Social Security International Operations

Introduction

Welcome to SSA's Office of International Operations (OIO) home page. The purpose of this site is to assist Social Security customers who are outside the U.S. or planning to leave the U.S.

OIO is responsible for administering the Social Security program outside the U.S. and for the implementation of the benefit provisions of international agreements. Since SSA has no offices outside the U.S., OIO is assisted by the Department of State's embassies and consulates throughout the world. In the Philippines, the Department of Veterans Affairs Regional Office (VARO) in Manila assists.

Online Services

You Can Apply Online For:

Other Services:

Forms for Foreign Applicants and Beneficiaries

Note: To read and print these forms, you will need the Adobe Reader software (version 5.0 or higher is recommended). If you do not have this free software, please visit the Adobe web site.

Foreign Countries Serviced by Social Security Field Offices

If you are in Canada, British Virgin Islands or Samoa, you may obtain services from an SSA Field Office (FO). Click on the country name below for information about the FO to contact.

Canada
British Virgin Islands
Samoa

Foreign Countries Serviced by American Embassies and Consulates

Throughout the world, there are a number of American embassies and consulates who have specially trained personnel that provide a full range of Social Security services, including the taking of applications for benefits. By locating your country of residence via the link below, you can access information on the Social Security-trained U.S. embassy or consulate that provide services for that country:

This is our current list of countries.

There may also be times when contact with your local American embassy or consulate is required. Use the link below to obtain information on U.S. embassy or consulate locations and addresses around the world:

Find my local U.S. embassy or consulate.

If you are not receiving benefits and would like to inquire about benefit eligibility, you may use the following contact address (please be sure to include your Social Security Number):

Social Security Administration
Office of International Operations
P.O. Box 17775
Baltimore, Maryland 21235-7775

If you or a family member are already receiving Social Security benefits and you would like to report a change in status, such as, a death, marriage or divorce, you may use the following contact address (please be sure to include your Social Security Number):

Social Security Administration
Office of International Operations
P.O. Box 17769
Baltimore, Maryland 21235-7769

You may view the Social Security Administration's Website for answers to many of the questions you may have concerning international issues.

Contact Us by Phone

You may also contact us by phone if you speak English. You can call our office using the telephone numbers provided. You will need to pay for the call because we do not currently have a toll-free service for calls from outside the U.S. If you call, please do so during normal business hours for the Eastern U.S. We have provided a directory of phone numbers to reach us.

Other Information

Since Internet Email is not a secure medium for transmitting private information, we do not use it to discuss confidential matters such as information about claims or Social Security numbers.

If you are planning to leave the U.S., you should read our publication Your Payments While You Are Outside The United States, Publication No. 05-10137 (English, French, German, Greek, Italian,& Spanish PDF)

Look here for more information on your responsibilities
if you are a beneficiary leaving the US.

SSA's Office of International Programs offers information on International Social Security ("Totalization") Agreements and other international aspects of the Social Security program.


	Privacy Policy \| Website Policies & Other Important Information \| Site Map Last reviewed or modified Wednesday Nov 14, 2012	Need Larger Text?