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Signed Benefits Letter; Wits End

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datedder
  8/5/2020 06:12 EST

I am currently in the Philippines and wanting desperately to move to Bulgaria but I am at my wits end in trying to get a "Signed/Stamped" Social Security Benefits Letter.

In order to get my package approved to live in Bulgaria, I must have an apostilled SS Benefits Letter from the Department of State, D.C. The letter can "not" be one I can print or a letter that SS will send as it is identical to what I can print.

No one at the Social Security Admin knows what I am talking about. I am unable to find "anything" on Google. The SS people I "can" reach are working from home, but again, they have no clue.

I spoke with the Department of State for apostille and they said it must be a signed or stamped Benefits letter from the administrator or other identifiable SS representative. It can not be a letter I can print as the signature ensures the letter isn't altered.

CAN SOMEONE PLEASE shed some light on this for me? Apparently if you moved to Bulgaria, you had to have this letter completed according to the above. Someone somewhere knows something. Please help!

Dennis
[email protected]

nabljuduvach
  8/5/2020 11:55 EST

The Social Security Administration has a representative at the U.S. Embassy in Manila:

Federal Benefits Unit
United States Embassy
1201 Roxas Boulevard
Ermita, Manila 0930
Philippines

They can probably supply something on fancy letterhead with lots of stamps.

Incidentally, I submitted an SS Benefits letter to the Bulgarian Bureau of Migration six years in a row, and they were always perfectly content with something I had printed off the SSA website. Times have changed, I guess. Or could it be that the Philippines gets special treatment?

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datedder
  8/7/2020 01:28 EST

Yes and thank you very much. Apparently things have changed to my dismay. I received letter from Manila embassy with their colour seal and Department of State: no can do. (there goes $50 FedEx). However, I contacted the US Embassy in Sofia and they gave me a direct link "and" wrote my letter for me along with a direct link to SSA. State said they have to have an original signed and stamped benefits letter to have it apostilled. Finally after two months. And all of SSA is working from home. Nothing is easy.

"Please contact SSA and ask for an original letter signed and stamped (not electronic print)..."

"...because it will need to be legalized with an apostille by the US Department of State Authentication office for the purpose of applying for a foreign visa."

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