The SSA deals with claims for retirement, disability and survivor benefits, Social Security number applications as well as all post-entitlement issues such as direct deposit information, changes of address, non-receipt of checks, and termination of benefits due to death. For detailed information on benefits and how to apply visit the Social Security Administration website.
The SSA’s regional office for EAP is in Manila. For social security claims and other questions, please contact SSA Manila directly.
EAP Regional SSA Contact Information:
Social Security Administration
United States Embassy
1201 Roxas Boulevard
Ermita, Manila, Philippines 0930
Inquiry Line: +63-2-5301-2000 option 9
(Open from 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Tuesday & Thursday – Manila Time)
Fax: +63-2-8708-9723
E-Mail:
Website: Social Security Administration
U.S. Embassy Singapore is not a Social Security claims-processing post. However, we can assist with certifying copies that you will need to forward the documents to SSA Manila for the following services:
- First time SSN Application
- Replacement SSN Card
- Name Change on SSN Card
SSA Manila will mail the SSN card to the address indicated on the application. The entire process can take 2-3 months.
First Time SSN Application
If you are applying for a Social Security number (SSN) for the first time, you will need to submit the following (Original and copy – We will certify the copies and return the documents to you to mail to SSA Manila):
- Form SS-5FS (PDF 122KB);
- Evidence of age (such as birth certificate or Consular Report of Birth Abroad);
- Evidence of identity (such as passport);
- Evidence of U.S. citizenship (such as a U.S. birth certificate, U.S. passport, Certificate of Naturalization or Certificate of Citizenship), or
- Evidence of immigration status, for Legal Permanent Residents, (such as Form I-551 or I-94);
- Evidence of the identity ( such as passport) of the parent who signs the Form SS-5FS (for applicants under 12 years of age)
- Adoption Decree ( if applicable for applicants under the age of 12);
- Anyone age 12 or older must appear in person for an interview, and must submit documentation showing that absence from the U.S. was the reason a SSN was never assigned. The documentation (such as school and/or employment records) must be comprehensive, and date from the time the person departed the U.S. to the present.
- Official English translation of any documents in a foreign language.
Replacement SSN Card
If you know your SSN, you will need to submit the following (Original and one copy – We will certify the copies and return the documents to you to mail to SSA Manila):
- a completed Form SS-5FS (PDF 122KB)
- Applicant’s passport
- Evidence of the identity (such as passport)of the parent who signs the Form SS-5FS (for applicants under 12 years of age)
If you don’t know your SSN, please contact the SSA Manila at .
Note: Knowing your SSN number is more important than having the actual card. The IRS, employers and financial/educational institutions verify the SSN with the Social Security Administration, regardless of whether or not a Social Security Card is presented.
Name Change on SSN Card
If you need to change your name on your Social Security records, you will need to submit the following (Original and one copy – We will certify the copies and return the documents to you to mail to SSA Manila):
- a completed Form SS-5FS (PDF 122KB)
- Proof of the name change (such as marriage or divorce decree)
- Applicant’s passport indicating new name
Visit the Social Security Administration website for further information on their services.
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The Social Security Administration is struggling with a backlog of thousands of unprocessed eligibility documents and half of field offices report being "overwhelmed" by mail as a result of the agency's inability to adequately manage mail processing during the pandemic, the agency's inspector general reported last week.
Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, most Social Security offices have been in a maximum telework stance, but some managers have had to report to their offices to handle mail duties. Lawmakers have repeatedly highlighted complaints from constituents about the need to mail original copies of sensitive documents, including drivers licenses and birth certificates, to the agency as a result of the office closures.
The agency’s inspector general last week issued an interim report on issues surrounding the handling of mail at field offices and found that the agency “has no performance metrics” and does not maintain information on the volume of mail coming in, going out or deemed pending. And it does not have policies or procedures to track and return original documents that customers send to provide proof that they are eligible for benefits or a Social Security card.
According to the report, the issues around handling the mail have led to a backlog of thousands of customers’ original documents and thousands of unprocessed applications for Social Security cards.
“For example, one [program service center] had more than 9,000 unprocessed original documents it had received as early as November 2020,” the inspector general wrote. “We found that some of these documents were necessary to establish individuals’ eligibility for benefit payments. Some offices had backlogs of unprocessed applications for new or replacement Social Security cards. One field office had 677 unprocessed applications dated as early as July 2020. We also observed a Social Security card center that had over 9,000 unprocessed applications dated as early as May 2021. As a result, individuals have yet to receive their original documents or Social Security number card.”
Additionally, the inspector general found hundreds of thousands of pieces of undeliverable mail that had been returned to agency offices, “some of which were over one year old.” In some instances, undeliverable mail is supposed to trigger the suspension or termination of a beneficiary’s payments. Many managers responsible for handling the mail told the watchdog that they felt swamped by a massive increase in mail received during the pandemic.
“Approximately 50% of field office managers reported they are overwhelmed by mail duties, and approximately 20% stated they are unable to keep up with mail workloads,” the report stated. “Some office managers also told us they did not have adequate in-person staffing to keep up with mail duties while offices remained closed because of the COVID-19 pandemic.”
At the root of these issues is the fact that the Social Security Administration has no way to measure the flow of mail at its offices and adjust staffing levels to cope with it, the inspector general wrote.
“Without this information, SSA cannot know how much unprocessed mail it has, what is in the mail, or how old the mail is,” the report stated. “In addition, agency leadership is unable to assess staffing needs and distribute workloads. Without an effective system of internal control, there is heightened risk that SSA may lose sensitive documents.”
The inspector general said it will publish a final report on this issues, and other matters related to Social Security’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, by the end of the year. But in the meantime, the agency said Acting Commissioner Kilolo Kijakazi has ordered a number of changes to better monitor mail flow and has ceased the practice of requiring customers to send the original versions of identifying documents like drivers licenses.
“Upon learning of this issue, the acting commissioner decided to stop requiring the public to mail sensitive documents to us and directed a review of mail processes to implement improvements,” said agency spokesman Mark Hinkle. “We appreciate the Office of Inspector General’s review of this issue.”