10 minutes ago, connda said:

I'd assume the bar code is just a way to personally identify you. Or not. If October rolls around and the form doesn't show up, I'll fire off the scanned copy I have from last year anyway.

You can use an Andoid app to scan it and see for yourself. I don't remember exactly, but it's just your SSAN and various boilerplate, NOTHING on it re the date or anything. I did this some years ago for a friend and it worked fine. Can't do any harm and you have proof it was mailed. I'll probably do the attestation method in a few weeks if no form.

13 minutes ago, connda said:

I'd assume the bar code is just a way to personally identify you. Or not. If October rolls around and the form doesn't show up, I'll fire off the scanned copy I have from last year anyway.

If they haven't sent out this year's form at all, then they know the one you sent is a dud.

Edited July 3Jul 3 by JerryM

Let's not forget the form was dated 31 July last year. I received it about 8 August.

5 hours ago, avvocato said:

Let's not forget the form was dated 31 July last year. I received it about 8 August.

That it was... That should clear things up until the first couple of weeks in August.

Edited July 3Jul 3 by connda

Any luck, and they'll suspend it again, and indefinitely. I can't see how it's justified, the expense to monitor expats, living / dying, when their death is mandatory to be reported to embassies in most countries.

How many actually die, and continue drawing funds, since not being reported to embassy. The body would have to be disposed of.

Tax money better spent to have SS online more accessible, as I've yet to be able to open an account online. ID verifying has failed repeatedly and calling is a joke, on hold 20 mins, then disconnected.

Both the wife and I received our barcoded SSA Form 7162 for 2026 on 4 July 2026 here in Bangkok.

No mailing date seen anywhere on the received envelopes. The enclosed 7162 forms both had a date of 2 July 2026 in the upper right hand corner. I expect this date represents when the the SSA estimated the recipient to receive the form based on estimated mailing time.

Received my form today at my post office box. Have already returned it.

11 minutes ago, John Drake said:

Received my form today at my post office box. Have already returned it.

Where are you located?

22 minutes ago, Pib said:

Where are you located?

Received it today at the Taling Chan post office in Bangkok, where I have a PO Box.

We just got our 7162 forms in the mail today, Sanpatong. Looks like we won't have all the fun we had last year squabbling over what to do.

Got mine too, in chiangmai. 1st time I received it in July . Usually not received it at all and use a blank 7162 to submit it yearly. 😀

Same, same in CNX. Ran into another SS retiree at the post office sending in the form as well. Form was dated July 2 as well.

On 6/9/2026 at 11:42 AM, Galong said:

The form only proves you were breathing on one specific day of the year.

I don't know a single person who after passing away resumed breathing when their 7162 was delivered, just so they could sign it one more time. 😂

7162 letter showed up in my mailbox this afternoon…unfortunately, addressed to another person (delivered to my mailbox by mistake)…now i have to track down this person in the village, or find the postman and let him handle it…at least i know the letters are reaching Udon Thani now…hopefully, the postman didn’t deliver my letter to someone else…555…T.I.T.

On 6/23/2026 at 9:30 AM, KhunLA said:

I'll probably be mailing mine in this week, which would be the one I got last year, after I mailed in a couple copies of the one I got the year before.

Yeah, I got my 2025 form a couple of months after I mailed in the generic forms last year. So this year I'm mailing the 2025 form with 2026 info. And I will probably get the 2026 form in September this year, which I will keep and mail next year in 2027.

If you get a printed form after you mail in the generic form, then keep it for next year.

Received today in central Bangkok, dated July 2nd.

Question: Can we return more than one in a single EMS or Fedex packet? Each in its own envelope, of course. Has anybody done this?

Edited July 9Jul 9 by retiree

33 minutes ago, retiree said:

Received today in central Bangkok, dated July 2nd.

Question: Can we return more than one in a single EMS or Fedex packet? Each in its own envelope, of course. Has anybody done this?

Yes. Last year I called SSA in the USA and they told me I could put both forms in one envelope But to put a note in the envelope explaining and separate the two forms by a color post it or something so the clerk will look and separate. Otherwise they might ignore the second form. I sent ems and no problem.

I just did that today with 2026 forms and will send out tomorrow. Just make sure the clerk will see two separate forms.

Received the SSA forms this evening. Bangkok 10400.

On 5/22/2026 at 1:08 PM, Galong said:

9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Eastern U.S. Time, Monday through Friday.

If you are calling from Thailand, that translates to 8:00 p.m. to 3:00 a.m. local time (or 7:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m. during U.S. Daylight Saving Time).

Note: The SSA also has a toll-free international number (1-855-522-6936) that has slightly longer hours, from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time.

It's presently 5:15AM Chiang Mai time.....I got out of bed at 3:30AM to call in my 7162 info using the number other posters have identified- 410-965-0160, and received an automated recording that my call was "outside normal business hours which are 6AM to 6PM EST"...at 3:30AM my time that is 4:30PM EST....

So I then called the toll free number (above) and an automated response that "your call is important to us...will be answered in the order it was received....waiting time is estimated to be 30 minutes...." I'm still waiting over an hour and a half later......

26 minutes ago, jeffandgop said:

It's presently 5:15AM Chiang Mai time.....I got out of bed at 3:30AM to call in my 7162 info using the number other posters have identified- 410-965-0160, and received an automated recording that my call was "outside normal business hours which are 6AM to 6PM EST"...at 3:30AM my time that is 4:30PM EST....

So I then called the toll free number (above) and an automated response that "your call is important to us...will be answered in the order it was received....waiting time is estimated to be 30 minutes...." I'm still waiting over an hour and a half later......

And quit waiting after 2 hours........

11 hours ago, retiree said:

Received today in central Bangkok, dated July 2nd.

Question: Can we return more than one in a single EMS or Fedex packet? Each in its own envelope, of course. Has anybody done this?

I would not do both in the same package. A friend of mine did it and only his wife got her payment. Took him three months and lots of phone calls to fix it. They will back pay it but the hassle is not worth the extra cost of postage.

54 minutes ago, flexomike said:

I would not do both in the same package. A friend of mine did it and only his wife got her payment. Took him three months and lots of phone calls to fix it. They will back pay it but the hassle is not worth the extra cost of postage.

Last year I put both mine and my wife's in a single envelope & there were no problems....

2 hours ago, jeffandgop said:

Last year I put both mine and my wife's in a single envelope & there were no problems....

just saying no problems until there is one, and then it is a costly pain too get it fixed. My moto is and always will be better safe than sorry,

35 minutes ago, flexomike said:

just saying no problems until there is one, and then it is a costly pain too get it fixed. My moto is and always will be better safe than sorry,

I did it last year no problem. Put a large note on top explaining and put a color stickers on each form. Make them think a bit when they process the forms. Going to post office this afternoon and doing the same thing. However I do agree that if it doesn’t work then the extra cost is worth it. Let’s see what happens this year. 🤔

Maybe when sending two 7162s in one mailing package put each 7162 in the return envelope that came with the 7162 and then place those two separate envelopes in one envelope just large enough to hold those two 7162 envelopes." When the SSA rep opens the received envelope he/she will find two separate 7162 envelopes containing separate 7162s.

On 7/9/2026 at 7:48 PM, retiree said:

Question: Can we return more than one in a single EMS or Fedex packet? Each in its own envelope, of course. Has anybody done this?

The process of opening and initially scanning the 7162 is probably automated based on the original form being filled and mailed in its individual SSA envelope. Sure the machine will toss exceptions into a pile for manual checking.

But why risk that route? Why try to pinch a few baht for a trivial formality which nets us 100s of 1000s baht per year?

Has anyone South of Bangkok received their forms yet. I am in Rayong and don't know of anyone who has received theirs

35 minutes ago, flexomike said:

Has anyone South of Bangkok received their forms yet. I am in Rayong and don't know of anyone who has received theirs

I'm in Phuket and haven't received mine. None of my American friends got theirs either.

I didn't get one last year. I did the telephone attestation last Sept 2nd... dead easy.

What is the cheapest way to return it? Just regular Thai airmail post? What is it actually called by the post office? Thanks.

Edited July 11Jul 11 by ricklev

11 minutes ago, ricklev said:

What is the cheapest way to return it? Just regular Thai airmail post? What is it actually called by the post office? Thanks.

Oh. Chat GPT tells me International Air Letter. Seems like I recall there is an issue sending it registered because it is going to a PO box?