My wife, who is Thai, recently gave birth to our first child (a daughter). I applied for and received a US passport for our daughter, and also applied for a US Social Security number. As those who have done it know, there's a lot of paperwork and running around involved -- you have to get the Thai birth records, marriage certificates, etc. translated into English, get the translations certified at the Office of Foreign Affairs on Chaeng Wattana Road, then submit the certified documents to the US Embassy. They issue the passport and an official Consular Record of Birth Abroad, give you an application form for the SSN, and several more documents (certified by consular staff) that have to be sent to the US Social Security office in the Philippines.

After I did all that, I seemingly received nothing from Manila. I recently commented to my wife that it seemed like it was taking a long time for the SSN to come back. She said, "Oh, it came last month -- I saw an official-looking envelope from the Philippines in the mail. Didn't YOU see it?" An exhaustive search of the house turned up nothing. It appears that either my parents-in-law (who live with us and bring in the mail since they are home in the daytime) or, more likely, the housekeeper, didn't recognize it as important (it was in English, after all) and threw it away without my ever knowing it had come.

I feel like weeping at the thought of starting the documentary certification and application process over again. Furthermore, having already issued a SSN to my daughter, I doubt the SS office would issue another one. Anybody out there know what I should do? If I contact the SS office in Manila, can they send me a new package (including SS card) to replace the lost one?

Many thanks.

My wife, who is Thai, recently gave birth to our first child (a daughter). I applied for and received a US passport for our daughter, and also applied for a US Social Security number. As those who have done it know, there's a lot of paperwork and running around involved -- you have to get the Thai birth records, marriage certificates, etc. translated into English, get the translations certified at the Office of Foreign Affairs on Chaeng Wattana Road, then submit the certified documents to the US Embassy. They issue the passport and an official Consular Record of Birth Abroad, give you an application form for the SSN, and several more documents (certified by consular staff) that have to be sent to the US Social Security office in the Philippines.

After I did all that, I seemingly received nothing from Manila. I recently commented to my wife that it seemed like it was taking a long time for the SSN to come back. She said, "Oh, it came last month -- I saw an official-looking envelope from the Philippines in the mail. Didn't YOU see it?" An exhaustive search of the house turned up nothing. It appears that either my parents-in-law (who live with us and bring in the mail since they are home in the daytime) or, more likely, the housekeeper, didn't recognize it as important (it was in English, after all) and threw it away without my ever knowing it had come.

I feel like weeping at the thought of starting the documentary certification and application process over again. Furthermore, having already issued a SSN to my daughter, I doubt the SS office would issue another one. Anybody out there know what I should do? If I contact the SS office in Manila, can they send me a new package (including SS card) to replace the lost one?

Many thanks.

I don't know how difficult its going to be to find out just what they sent, I can only wish you well in your quest.

I know it'll be tough especially when you descibe the circumstances to them.