# US Social Security direct deposit into a Philippine bank for my Philippine citizen wife (not a dual citizen/expired Philippine passport)



## M.C.A. (Feb 24, 2013)

I'm getting closer to resolving my wife's US Social Security, she qualifies for SS and so they need to ask several questions in a phone interview the earliest spot is a couple of months away.

If there's an easier bank to deal with when utilizing US SS direct deposit. 

I'm thinking about BDO, they don't seem to have any minimum balance requirement for a US dollar direct deposit and there are several banks in our region plus parking, next would be Metrobank it has a $100 minimum balance for Pensioner accounts but I notice long lines outside the building and no parking space


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## sirpo (4 mo ago)

Started out with BDO WHAT A DISAPPOINTMENT switched over to BPI about 10 years ago min balance then was $200 USD 
Every 3 month I make a deposit USD to cover the next 3 months send the housekeeper to do the banking

I don't understand all the lines you are standing in 

Deposit you fill out the info at the in house teller machine with accct# ect your turn hand them the deposit 

Withdrawal fill out the info at the in house teller machine with accct# ect your turn hand them the withdrawal slip with signature giving the right to authorized person with ID to get your USD no problem 

Wash Rinse Repeat monthly basis


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## sirpo (4 mo ago)

Follow up keep your Wifes SSI in a US Credit Union checking account thru Direct Deposit worse comes to worse pay the wire transfer fee every three months to fund Philippine account


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## M.C.A. (Feb 24, 2013)

sirpo said:


> Follow up keep your Wifes SSI in a US Credit Union checking account thru Direct Deposit worse comes to worse pay the wire transfer fee every three months to fund Philippine account


We are both very retired and I want to get away from doing transactions with a US bank, I'm trying to focus on making it work here. In a couple of years, I'll be 62 and able to collect SS and I want to direct deposit the funds into a Philippine Bank.

I still have my NFCU joint account and use that to deposit checks into my PNB bank also a joint account but eventually, I'd like to also go direct deposit.


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## sirpo (4 mo ago)

We are both very retired

Very retired to me is 50 y/o in 2002

I want to get away from doing transactions with a US bank
You are not dealing with a US Bank you are dealing with NFCU any idea what you haven't paid in monthly banking fee's 

Joined NFCU 1972 50+ year member if you care to trust Philippine banking system be my guest just don't whine and cry when you come up short 
3 months liv exp is about all I will trust them with keep your SSI direct deposit with NFCU fund Phil account every 3 months to cover the next 3 months

I always cash out BPI IN USD to get a better rate at local money changer


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## expatuk2016 (Mar 20, 2016)

Been with BDO from 2011 never had a problem with them both mine and my wifes UK pensions go into our seperate accts we pay our utility bills thru BDO as well and also mobile top ups and the cars RFI top up. And as we are both seniors we get priority treatment.
The wife had an acct with BPI for the car finance but as a bank not very good.
All i needed to open an acct with BDO was my ACR card and my passport.


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## sirpo (4 mo ago)

we are both seniors we get priority treatment.
Please explain what you believe is priority treatment. 

This is the PI my house keeper being able to do my monthly living expense withdrawal is all I need


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## expatuk2016 (Mar 20, 2016)

sirpo said:


> we are both seniors we get priority treatment.
> Please explain what you believe is priority treatment.
> 
> This is the PI my house keeper being able to do my monthly living expense withdrawal is all I need


By priority treatment it means no queing help with the machine to get no etc befire getting to the teller


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## DonAndAbby (Jan 7, 2013)

M.C.A. said:


> I'm getting closer to resolving my wife's US Social Security, she qualifies for SS and so they need to ask several questions in a phone interview the earliest spot is a couple of months away.
> 
> If there's an easier bank to deal with other than PNB, I'd sure like to know and so I'm wondering if anyone has their SS direct deposited to a Philippine Bank other than PNB.
> 
> ...


You should also be asking each bank what their deposit fee is. It can add up. BPI is $6.50 per month. SS at Manila used to have a list but I don't think I kept it. Some banks are as high as $10.

The old admin here, who passed away, told me he had no deposit fee at Metrobank, but he may have been grandfathered in. MetroBank in Subic was $5 in 2018, but I was already banking at BPI so I chose BPI for the SS deposits of my 2 kids.


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## fmartin_gila (May 15, 2011)

Mark, I have opened & use a dollar account at BPI for a few years now. I just write a check on an account at one of my US banks and deposit it with no hassle. Then have to wait for it to clear before withdrawing from the account. I withdraw Pesos from the dollar account with a debit card at the ATM, if for some reason, I may need dollars, I just go up to the teller and make my request and they give me dollars. No hassle at BPI, other than the requirement to keep $500 in there. You should have no problem to open an account to deposit your SS.

Fred


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## M.C.A. (Feb 24, 2013)

fmartin_gila said:


> Mark, I have opened & use a dollar account at BPI for a few years now. I just write a check on an account at one of my US banks and deposit it with no hassle. Then have to wait for it to clear before withdrawing from the account. I withdraw Pesos from the dollar account with a debit card at the ATM, if for some reason, I may need dollars, I just go up to the teller and make my request and they give me dollars. No hassle at BPI, other than the requirement to keep $500 in there. You should have no problem to open an account to deposit your SS.
> 
> Fred


I've heard good and bad about BPI, we only have one in our area it's sort of similar to Metrobank, they don't have parking but I've never noticed long lines at BPI. I sure would like to get away from these $500 deposits, my PNB is this way.

Thank you for sharing though, it sounds like BPI is an easier bank to deal with, especially when it comes to using the ATM card.


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## DonAndAbby (Jan 7, 2013)

M.C.A. said:


> Thank you for sharing though, it sounds like BPI is an easier bank to deal with, especially when it comes to using the ATM card.


As others mentioned, Social Security will only go into passbook account. No online access and no ATM card. That is what my kids have. Their SS is directed deposited to passbook accounts.

You can open a dollar ATM account and a peso ATM account, then transfer money from the passbook account to those, but you have to go into the bank to do it.

When we withdraw from my kid's passbook accounts, we have to bring the kids and their passports. During Covid, the kids had to stay in the car, so the teller would come out to look at the kids in the car!


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## art1946 (Nov 30, 2017)

I had an account with BDO in Tagum city. They told me my money was not insured. So, I kept very little in the bank there. I wonder if things have changed through the years? 

art


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## M.C.A. (Feb 24, 2013)

art1946 said:


> I had an account with BDO in Tagum city. They told me my money was not insured. So, I kept very little in the bank there. I wonder if things have changed through the years?
> 
> art


What? Lol... each and every bank is insured to a certain amount and it's usually posted inside the bank or online.


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## art1946 (Nov 30, 2017)

yeah mark--I read where the bank insured the money was a very small amount. Not like in the USA. 

art


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## art1946 (Nov 30, 2017)

Mark

I was with BDO while living in the Philippines. I never had a problem with them. I had a money and peso accounts with them. They are a pretty large bank.

art


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## M.C.A. (Feb 24, 2013)

art1946 said:


> Mark
> 
> I was with BDO while living in the Philippines. I never had a problem with them. I had a money and peso accounts with them. They are a pretty large bank.
> 
> art


I want to open up an account with them soon, both I and my wife within the next two years. The small amounts insured that you're talking about are 500,000 pesos or around $10,000 USD per account, so if you have more money than this you could open up accounts with the other branches or another bank that's what they do here.


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## Gary D (Oct 28, 2013)

M.C.A. said:


> I want to open up an account with them soon, both I and my wife within the next two years. The small amounts insured that you're talking about are 500,000 pesos or around $10,000 USD per account, so if you have more money than this you could open up accounts with the other branches or another bank that's what they do here.


It's 500k per customer so a joint account would be 1m. Go different banks as different branches doesn't work.


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## art1946 (Nov 30, 2017)

mark

You are right. I remember the 500,000 pesos now. I also was told to go to different banks if I was depositing more then $10,000. 

thanks
art


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## M.C.A. (Feb 24, 2013)

Update on the status of obtaining my wife's US Social Security, she has a Social Security number and has been in the US working since 1976 (she is a Philippine citizen, not a dual citizen):

I have an appointment late this month with the US Embassy's SS branch and they sent us a letter to have certain requirements ready to go and one of them was an account number and routing for Direct Deposit.

So yesterday I tried to get this set up with PNB and they don't seem to get it that my wife is a Filipino and getting SS in fact they seemed in shock or surprised so they wouldn't open an account yet, they told me that the US Embassy must state that they know my wife is a Filipino citizen and eligible for SS with her SS approval letter, the interview is late this month. 

My wife's Philippine Passport has long expired and they seemed to want this for some reason (I do have all her Philippine passports still but I forgot to mention that), I guess for identification purposes but I told them I do have her US Government Dependant ID card and it also has her SS on it but it didn't seem to work, we also recently went through the process of getting my wife a Postal ID and that required birth certificate, current baptismal certificate, barangay, cedula tax, police clearance, Marriage certificate.

My wife misplaced or lost her SS card and I've looked everywhere for it but no joy... but we do have two of her SS statements the current one and an older statement.

I have talked with another expat recently and he is a retired US Airforce and his wife is also not a US citizen and she did get her US Social Security, they had the same issue I'm going through right now both lived and worked in the US for a couple of decades so I think in order to qualify as a foreigner you have to make the residence requirement or have lived their several years? I don't know but will keep updating this subject because I do feel there are other expats that might be in this same situation.


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## M.C.A. (Feb 24, 2013)

I have an update on my wife's status as a Philippine citizen applying for US Social Security, but she worked for decades in the US and is not a US citizen.

The US Embassy SS branch called us today for our interview date got extended due to the 31st holiday declaration so it took 75 days to set this up all in all but it came out great, they asked my wife several questions and I was prepared and they notified in advance of what kind of information they would need, such as where your worked and dates or divorce information.

Anyway it's all complete she's done and I will receive an email with an approved document or letter from Social Security so she can open up a Direct Deposit dollar account with one of the Philippine banks, I haven't decided yet but we might go with Metrobank, they only have a $100 deposit requirement, I think I'm going to make an exit plan out of PNB, they don't seem to ever show signs of modernization but they are professionals and treat their customers well, even so... and now require way to much burdensome paperwork, overzealous ID requirements and if I can I just might open up with BDO.


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## M.C.A. (Feb 24, 2013)

Update again on my wife's Social Security status:

No Social Security award letter after two weeks and so I thought possibly the mail was slow or the letter was lost, I called the US Embassy SS branch Tues and Thursday only from 8 - 11 (they only try to answer questions) and they told me that they were going to contact us and they did through my gmail, well... I missed the call but they called today a week later and they needed to know was what kind of Medicare she wanted but we aren't returning to the US again, we are permanently retired so as far as I know Medicare doesn't work here either but I do have the Military Tricare Overseas so we'll end up using that.

Another note, my wife asked the Social Security Officer how long does take to get the Social Security award letters so we can open up her direct deposit pension bank account and the reply was it takes time. So I initially contacted (for a timeline on events) Manila Embassy Social Security branch August 2022 and it's now December and it's still in process, so actually they do recommend that when it comes your time to submit 3 - 4 months prior, you do get back pay from the initial date you applied.


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## M.C.A. (Feb 24, 2013)

This thread might not be for everyone and I understand but it could be very helpful for US citizens that retired here with their wife so the process is still going here's the next update:

I thought everything was done but we got an email the next day after the medicare question and we need to get my wife's original PSA Birth certificate or Baptismal certificate plus bank account opened up and they emailed me a SSA-1199-OP77 (01-2019) Philippine form to take to the bank it looks a little different, more room to fill out the address the from used within the US has only address fill in area's for states, for some reason I can't upload his pdf document. We need to get all this into a package and mail it to Manila SS branch within a month.


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## M.C.A. (Feb 24, 2013)

Just realized today my wife doesn't have a birth certificate, what I had was a genuine copy of useless garbage or a negative finding on her birth certificate but it worked for her Postal ID and her Baptismal recording.

So no record of birth recorded and I need to get that fixed, I hope the US embassy accepts the Baptismal only or I guess this drags on through next year. (my pain your gain, wait... this never happens to you)

I tried to get this fixed today at the birth records office in our Municipality and the older lady started tossing my wife's documents around onto another desk, she didn't look happy and then she came to the window to talk with me, she started pointing at several spots on the document I had brought in but nothing in English so I said I needed to get my son so he could translate.

I went back home in the rain on my bike brought my son back (it's Friday today, Thursday was a holiday) got there within 30 minutes so 8:30 am and the two upper staff members had left the head guy and the older lady.

The two upper staff members also are in charge of the entire region so they went to another Municipality, the younger lady left to hold down the office told us to come back Monday.

I'm going to create another thread under Useful Links for Expats and the procedures, where to go, costs to get a birth certificate recorded.


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## Gary D (Oct 28, 2013)

We had something similar, went to the municipality where my wife was born and filed a late registration of birth, She needed an affidavit signed to say the person signing remembered my wife being born. We used the office girl who being being 10 years younger remembered the occasional as if it was yesterday. We live in Bataan and the wife was born in Cavite but it was all accomplished in the one trip. It wasn't particularly expensive.


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## M.C.A. (Feb 24, 2013)

Gary D said:


> We had something similar, went to the municipality where my wife was born and filed a late registration of birth, She needed an affidavit signed to say the person signing remembered my wife being born. We used the office girl who being being 10 years younger remembered the occasional as if it was yesterday. We live in Bataan and the wife was born in Cavite but it was all accomplished in the one trip. It wasn't particularly expensive.


Thank you for sharing Gary and so hopefully we can get this done next week, from what I also learned they submit for late birth certificate and you have to wait from one - two weeks before it's approved and then I can request a PSA birth certificate.
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This is what the US Social Security Manila sent me:

*To: "My wifes name" Good day, This is regarding your Social Security Retirement application. Before we can continue processing your application, we need the following: *

*Birth or baptismal certificate issued before age 5*
*Bank information*
*
If you have a peso account under your name, please complete form SSA-1199 (even without the signature of the bank representative) If you will open a USD account, please have the bank representative complete form SF-1199. We will send you the bank endorsement letter in a following email.
For documents, we can only accept original or copies certified from source (e.g. LCR/PSA). Please mail this to the address shown below under the attention: CLC/MCS. Use a courier to ensure safe delivery. Submit the required document before the ending of the first week of January.*
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I do have my wifes recently printed out baptismal certificate from September but IAW above it says issued before age 5 What?


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## fmartin_gila (May 15, 2011)

Mark, My wifes sister had to go to her birth city in order to obtain a birth cert. Don't know what steps she had to do, as at that time we were in the states. I just remember she mentioned she had to go there and get that cert when she was trying to get a passport. She would have been about 60 years old at that point.

Fred


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## Gary D (Oct 28, 2013)

fmartin_gila said:


> Mark, My wifes sister had to go to her birth city in order to obtain a birth cert. Don't know what steps she had to do, as at that time we were in the states. I just remember she mentioned she had to go there and get that cert when she was trying to get a passport. She would have been about 60 years old at that point.
> 
> Fred


Yes you need to apply at the municipality wbere you were born.


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## M.C.A. (Feb 24, 2013)

Appreciate the inputs Gary and Fred:

We are in the Municipality she was born in but they have no record other then the Baptismal from the Catholic Church, I think a flood many years ago damaged and destroyed all the legal documents, they used to have what looked like a shack but now they are located inside a brand new Municipality building. 

So on Monday I'll bring my wife to the PSA office in the Municipality building (mini office) and she will be interviewed by the lawyer (if he's there if not it'll have to be on a certain day) that overseas this region and they will do whats called a late birth certificate filling or something like that and then once that's completed we have to wait for this to be recorded by PSA and then apply for the PSA birth certificate.

Now I understand why recording the birth certificate through the Municipality was moved to a Government PSA held centralized function.

And then after applying for my wife's birth certificate, I'll try to open up a bank account in the next larger city.


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## Lunkan (Aug 28, 2020)

"Why do it simple, when it can be made complicated"


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## M.C.A. (Feb 24, 2013)

Update on progress so far:

I tried to open a dollar account and was shot down again, so there's not a bank in the Philippines that will set up a US pensioner account without a letter from the US Embassy Federal Benifits Unit, I'm a late learner and should have figured this out but my pain is your gain, so a second visit to the bank was a no go.

Family member helped route and talk with our Municipalities mini PSA office the documents to create my wifes birth certificate (US Embassy SS branch needs the original), an auttoruney was needed to filed some sort of "affadavit" for this and then signed by a Judge and once that was complete we were told by this Friday we should be able to get my wifes PSA birth certificate.

This Friday if all goes well I'll mail my wifes PSA birth certifcate along with her baptismal certifate and cover letter by LBC Express to the Manila Embassy and await the SS approval or award letter by email or regualar mail? they did mention by email, then the next step is to open up a Philippine Direct Deposit pensioner bank account and what ever document signed or completed by the Bank and mail it to the US Embassy.

The bank (some more confusion) mentioned they also need to know wether we are going to set up a peso account or dollar account, PNB bank said that there is an option for converting the dollar into a peso account. Not sure if this has to be written in the SS award/approval letter, the bank seemed to imply it needs to be in the award letter.


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## Lunkan (Aug 28, 2020)

M.C.A. said:


> I tried to open a dollar account and was shot down again, so there's not a bank in the Philippines that will set up a US pensioner account without a letter from the US Embassy Federal Benifits Unit


 Just a thought - Cant you just open a dollar acount WITHOUT telling its for SSS transfers?


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## M.C.A. (Feb 24, 2013)

Lunkan said:


> Just a thought - Cant you just open a dollar acount WITHOUT telling its for SSS transfers?


That's what I tried to do but the Bank Manager and bank officer said that the US Social Security Direct Deposit Pension account is different from a dollar account, we already have a joint checking dollar account this bank, been with them 12 years now, plus the Direct Deposit/pensioner (it's different) account can only be in the pensioners name.

Another note is that all the Philippine banks require this SS endorsement letter from the authorizing agency so not only the US Embassy it could be from any country and a Direct Deposit transaction, so the difference is that it's a pension account, doesn't matter what denomination of money used.

Got word today we might get the PSA birth certificate as early as Thursday tomorrow and I'm wondering what they'll charge us for the services, anyway... once I get it I'm on my way to LBC Express to mail it off.


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## Quezon Expat (3 mo ago)

M.C.A. said:


> That's what I tried to do but the Bank Manager and bank officer said that the US Social Security Direct Deposit Pension account is different from a dollar account, we already have a joint checking dollar account with PNB, been with them 12 years now, plus the Direct Deposit/pensioner (it's different) account can only be in the pensioners name.
> 
> Another note is that all the Philippine banks require this letter from the authorizing agency so not only the US Embassy it could be from any country and a Direct Deposit transaction, so the difference is that it's a pension account, doesn't matter what denomination of money used.
> 
> Got word today we might get the PSA birth certificate as early as Thursday tomorrow and I'm wondering what they'll charge us for the services, anyway... once I get it I'm on my way to LBC Express to mail it off.


They are correct about the separate account for SS. You can choose to have it deposited in USD or PHP. It's better to choose USD in my opinion. Once you have all the forms from SSA the bank will do their thing. When the SSA in Manila or Cebu gets the forms they simply forward them to the USA. Be SURE and ask the embassy folks to let you know when the forms are forwarded and to what office because from then on that will be your point of contact, NOT the embassy folks as they are just a go between. The good news is that whenever everything is approved they will deposit the money owed since eligibility. I have a SS custodial account for our minor daughter and my wife was shocked when we got the first deposit, almost 12000USD. We used Metrobank.


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## M.C.A. (Feb 24, 2013)

Quezon Expat said:


> They are correct about the separate account for SS. You can choose to have it deposited in USD or PHP. It's better to choose USD in my opinion. Once you have all the forms from SSA the bank will do their thing. When the SSA in Manila or Cebu gets the forms they simply forward them to the USA. Be SURE and ask the embassy folks to let you know when the forms are forwarded and to what office because from then on that will be your point of contact, NOT the embassy folks as they are just a go between. The good news is that whenever everything is approved they will deposit the money owed since eligibility. I have a SS custodial account for our minor daughter and my wife was shocked when we got the first deposit, almost 12000USD. We used Metrobank.


The US Embassy Manila told me I have until Jan 06 to accomplish all this, so that's another worry and I think the main reason is that she turns 65 in February, instead of back pay from September when we started this process, maybe she'll have be set up for 65 year's? 

Quezon, how long did it take to get approval once everything was sent to the US?


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## Quezon Expat (3 mo ago)

M.C.A. said:


> The US Embassy Manila told me I have until Jan 06 to accomplish all this, so that's another worry and I think the main reason is that she turns 65 in February, instead of back pay from September when we started this process, maybe she'll have be set up for 65 year's?
> 
> Quezon, how long did it take to get approval once everything was sent to the US?


IF she turns 65 in Feb that is likely why they say it needs to be done by Jan. However you can apply for benefits any time.
As best I can remember,1. We established dollar account at Metrobank. 2. Sent the account information and completed forms to SSA office in Manila. 3. About 3 months later received word that payments were approved. 3. About 3 months after that got the first deposit. Since then deposits have been like clockwork.


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## M.C.A. (Feb 24, 2013)

Another update on my wifes Birth Certificate, it was completed today and the Municipality PSA office said it will take 6 months before she can apply for a PSA certified Birth Certificate.  Remember, what I was told before was that this would all be completed two weeks ago but it's taken 3 weeks just to get her birth record created, this included an attorney, this process shouldn't be that hard.

The slow up at the Municipality I think was it took them over a week to type up 3 copies of her birth certificate to sign in triplicate front and back.

Anyway I saw this coming so the main reason I contacted the US Embassy on an alternative form of ID so my wife can get her Social Security approved and I sent that off yesterday, I created another thread on shipping important documents to the US Embassy, whole new topic now.

My God, how insane does it have to become just to simply move paperwork around here, the major couriers have limited capabilities.


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## M.C.A. (Feb 24, 2013)

Update, for those who are following and curious, I received an email from Social Security Manila Embassy with the SS endorsement letter required to open an account but (my bank of 12 year's) wanted the original and not a copy... Enough is enough.... I opened up an account at another bank for my wife.

Our new bank is big, modernized and everywhere, for now I'll leave it at that. Howard, you were right in mentioning I should open up an account, same bank as yours.

My wife was told by two other former Filipina ladies that worked in the US to use this bank, while inside and overhearing what was going on.


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## Scoot65 (Jan 5, 2014)

M.C.A. said:


> ......I opened up an account at another bank for my wife.
> 
> Our new bank is big, modernized and everywhere, for now I'll leave it at that. Howard, you were right in mentioning I should open up an account, same bank as yours.


Thanks for the continued updates. Although I'm not a US citizen, I've found your 'ordeal' interesting to follow.
Can I ask, which bank did you choose to go with in the end?


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## M.C.A. (Feb 24, 2013)

Scoot65 said:


> Thanks for the continued updates. Although I'm not a US citizen, I've found your 'ordeal' interesting to follow.
> Can I ask, which bank did you choose to go with in the end?


BDO is the bank and my sister in-laws daughter who married a Canadian man and now lives and works in Canada tried to steer me towards them 12 years ago and I wished I'd listened because it's such an event to open a bank account here, it's the equivalant of Immigration only these banking institutions I don't think they have the necessary training for Immigration, what it all comes down to is the banking managers, many are touchy and stick to tough bank procedures and rules.

What made me also make the change in banks is that my previous bank, like I mentioned have been with them for 12 years and so they know me and my wife we have a joint dollar checking account, and yet a copy of the email with the Social Security endorsement letter with contact numbers and email wasn't enough, the other issue is that the previous bank seems to be living in the dark ages and not modernizing and they don't have enough staffing, just one person for opening new accounts, two tellers.

Another positive aspect of BDO is that they have branches along the highway so a much more economical and easier way for us, I won't need to go inside the city (old bank) which only delays and adds extra costs to my trip plus you can pay bills online with BDO and I'm going to get their ATM card with my dollar checking account.


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## M.C.A. (Feb 24, 2013)

DonAndAbby said:


> You should also be asking each bank what their deposit fee is. It can add up. BPI is $6.50 per month. SS at Manila used to have a list but I don't think I kept it. Some banks are as high as $10.
> 
> The old admin here, who passed away, told me he had no deposit fee at Metrobank, but he may have been grandfathered in. MetroBank in Subic was $5 in 2018, but I was already banking at BPI so I chose BPI for the SS deposits of my 2 kids.


DonandAbby, we didn't need any minimum deposit with BDO so now I understand why Gene or Asian Spirit might have had no deposit minimum it's just a withdrawl account but then again Metrobank and PNB as well as others may have balance minimums. 

BDO requires zero deposit for opening a Direct Deposit Social Security or pension account.


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## M.C.A. (Feb 24, 2013)

sirpo said:


> Started out with BDO WHAT A DISAPPOINTMENT switched over to BPI about 10 years ago min balance then was $200 USD
> Every 3 month I make a deposit USD to cover the next 3 months send the housekeeper to do the banking
> 
> I don't understand all the lines you are standing in
> ...


Sirpo, what were the issues you encounterd with BDO banking?

Welcome to the forum, sorry for the late welcome.


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## Scoot65 (Jan 5, 2014)

M.C.A. said:


> BDO is the bank and my sister in-laws daughter who married a Canadian man and now lives and works in Canada tried to steer me towards them 12 years ago and I wished I'd listened because it's such an event to open a bank account here, it's the equivalant of Immigration only these banking institutions I don't think they have the necessary training for Immigration, what it all comes down to is the banking managers, many are touchy and stick to tough bank procedures and rules.
> 
> What made me also make the change in banks is that my previous bank, like I mentioned have been with them for 12 years and so they know me and my wife we have a joint dollar checking account, and yet a copy of the email with the Social Security endorsement letter with contact numbers and email wasn't enough, the other issue is that the previous bank seems to be living in the dark ages and not modernizing and they don't have enough staffing, just one person for opening new accounts, two tellers.
> 
> Another positive aspect of BDO is that they have branches along the highway so a much more economical and easier way for us, I won't need to go inside the city (old bank) which only delays and adds extra costs to my trip plus you can pay bills online with BDO and I'm going to get their ATM card with my dollar checking account.


Many thanks for the reply, good info!


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## M.C.A. (Feb 24, 2013)

The Philippine Embassy Social Security branch mailed back all my wife's supporting original documents, expired passport, drivers license, original marriage certificate, Military dependent ID card, with a detailed listing of everything I had sent them through Air21 received it today.

We weren't home yesterday so they wouldn't deliver but they did call and I left my phone at home but they left me a message, we called the number that was left by Air21 and they said they'd deliver it today. I thought that Air21 only used the trucks for pick up and delivery but they also utilize motorcycles.

Late entry: This week I can't get through to the Social Security branch at the US Embassy, you can call on Tues and Thursday to inquire or ask questions but I can't get through and to leave a phone message it takes 15 business days for them to respond so they must be really working with a limited staff but the big worry is that they give you deadlines to get things accomplished and so my concern is that I had mailed all the banking information and did they receive it and are we finished with this process.

Later entry:. About two hrs later I received an email that the US Embassy SS branch had received the bank account information. 👍


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