/services/social-security/

I have never received the form and contacted Manila on November 1st. They replied not to worry you would get it next year. On February 1st get an email from Manila that my benefits would be cancelled if I didn't return the form in 60 days. Sent it out the next day and for the past month it is sitting in some mail office there in Manala. I did get both Feb & March payments. This system is totally worthless.

2 hours ago, walt1 said:

I have never received the form and contacted Manila on November 1st. They replied not to worry you would get it next year. On February 1st get an email from Manila that my benefits would be cancelled if I didn't return the form in 60 days. Sent it out the next day and for the past month it is sitting in some mail office there in Manala. I did get both Feb & March payments. This system is totally worthless.

Why not email a scanned copy also.  Email it back to the Manila representative that sent the email....if sent from one of those Do Not Respond To email addresses then send it to the Manila SSA FBU central email address of:

[email protected]

 

I couldn't hurt.  The first year the wife started SSA she didn't get a 7162....when contacting Manila on 1 Nov about the issue they sent a blank 7162, said to completed it, and "email" back to them which we did.  We asked for confirmation the 7162 was rec'd/OK/processed and got a thumbs-up reply after several business days.

 

 

2 hours ago, walt1 said:

I have never received the form and contacted Manila on November 1st. They replied not to worry you would get it next year. On February 1st get an email from Manila that my benefits would be cancelled if I didn't return the form in 60 days. Sent it out the next day and for the past month it is sitting in some mail office there in Manala. I did get both Feb & March payments. This system is totally worthless.

If you got both Feb and March payments what are you worrying about, they took care of you

3 hours ago, walt1 said:

I have never received the form and contacted Manila on November 1st. They replied not to worry you would get it next year. On February 1st get an email from Manila that my benefits would be cancelled if I didn't return the form in 60 days. Sent it out the next day and for the past month it is sitting in some mail office there in Manala. I did get both Feb & March payments. This system is totally worthless.

Received 2nd notice, stating they didn't receive, and sent 3 back, 1 registered, 2 regular mail, 1 week apart.   Apparently at least 1 got through.

Good info,  thanks for sharing.

Things used to run quite smoothly before covid except for rare mail issues. It should be back to normal next year unless certain politicians find a way to kill Social Security. For fifteen years I received the mailer on time, returned the SASE ordinary postal and forgot about it. I knew one person who could not receive mail from the IRS or SS for several years, but that was fixed this last year finally. 

On 3/8/2023 at 1:26 PM, flexomike said:

If you got both Feb and March payments what are you worrying about, they took care of you

April

https://www.ssa.gov/myaccount/?utm_campaign=ocomm-retirement-digest&utm_content=march-2023-get-started&utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery

4 hours ago, tamy said:

https://www.ssa.gov/myaccount/?utm_campaign=ocomm-retirement-digest&utm_content=march-2023-get-started&utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery

Do you have a comment or question about the sign in/up page?

5 hours ago, gamb00ler said:

Do you have a comment or question about the sign in/up page?

I don't believe you can make an account unless you have a US resident address. I could use one of my kids, but isn't that saying your address is not in Thailand? I'd rather not take that chance. A friend has one, but he made it before moving to Thailand. 

21 hours ago, tamy said:

https://www.ssa.gov/myaccount/?utm_campaign=ocomm-retirement-digest&utm_content=march-2023-get-started&utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery

If you are registered in Thailand with a Thai address you cannot set this up, think you have to have your SS sent to a US Bank and have a registered US address. In my case I had one set up in the US before retiring in Thailand and have to get a code from SS everytime I Iog into my account, it is sent  by my email