The SSA-7161-OCR-SM is the questionnaire used in the Foreign Enforcement Program (FEP) for all child beneficiaries and adult beneficiaries with representative payees. In addition to its use as an enforcement questionnaire, the SSA-7161-OCR-SM is used to obtain accountings from payees. (Items 7, 8, 9 and 10 are the accounting questions.) An English-language questionnaire is sent to each payee annually or as requested by SSA.

Instructions for completing the questionnaire are also included with the mailing of the SSA-7161-OCR-SM. The instructions are printed in English and 10 other languages (French, German, Greek, Italian, Japanese, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Spanish and Swedish). The foreign-language instructions are sent with the questionnaires to the countries where the foreign languages are widely spoken. See RS 02655.005B. for a list of these countries and foreign languages.

SSA-7161-OCR-SMs which are mailed to payees annually as part of the regular FEP mailing are returned by payees directly to the Wilkes-Barre Direct Operations Center (WBDOC) where the responses are optically scanned.

The WBDOC returns all SSA-7161-OCR-SMs to the Office of International Operations (OIO) for retention if no further action is necessary (annotated “For Storage Only”), or referral for action if clarification or development is required.

Questionnaires that are returned directly to OIO by payees (i.e., final accountings or other accountings outside the normal mailing schedule) are routed to the modules for action. They are not sent to the WBDOC for scanning. These forms are distinguishable from the SSA-7161-OCR-SMs sent out as part of the FEP in that they do not have the preprinted identifying information (laser-printed SSN, scanline, payee information, etc.) on them. See RS 02655.005C.3. for additional preprinted identifying information. See RS 02655.007 for information on how to handle followups when questionnaires are not returned.