American Needs To Change His Address For Social Security.

[westbounder]

I tried this topic before, but I need a bit more help. Can someone who has done this and lives in Chiang Mai please help me and guide me through this process.

I am currently back in the USA and I emailed the Chiang Mai Consulate and asked them what to do in changing my mailing address to Thailand for Soc. Sec.

I was hoping they would give me the address, phone number and email address of the place in Manila Philippines that I was told by members of Thai Visa was my first steps to take in handling this process. All that they did was email me back and said refer to the social security website.

If this process of changing my address for SS is going to be a big pain in the a** then maybe I should keep my mailing address back at my brothers house in America and have him email me if Soc. Sec. has sent me anything in the mail. The problem is then I would have have to fly back to America for an evaluation when they do them periodiocally. Also I want to know if they do SS evaluations in Thailand because I dont know anything about this.

Please help me and guide me what I should do...

Joe Gillespie

Edited June 22, 2010 by LivinginKata
email not allowed as per forum rules

[BB1950]

I live in Pattaya, but the procedure is the same throughout Thailand.

Periodically (about once a year), the SSA will send you a form to complete, advising them of your current address or changes to you living/working status to determine your eligibility for SSA. This form needs to be promptly mailed to the SSA in Philadelphia. Usually they will make two attempts of mailing the form. If they don't receive the form, your SS will be suspended (without notice) and it takes several months to get it unsuspended. So you need to have your correct current residential address on file with them in order to receive the form or any other notifications that they may send.

A couple of times, the form never arrived, and my SS was suspended. Now, if I don't get a form at the normal time each year when a form usually arrives, I immediately contact the US Embassy ACS section in Bangkok, by phone or email. Either has worked in the past, but sometimes they need to see your passport to verify it's you.

You can also do this at any of the Outreach Visits to Phuket, Hua Hin, Pattaya, Korat, Khon Khen, Udorn and Udom. You also need to register with the US Embassy to receive Outreach notifications. This easily be done on-line and can be done in the US. You can also go to the US Embassy ACS unit in Bangkok or the Consulate in Chang Mai.They in turn will get in contact with the SSA in Manila. I usually receive a form in the mail within a couple months after contacting an US Embassy or Consulate staff.

I've heard in some cases, the SSA may want to do an evaluation if you are eligible because of a disability. Usually they give you instructions where and how to do the evaluation when you are in Thailand. This only occasionally occurs for recipients who are under the age of 60. Recipients over 64 don't go through evaluations.

Also since my funds are 'Direct Deposit' through Bangkok Bank, a couple of times when I went to withdraw funds, the Embassy/SSA required the local branch staff to provide them with a copy of my passport certified by the bank staff (a surprise to both me and the bank staff). This occurred just before my passport was due to expire. Shortly thereafter, an unscheduled form showed up in the mail.

Since you are presently in the US, you could use the SSA website to inform them of your current residential address. However you need to be in the US long enough to receive the login information in the mail, if you don't have an on-line account. It will be sent to your current address with the SSA. It also won't be sent outside the US, so you can't inform them of your current residential address on line, if your current residential address with the SSA is in Thailand. You can't use the website outside of the USA either. The IP addresses outside the US are blocked from logging on to your account.

You call also call the SSA from their toll free number in the US (I've never had any luck getting through, it's always busy), or go to a local SSA office in the US (I found that to be the easiest method). You can use the SSA website to locate your local SSA office or look in the phone book under Social Security Administration, usually in the US Government section.

There is a form that you can download from the SSA website and mail to the Philippines to notify them of your current residential address, but you need a certified copy of your passport from a US Consular in Thailand to accompany it. The US Consular provides certified copies for the SSA at no charge to you. But I found that often times, the SSA office in the Philippines do not process documents in a timely manner. I've also never had any response to my email inquiry's to the Philippines.

The SSA prefers all forms and requests from overseas to be made by mail, in your own handwriting. Usually to the Maryland office (if I recall from memory). The information is on their website. Also the contact information for Manila office except for the email address is on the SSA website. The US Embassy ACS Unit in Bangkok has given me the email address, but as I said before, I never received a response from Manila.

Because the mail service from Thailand is so unreliable, I always send all correspondence to the SSA via Registered Air Mail. Even then I still have had problems with lost items in the mail to the SSA.

One last thing. Since Medicare is not available in Thailand. You need to terminate it and have the deduction stopped. It's a waste of money if you live in Thailand. You can do that in the US or in Thailand with any US Consular or send the form with a certified copy of you passport from a US Consular to the SSA. I've found that since you have to see a US Consular in either case, it's just easier to have them submit the form to the SSA.

[oldgeezer]

I live in Pattaya, but the procedure is the same throughout Thailand.

Periodically (about once a year), the SSA will send you a form to complete, advising them of your current address or changes to you living/working status to determine your eligibility for SSA. This form needs to be promptly mailed to the SSA in Philadelphia. Usually they will make two attempts of mailing the form. If they don't receive the form, your SS will be suspended (without notice) and it takes several months to get it unsuspended. So you need to have your correct current residential address on file with them in order to receive the form or any other notifications that they may send.

A couple of times, the form never arrived, and my SS was suspended. Now, if I don't get a form at the normal time each year when a form usually arrives, I immediately contact the US Embassy ACS section in Bangkok, by phone or email. Either has worked in the past, but sometimes they need to see your passport to verify it's you.

You can also do this at any of the Outreach Visits to Phuket, Hua Hin, Pattaya, Korat, Khon Khen, Udorn and Udom. You also need to register with the US Embassy to receive Outreach notifications. This easily be done on-line and can be done in the US. You can also go to the US Embassy ACS unit in Bangkok or the Consulate in Chang Mai.They in turn will get in contact with the SSA in Manila. I usually receive a form in the mail within a couple months after contacting an US Embassy or Consulate staff.

I've heard in some cases, the SSA may want to do an evaluation if you are eligible because of a disability. Usually they give you instructions where and how to do the evaluation when you are in Thailand. This only occasionally occurs for recipients who are under the age of 60. Recipients over 64 don't go through evaluations.

Also since my funds are 'Direct Deposit' through Bangkok Bank, a couple of times when I went to withdraw funds, the Embassy/SSA required the local branch staff to provide them with a copy of my passport certified by the bank staff (a surprise to both me and the bank staff). This occurred just before my passport was due to expire. Shortly thereafter, an unscheduled form showed up in the mail.

Since you are presently in the US, you could use the SSA website to inform them of your current residential address. However you need to be in the US long enough to receive the login information in the mail, if you don't have an on-line account. It will be sent to your current address with the SSA. It also won't be sent outside the US, so you can't inform them of your current residential address on line, if your current residential address with the SSA is in Thailand. You can't use the website outside of the USA either. The IP addresses outside the US are blocked from logging on to your account.

You call also call the SSA from their toll free number in the US (I've never had any luck getting through, it's always busy), or go to a local SSA office in the US (I found that to be the easiest method). You can use the SSA website to locate your local SSA office or look in the phone book under Social Security Administration, usually in the US Government section.

There is a form that you can download from the SSA website and mail to the Philippines to notify them of your current residential address, but you need a certified copy of your passport from a US Consular in Thailand to accompany it. The US Consular provides certified copies for the SSA at no charge to you. But I found that often times, the SSA office in the Philippines do not process documents in a timely manner. I've also never had any response to my email inquiry's to the Philippines.

The SSA prefers all forms and requests from overseas to be made by mail, in your own handwriting. Usually to the Maryland office (if I recall from memory). The information is on their website. Also the contact information for Manila office except for the email address is on the SSA website. The US Embassy ACS Unit in Bangkok has given me the email address, but as I said before, I never received a response from Manila.

Because the mail service from Thailand is so unreliable, I always send all correspondence to the SSA via Registered Air Mail. Even then I still have had problems with lost items in the mail to the SSA.

One last thing. Since Medicare is not available in Thailand. You need to terminate it and have the deduction stopped. It's a waste of money if you live in Thailand. You can do that in the US or in Thailand with any US Consular or send the form with a certified copy of you passport from a US Consular to the SSA. I've found that since you have to see a US Consular in either case, it's just easier to have them submit the form to the SSA.

If you are considering terminating your medicare, be aware that there is a penalty period for reactiviation as well as an upcharge to the current policy rate. This means you can receive no benefits in the event you return to the states for care until the penalty period is over. Check with SS for the latest on this. I keep mine as insurance against this and my policy will remain at the lowest figure of $92 a month.

[gotlost]

This is the contact information for SS if living in South East Asia.

Social Security Administration Division

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

United States Embassy

1131 Roxas Blvd., Ermita

0930 Manila, Philippines

Phone: (632) 301-2000 ext. 6319/6302/5085

Fax: (632) 522-1514

E-mail: [email protected]

Website: www.ssa.gov

[Gonzo the Face]

Hello Joe

This is Gonzo..... I received your email, message, or PM the other day and with the new redo in this forum, I can't seem to find anything....

Anyhow I am not permitted to give you my email address to you in the open like this but if you would again PM me with your email address, I would be happy to assist in any way I can.

I have been living here for quite a few years now and did all my SS contacting and arrange from over here including a overcoming of an attempt by someone to take over my SS account.

If you think I may be able to help you, PM me..... I don't know what info I can give you that you dont already have , but I would be happy to help if I can.

The contact posted above by Gotlost is pretty accurate and that is where I did all my back and forth with...

Gonzo

[westbounder]

Thank you Gonzo for the help on my Soc. Sec. problems.

Please email me at [email protected]

Thank you kindly

Joe Gillespie

Hello Joe

This is Gonzo..... I received your email, message, or PM the other day and with the new redo in this forum, I can't seem to find anything....

Anyhow I am not permitted to give you my email address to you in the open like this but if you would again PM me with your email address, I would be happy to assist in any way I can.

I have been living here for quite a few years now and did all my SS contacting and arrange from over here including a overcoming of an attempt by someone to take over my SS account.

If you think I may be able to help you, PM me..... I don't know what info I can give you that you dont already have , but I would be happy to help if I can.

The contact posted above by Gotlost is pretty accurate and that is where I did all my back and forth with...

Gonzo