Effective Dates: 10/18/2022 - Present Previous | Next

TN 10 (10-22)

GN 01707.155 German Enforcement Questionnaires

A. Policy

SSA has agreed to help German beneficiaries who live in the United States complete an annual enforcement questionnaire they receive from Germany each year. The questionnaire serves to verify the beneficiary's identity and continuing eligibility for German benefits.

Before the form is returned to Germany, it must be certified by an SSA employee or other public official (e.g., a German consular employee, notary public, etc.).

B. Process

During June through September of each year, the German agencies send enforcement questionnaires to beneficiaries residing in the United States. Although each agency has its own form, the forms are usually trilingual (German, French and English) and require the same basic identifying information.

The beneficiary is instructed to present the form, along with proof of identity and citizenship, to a public official for certification and then return it to the German agency. Some of the forms show SSA as one of the public agencies that are authorized to certify the form. Regardless of whether SSA is shown on the form, the German agencies will accept SSA's certification.

C. Procedure

Someone at the customer service representative (CSR) level or higher is to assist a German beneficiary who brings an enforcement questionnaire to a field office (FO). Use the following procedure.

Step Action

1

Help the beneficiary complete the certificate, if necessary.

If a beneficiary requests certification of an enforcement form which is in German only, explain that SSA cannot certify such forms and advise the beneficiary to take the form to the nearest German consular post.

2

Verify identity and citizenship of the beneficiary.

Accept any proof of identity which satisfies SSA's requirements for issuing an SSN.

Accept as evidence of citizenship

  • •

    a passport, alien registration card, naturalization certificate, or

  • •

    any other document which would satisfy SSA requirements for establishing citizenship.

In addition, if German citizenship is alleged, accept as evidence a German identity card containing

  • •

    a photograph a domicile certificate (Heimatschein), or

  • •

    a citizenship certificate (Staatsangehoerigkeitsausweis)

3

If the beneficiary has acceptable evidence of identity and citizenship, complete the appropriate section of the form, sign it and enter your title. If the form contains a space for a stamp or seal, use the FO date stamp.

4

If the beneficiary does not have acceptable evidence, return the form and explain that SSA cannot certify the form based on the evidence presented. Advise that the beneficiary may submit additional evidence or take the form to another certifying agency shown on the form.

5

Return the form to the beneficiary as the beneficiary is responsible for sending the certificate to the German agency.

To Link to this section - Use this URL:
http://policy.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0201707155
GN 01707.155 - German Enforcement Questionnaires - 10/18/2022
Batch run: 10/18/2022
Rev:10/18/2022