GN 02402: Direct Deposit - Title II and Title XVI
TN 31 (01-08)
A. Introduction - Coding Japanese Bank Data
This section describes how to code bank data for International Direct Deposit (IDD) of Title II benefits to a financial institution (FI) in Japan. Japanese bank account data is stored on the MBR in the same fields that are used for U.S. direct deposit. Special coding identifies the data as IDD for Japan and allows benefit payments to be routed through the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City (FRBKC) and the contractor bank to the beneficiary's FI.
The data for coding may come from a check, a signup form for Japan (see GN 02402.343G.), or the equivalent information received by mail, phone, fax, or e-mail. Most bank accounts in Japan are savings accounts.
NOTE: U.S. domestic (i.e., non-border) field offices (FOs) should not attempt to process an IDD request for this country. U.S. domestic FOs must forward all appropriate information to the Office of Earnings and International Operations, Division of International Operations (OEIO, DIO) for processing (For more information on forwarding IDD information, see GN 02402.205C, GN 01010.255, and GN 01702.310C).
B. Policy
The beneficiary must provide complete information to DIO or the Federal Benefits Unit (FBU) for input. DIO will fax incomplete forms to the FBU that serves Japan. The FBU contacts the beneficiary or FI for additional information.
C. Description - Japanese Direct Deposit Data
The IDD coding for Japanese bank data consists of 14 or 15 characters, as follows:
A 4-digit bank code.
A 3-digit branch code.
An account number of 7 or 8 digits.
D. Process
1. Reviewing Japanese Bank Data
Completed enrollment forms are routed to the Social Security section at Veterans Affairs Regional Office (VARO) in Manila, Philippines, for review and input. They review the forms for completion and return them for completion or correction if necessary.
Any question about the validity of any Japanese IDD data is routed to the DIO or FBU.
If routing information for the selected bank is not yet on the list at FRBKC, the beneficiary must obtain the full name and address of the bank, and its SWIFT code. If a bank or branch uses another bank to route its direct deposits, that information must be given, also.
2. Applying Japanese Bank Data to the MBR
The data is examined at VARO to see if the bank data is already on the list of Japanese banks that FRBKC can reach with payments. If not, VARO asks FRBKC if this data can be added to FRBKC's internal list.
The approved data is keyed to ITS.gov by the staff at VARO. FRBKC then sends the data to SSA through Automated Enrollment for input to the MBR.
When DIO receives an enrollment for Japan, the input can be done through either the applicable SSA software or ITS.gov. If it is within four days of the cutoff for direct deposit, DIO must code directly to the MBR.
E. Procedure - Coding Routing and Account Numbers to the MBR for IDD to Japan
The preferred place to code the information is ITS.gov. Use this procedure to code IDD of Title II benefits to FI accounts in Japan when the direct deposit cutoff is within four days, or when you are unable to code to ITS.gov.
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STEP |
ACTION |
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1. |
Are you coding an initial claim?
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2. |
Is the beneficiary's address on the MBR in a foreign country (PCOC = 8)? If not, STOP. REASON: The MBR will not accept IDD information if the beneficiary has a U.S. address. You must change the U.S. address to the beneficiary's address outside the country, and input the direct deposit the following day. |
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3. |
Code the Type of Account (on the SSA screen) as Checking or Savings. If you do not know the type for an FI account, code it as Savings. Most bank accounts for individuals in Japan are savings accounts. |
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IMPORTANT: Do not code a C for checking or an S for savings as part of the Depositor Account Number on the input screen. A “C” or “S” coded at the start of the Depositor Account Number input causes the payment to reject at FRBKC. It is interpreted as an incorrect multi-country code. | |
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4. |
To begin coding the Routing and Transit Number (RTN) field (9 digits total), start with 66, the multi-country prefix SSA and FRBKC have designated for Japanese IDD. |
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5. |
Code the first 6 digits of the bank account data, as follows:
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IMPORTANT: IDD is not yet available for postal accounts in Japan. | |
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6. |
Code the U.S. check digit. Obtain the check digit from Title II Interactive Comps. |
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7. |
For the first character of the Depositor Account Number (DAN) field, code a Y for a Yen account. NOTE: SSA doesn't have IDD for U.S. dollar accounts in Japan. |
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8. |
Code the final digit of the branch code, and all 7 or 8 digits of the account number. |
F. Examples – Coding Japanese Direct Deposit
1. Example 1
Three days before the cutoff, DIO receives a completed enrollment form for Japan for a Yen savings account. The bank is 1234, the branch is 123, and the account number is 90876543.
The coder selects “Savings” and starts the RTN with 66. He adds the four digits for the bank (1234) and the first two for the branch (12). Then he adds the U.S. Check Digit, 1, derived from Title II Interactive Comps. The RTN will be 661234121.
The DAN begins with Y for Yen, followed by the remaining branch digit, 3, and the account number, 90876543. The DAN will be Y390876543.
2. Example 2
On the cutoff day for input to the MBR, the SSA staff in Manila receives a request for IDD to a Japanese bank savings account in Yen. The beneficiary writes that his bank is 1234, his branch is 512, and the account number is 98765432.
The coder selects “Savings” and starts the RTN with 66. He adds the next 6 digits (the four for the bank, 1234, and the first two for the branch, 51). Then he adds the U.S. Check Digit, 6, using Title II Interactive Comps. The RTN will be 661234516.
The DAN begins with Y for Yen, followed by the remaining branch digit, 2, and the account number, 98765432. The DAN is Y298765432.
3. Example 3
Ten days before cutoff, the SSA staff in Manila receives a completed form for IDD to a Yen account at an FI in Japan. The coder enters all the information on ITS.gov. Three days later the MBR record displays the IDD information with “AUTO ENROLL.”
4. Example 4
Three days before cutoff, OEIO receives a request for IDD to a Yen account at an FI in Japan. To make sure he codes correctly, the coder first goes to ITS.gov and completes the enrollment. After clicking to calculate the RTN and DAN, he carefully copies the information to paper. He then copies the information to the MBR.
G. Exhibit
The enrollment form for Japan, SSA-1199-JA, can be printed from here. The form is also available from OEIO; a U.S. Embassy or Consulate office in Japan; SSAD-VARO in Manila, Philippines.
