TN 65 (09-15)

This section describes how to code bank data for international direct deposit (IDD) of Title II benefits to a financial institution (FI) in Latvia. The Social Security Administration (SSA) stores IDD bank data on the MBR in the same fields used for United States (U.S.) direct deposit. Special coding identifies the data as a Latvian direct deposit and allows us to route benefit payments through the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City (FRBKC) and the processor bank in Latvia to the beneficiary's local FI.

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.

A. How we receive IDD bank data

We receive requests to input bank data by mail, phone, or fax in the following formats:

• a blank check;

• an SSA-1199-OP44 (International Direct Deposit Signup Form for Latvia) (For the link to the form see GN 02402.373G in this section); or

• any document that contains the required banking information.

NOTE: If upon receipt of the information, there are any discrepancies, follow instructions in GN 00203.020 and GN 02402.025.

B. Multi-country contract

The processing FI for Latvia has a prefix of 66 at the beginning of the Routing Transit Number (RTN).

C. Overview of IDD for Latvia

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 Latvia. The FBU contacts the beneficiary or FI for additional information.

D. Description of Latvia IDD bank data

The data for coding IDD for Latvia will come from the International Bank Account Number (IBAN) provided to the beneficiary from his or her FI. The IBAN for Latvia consists of 21 characters. However, the bank data reflected on the MBR will reflect 24 characters including the country code of G for Latvia.

E. Policy for coding Latvia bank data

The FRBKC relies on SSA to provide the complete bank data to ensure correct posting of payments to a customer’s account. If the information is incomplete, the FRBKC rejects the payment and returns the funds to SSA. When establishing or changing IDD bank data for Latvia, you can use an SSA system (i.e., Modernized Claims System (MCS), Manual Adjustment Credit and Award Data Entry (MACADE), etc.). However, you must go to ITS.gov to enter the full IBAN and Society for Worldwide Internet Financial Telecommunication-Business Identifier Code (SWIFT-BIC). Latvia is a Single Euro Payment Area (SEPA) country. Do not code the RTN in ITS.gov, as ITS.gov will propagate this information. If the complete bank account information is not in ITS.gov when the payment processes, the payment rejects and returns to SSA. When using ITS.gov, bank data posts to the MBR within four business days.

For Latvia, the SWIFT code must be 11 alphanumeric characters:

• First four characters - bank code (only letters);

• Next two characters - ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 country code (only letters);

• Next two characters - location code (letters and digits) (passive participant have "1" in the second character); and

• Last three characters - branch code, optional ('XXX' for primary office) (letters and digits).

1. Initial award processing

Secure the full IBAN and SWIFT-BIC coding from the beneficiary at the time of filing. If you are working on an initial award, you must updateITS.gov using the bank account information prior to processing the award to ensure that the beneficiary receives his or her payment. If the complete bank account information is not in ITS.gov when the payment processes, the payment rejects and returns to SSA.

NOTE: If there is dire need or hardship involved, tell the beneficiary of the option of initiating payment via a paper check. Inform the beneficiary that the bank may charge for cashing the check. If the beneficiary chooses the option of paper check, the FBU documents the initial claim.

2. Adding or updating bank data using SSA systems

You must enter the full IBAN and SWIFT-BIC bank information into ITS.gov on the same day if you use an SSA system to add or update bank data on the MBR (i.e. Post Entitlement Online System (POS), MACADE, etc.). Enter all POS direct deposit changes according to normal procedures. When coding IDD bank data in an SSA system for Latvia within four business days of the current operational month (COM) cutoff date, use the procedure outlined in the following chart:

F. Example of coding Latvia direct deposit

The customer provides us with the IBAN LV80BANK0000435195001

NOTE: The first two characters of a Latvia IBAN are “LV,” which represents the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) country code and the third and fourth characters of the IBAN are the IBAN check digits. The technicians should never code the IBAN ISO country code or the check digit to the MBR. The next 4 characters of the IBAN represent the 4-digit bank code. The last 13 characters represent the 13-digit account number.

1. Derive the RTN as follows

   • Code an RTN of 660000013

   • Code the type of account as a “C” for Checking or an “S” for Savings. If no account type indicated, use a “C” for Checking.

2. Derive the DAN as follows

   • Start with a country code of G designated for Latvia;

   • Code the 13 digits of the Account Number “0000435195001”

   The technician obtains the following:

   IBAN LV80BANK0000435195001

   The coder will obtain the following:

   RTN: 660000013

   Checking

   DAN: G0000435195001

   The coding in an SSA System reflects:

   DIRECT DEPOSIT ROUTING TRANSIT NUMBER: 660000013

   ACCOUNT TYPE (C/S): C

   DEPOSITOR ACCOUNT NUMBER: G0000435195001

   CANCEL DIRECT DEPOSIT (Y):

   DIRECT EXPRESS (Y):

   The MBR reflects the following information:

   RTN-660000013 DAN- CG0000435195001

G. Exhibit of form SSA-1199 IDD Enrollment Form for Latvia

To view this form click the PDF