Effective Dates: 05/28/2021 - Present Previous | Next

TN 57 (05-21)

GN 00301.215 Payment for SSA Purchase of Evidence

A. Introduction

There are times when SSA may purchase certified copies of documentary evidence for benefits or must pay to verify evidence with the custodian of record.

Sections GN 00308.006-GN 00308.235 contain the addresses of specific state, territorial, and local Bureaus of Vital Statistics (BVS) and registrars. Some states may require that specific documentation be submitted with a request for evidence or verification. Review the appropriate state section and obtain required documentation before submitting a request.

Field Offices (FOs) or Federal Benefits Units (FBUs) may need to obtain program assistance from an SSA FO where the custodian of record is located (assisting office). Sections GN 00904.080-GN 00904.120 contain instructions for securing program assistance from other offices. Form SSA-562-U3/e562 (Request for Assistance Certification) to request assistance in most cases.

NOTE: Sections GN 00308.006-GN 00308.235 may indicate whether a FO can obtain a free copy of birth or death records.

B. Policy for payments to purchase evidence

1. Payment responsibility for purchased evidence

The requesting FO is responsible for payments to custodians of record for purchased evidence, except when making the request by using the SSA-562-U3/e562 through an assisting office. In this case, the assisting office will be responsible for payment to the custodian using its own common accounting number (CAN). The assisting office will make payment for purchased evidence under existing procedures using SSA's third-party draft system.

2. Federal Benefits Unit (FBU)

The FBU provides services for the Social Security Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Personnel Management, Railroad Retirement Board, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), and Department of Labor for applicants and beneficiaries outside of the United States.

FBUs are unable to purchase evidence or verifications. Instead, FBUs submit requests to assisting offices using the SSA-562-U3/e562 procedures. FBUs may request verification assistance for any SSA purpose, but most commonly, the purpose is enumeration related. If the FBU receives an SS-5 (Application for a Social Security Card) from a United States (U.S.) born applicant and must verify evidence, take the following actions:

  1. a. 

    Attempt to verify the evidence via Electronic Verification of Vital Events (EVVE), see GN 00302.980.

  2. b. 

    If the FBU verifies the evidence through EVVE, use normal procedures to process the SS-5 application.

  3. c. 

    If the FBU is unable to verify the evidence, send the assisting office an SSA-562-U3/e562 requesting a BVS verification.

    The assisting office is responsible for any charge for the verification.

  4. d. 

    If the assisting office does not respond after 21 days, the e562 program automatically sends a follow-up email. If using the SSA-562-U3, an email should be sent to the assisting office.

  5. e. 

    If the assisting office does not respond after 45 days, the FBU must follow-up by contacting the Office of Earnings and International Operations (OEIO) at OCO.OEIO.DIO.IBO@ssa.gov. The OEIO analyst will review each case and, when appropriate, contact the assisting office's regional office.

  6. f. 

    Once BVS responds, the assisting office provides the findings to the FBU via the e562 process.

  7. g. 

    The FBU is responsible for processing the SS-5.

C. References

GN 00308.006 - GN 00308.235 Purchases and Fees for State Vital Statistics Records

GN 00301.210 Purchase of Evidence

RM 10210.250 Overview of Evidence of Age for an SSN Card

To Link to this section - Use this URL:
http://policy.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0200301215
GN 00301.215 - Payment for SSA Purchase of Evidence - 05/28/2021
Batch run: 05/28/2021
Rev:05/28/2021