Effective Dates: 09/18/2024 - Present Previous | Next

TN 27 (09-24)

GN 00904.220 Requesting Assistance from the Federal Benefit Unit in Foreign Cases

A. Policy for requesting assistance in foreign cases

Domestic field offices (FOs), Processing Center (PC8), and the International Benefits Office (IBO), a component within the Division of International Operations (DIO), a component in the Office of Earning and International Operations (OEIO) request assistance from claims-taking Federal Benefit Units (FBUs).

NOTE: 

FBUs may also request the assistance of non-claims-taking unit (NCTU) Foreign Service Posts (FSPs) with prior approval from the Regional Federal Benefits Officers (RFBOs).

Canada does not have an FBU. Refer foreign cases involving Canada to the Designated Border Office (DBO) by using the Canadian Service Area Directory. In certain situations the claimant or representative payee in Canada may visit a NCTU FSP instead of a DBO. Refer to GN 00904.235 for more information on handling such visits.

B. Procedures for requesting assistance from the FBU

1. When to request assistance from the FBU

Request assistance when:

  • •

    developing foreign claims, inquiries, or post-entitlement (PE) issues;

  • •

    instructions require correspondence or development through an FBU;

  • •

    conflicting evidence has been submitted;

  • •

    claimants or beneficiaries require special assistance; or

  • •

    development cannot be completed by phone or through direct mail.

Request assistance with verifying evidence when country specific instructions in GN 00307.000 allow for verification of evidence. Not all countries allow for verification due inaccessibility of contacts or the response time.

Consider the practical limitations of time, labor and distances and the fact that most FBUs are not staffed to manage a volume of outside work (work not included in our agreement). Scheduling outside work can delay completion of the request. Therefore, keep requests centered as instructed in POMS, when possible.

NOTE: 

SSA cannot request the assistance of FBUs in countries in which the United States (U.S.) is not represented by the Department of State (DOS) or in which U.S. diplomatic representation is too limited to assist SSA. Such countries include Angola, Cambodia, Iran, Libya, North Korea, and Vietnam. Other countries can be involved as conditions in them change.

2. How to request assistance from the FBU

a. Procedure for IBO for requesting assistance from the FBU

Make initial and follow-up requests to FBUs by administrative message, fax, or telephone. When preparing written messages, block print, using black ink for telefax transmission, or type the form. All copies must be clear and legible. Refer to GN 00904.220C for completing the administrative message. Visit the Foreign Country Service Information Website for the fax number.

b. Procedure for FOs and PC8 for requesting assistance from the FBU

Make initial and follow-up requests to FBUs by sending the Electronic 562 (e562) “Request for Assistance/Certification of Documents or Records.” Follow the instructions on the Electronic 562 website and below.

For verification of evidence, review each country's specific instructions in GN 00307.000.

  • •

    Access, prepare, and send the e562 to the FBU;

    • –

      Indicate if a personal contact is necessary (will be in POMS instructions); and

    • –

      Include detailed and specific instructions in the request since claims taking FBU personnel have had only limited training in SSA matters. 

  • •

    Visit the Foreign Country Service Information Website to locate the country’s servicing FBU;

  • •

    Refer to the charts below to determine the FBU's DOC;

  • •

    Diary for the FBU response, following the instructions in GN 00904.245; and

  • •

    For the verificaiton of evidence, follow the procedure in GN 01010.410B.5.b. if the FBU is unable to verify the authenticity of evidence.

NOTE: 

For guidance on handling suspected fraud, see GN 04110.000.

The FBU will use telephone, mail or whatever method is easiest to complete the request. The FBU will attempt a personal contact, when necessary.

3. Chart of FBU DOCs

a. Servicing FBUs for all countries except Mexico

FBU

DOC

FBU

DOC

FBU

DOC
London Region DOC Frankfurt Region DOC Rome Region DOC
London 377 Frankfurt 477 Rome 479
Dublin D86 Krakow WL2 Athens 065
Lisbon D87 Paris D90 Jerusalem WJ7
Madrid D88 Warsaw WZ0 Naples 525
Oslo WR2 Mexico City Region DOC San Jose Region DOC
Manila Region DOC Mexico City 021 San Jose 637
Manila 382 Ciudad Juarez 091 Buenos Aires D84
Tokyo WX9 Guadalajara 155 Santo Domingo WU9

b. FBUs in Mexico

Mexico is comprised of states. Below is a chart of the three FBUs in Mexico, and the states that fall under each FBU's jurisdiction.

FBUs in the Mexico Region

Ciudad Juarez 091 Guadalajara 155 Mexico City 021
Baja California Aguascalientes Campeche
Chihuahua Baja California Sur Chiapas
Coahuila Colima Guanajuato
Durango Jalisco Guerrero
Nuevo Léon Nayarit Hidalgo
Sonora Sinaloa México
Tamaulipas Zacatecas México Distrito Federal
Michoacán Veracruz Oaxaca
Morelos Yucatán Puebla
​ ​ Querétaro
​ ​ Quintana Roo
​ ​ San Luis Potosí
​ ​ Tabasco
​ ​ Tlaxcala

C. IBO procedures for completing the Administrative Message

Send initial and followup requests to FBUs and the Veteran's Affars Regional Office (VARO) in the Manila FBU via the administrative message.

Field

Enter

Transfer to field

Leave blank

Addressee routing indicators (RIs)

The alpha RI for each FBU listed in the “TO” field.

NOTE: 

RIs are shown in the Foreign Service Post Directory in the Telecommunications Routing Indicator Directory (TRID).

To 

The rank of the FBU. Since DOS's communications software requires a precise format and recognizes only two FBU acronyms, enter either:

  • •

    “AMEMBASSY”; or

  • •

    “AMCONSUL."

After the rank enter a space and show the city in which the FBU is located.

Enter ATTN FBU or ATTN SSA DIVISION (for VARO).

Use a single slash to separate the RI from the FBU rank and city and double slashes to surround the attention portion of the “To” line.

If there is more than one FBU, repeat the RI for each office.

Show “INFO” before the RI for any FBU which is to receive an informational copy.

Examples of what to enter after the RI:

One FBU:

  • •

    AMEMBASSY MANILA//ATTN SSA DIVISION//

  • •

    AMCONSUL HERMOSILLO//ATTN FBU//

Multiple FBUs:

  • •

    AMCONSUL GUADALAJARA//ATTN FBU//RUEHME/AMEMBASSY MEXICO CITY//ATTN FBU//

One FBU with an Information Copy to the RFBO:

  • •

    (RFBO)RUEHMD/AMEMBASSY MADRID//ATTN FBU//INFO RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME//ATTN RFBO//

From

SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION BALTIMORE

Subject

The subject of the message (e.g., Request for Services, Followup to Request for Services, Response to Your Request Dated (date), etc.).

Text 

Enter the message, the SSN, name of the NH and of the claimant, and the name and telephone number of the preparer in case the FBU needs to discuss the case.

Transmit 

If another page is needed to complete the message, enter “N” in the “TRANSMIT” field and press “enter” or “PF8” to page forward.

To send the message, enter “Y” in the “TRANSMIT” field and press “Enter.”

 

To Link to this section - Use this URL:
http://policy.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0200904220
GN 00904.220 - Requesting Assistance from the Federal Benefit Unit in Foreign Cases - 09/18/2024
Batch run: 11/18/2024
Rev:09/18/2024