(a) Applicant in U.S. or Canada. An applicant who lives in the United States or Canada may file an application at any Board office in person or by mail. An applicant may also give the application to any Board field employee who is authorized to receive it at a place other than a Board office.

(b) Application outside U.S. An applicant who lives outside the United States or Canada may file an application at any United States Foreign Service office. An applicant may also send the application to an office of the Board.

An application filed in a manner and form acceptable to the Board is officially filed with the Board on the earliest of the following dates:

(a) On the date it is received at a Board office.

(b) On the date it is delivered to a field employee of the Board as described in § 217.15.

(c) On the date it is received at any office of the U.S. Foreign Service.

(d) On the date the application was mailed, as shown by the postmark, if using the date it is received will result in the loss or reduction of benefits.

(e) On the date the Social Security Administration considers the application filed, if it is filed with the Social Security Administration or the Veterans Administration.

An application may be signed according to the following rules:

(a) A claimant who is 18 years old or older, competent (able to handle his or her own affairs), and physically able to sign the application, must sign in his or her own handwriting, except as provided in paragraph (e) or paragraph (f) of this section. A parent or a person standing in place of a parent must sign the application for a child who is not yet 18 years old, except as shown in paragraph (d) of this section.

(b) A claimant who is unable to write must make his or her mark. A Board representative or two other persons must sign as witnesses to a signature by mark.

(c) A claimant's representative, as described in part 266 of this chapter, must sign the application if the claimant is incompetent (unable to handle his or her own affairs).

(d) A claimant who is a child between the ages of 16 and 18, is competent, as defined in paragraph (a) of this section, has no court appointed representative, and is not in the care of any person, may sign the application.

(e) If it is necessary to protect a claimant from losing benefits and there is good cause for the claimant not personally signing the application, the Board may accept an application signed by someone other than a person described in paragraphs (a), (b), (c), and (d) of this section. A person who signs an application for someone else will be required to provide evidence of his or her authority to sign the application for the person claiming benefits under the following rules:

(1) If the person who signs is a court-appointed representative, he or she must submit a certificate issued by the court showing authority to act for the claimant.

(2) If the person who signs is not a court-appointed representative, he or she must submit a statement describing his or her relationship to the claimant. The statement must also describe the extent to which the person is responsible for the care of the claimant.

(3) If the person who signs is the manager or principal officer of an institution which is responsible for the care of the claimant, he or she must submit a statement indicating the person's position of responsibility at the institution.

(4) The Board may, at any time, in its sole discretion require additional evidence to establish the authority of a person to sign an application for someone else.

(f) An acceptable signature may include:

(1) A handwritten signature that complies with the rules set out in paragraphs (a), (b), (c), (d), or (e) of this section; or

(2) In the case of an application being taken and processed in the Railroad Retirement Board's automated claims system, an electronic signature, which shall consist of a personal identification number (PIN) assigned by the Railroad Retirement Board as described in the application instructions; or

(3) An alternative signature or signature proxy acceptable to the Railroad Retirement Board. An example of an alternative signature is attestation, which refers to the action taken by a Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) employee of confirming and annotating RRB records of the applicant's intent to file or complete an application or related form, the applicant's affirmation under penalty of perjury that the information provided is correct, and the applicant's agreement to sign the application or related form.

(a) Not properly signed. The Board will ask the applicant to prepare a corrected application if—

(1) The original application was signed by someone other than the claimant or a person described in § 217.17; or

(2) The signature has been changed; or

(3) The signature is not readable or does not appear to be authentic.

(b) Incomplete or not readable. The Board will ask the applicant to prepare a supplemental application with certain items completed if—

(1) Any entries on the application are not readable or appear to be incorrect; or

(2) An important part of the application was not completed.

(c) Obtaining corrected application. If an application is not properly signed, the applicant must prepare a new application with a corrected signature. If the Board receives the corrected application within 30 days after the applicant is asked to prepare it, the Board will use the filing date of the original application to pay benefits. If the Board receives the corrected application more than 30 days after the notice to the applicant, the Board will use the filing date of the corrected application to pay benefits.

(a) Before benefits awarded. If the Board selects a representative for an incompetent claimant (see part 266 of this chapter) after an application is filed but before the benefit is awarded, a new benefit application must be filed by the representative. However, benefits will be paid using the filing date of the original benefit application.

(b) After benefits awarded. If the Board selects a representative after a monthly annuity was awarded to another person, the representative must apply as a substitute payee on a form specifically designed for that purpose. A new annuity application is not required.

(a) Statement filed with the Board. A written statement indicating an intent to file a claim for an annuity or lump sum, filed with the Board as provided in §§ 217.15 and 217.16, can establish the filing date of an application. A form set up by the Board to obtain information about persons who may be eligible for an annuity or lump sum in a particular case is not by itself considered a written statement for the purpose of this section. The Board will use the filing date of the written statement if all of the following requirements are met:

(1) The statement gives a person's clear and positive intent to claim an annuity or lump sum for himself or herself or for some other person.

(2) The claimant or a person described in § 217.17 signs the statement.

(3) The person who signed the statement files an application with the Board on one of the forms described in part 200 of this chapter within 90 days after the date a notice is sent advising the person of the need to file an application.

(4) The claimant is alive when the application is filed except as provided in § 217.10.

(b) Statement filed with the Social Security Administration. A written statement filed with the Social Security Administration can be used to establish the filing date of an application if, assuming the statement were an application, the conditions under § 217.7 are met and—

(1) The statement gives a clear and positive intent to claim benefits under title II of the Social Security Act;

(2) The claimant or a person described in § 217.17 signs the statement;

(3) The statement is sent to the Board by the Social Security Administration;

(4) The person who signed the statement files an application with the Board on one of the forms described in part 200 of this chapter within 90 days after the date a notice is sent advising the person of the need to file an application; and

(5) The claimant is alive when the application is filed except as provided in § 217.10.

(c) Telephone contact with the Board. If an individual telephones a Board office and advises a Board employee that he or she intends to file an application but cannot do so before the end of the month, the Board employee will prepare and sign a written statement which may be used to establish the filing date of an application if all of the following requirements are met:

(1) The inquirer expresses a clear and positive intent to claim benefits for himself or herself or for some other person;

(2) The prescribed application cannot be filed by the end of the current month;

(3) The inquirer is either the potential claimant or the person who will file an application as representative payee therefor;

(4) The inquiry is received by an office of the Board no more than 3 months before eligibility exists;

(5) It appears that a loss of benefits might otherwise result;

(6) The telephone inquirer files an application with the Board on one of the forms described in part 200 of this chapter within 90 days after the date a notice is sent advising the person of the need to file an application; and

(7) The claimant is alive when the application is filed, except as provided in § 217.10 of the part.

A person who telephones or visits a Board office stating that he or she wishes to file for an annuity or lump sum, but puts off filing because of an action or lack of action by an employee of the Board, can establish a filing date based on that oral notice if the following conditions are met:

(a) There is evidence which establishes that the employee of the Board failed to—

(1) Tell the person that it was necessary to file an application on the proper form; or

(2) Tell the person that a written statement could protect the filing date; or

(3) Give the person the proper application form; or

(4) Correctly inform the person of his or her eligibility.

(b) The person files an application on one of the forms described in part 200 of this chapter within 90 days after the date a notice is sent advising the person of the need to file an application.

(c) The claimant is alive when the application is filed except as provided in § 217.10.