An applicant can file for benefits from a country with which the U.S. has a Totalization agreement through SSA field offices. The applicant can file the claim in conjunction with a claim for U.S. benefits (Totalization or nonTotalization) or independently of a claim for U.S. benefits. When there is a concurrent claim for U.S. benefits, the routing of the U.S. and foreign claims may differ depending on the disposition of the U.S. claim (see GN 01702.310).

With one exception (see below), the Office of International Operations (OIO) is responsible for all liaison activities with foreign countries, including forwarding claims for foreign benefits. Therefore, forward all claims for benefits from a foreign country to OIO regardless of the disposition of any concurrent claim for U.S. benefits.

Exception: Designated Canadian border offices should follow the instructions in GN 01715.320 — GN 01715.340 for claims for benefits from Canada.

Develop and route claims for benefits from a foreign country as follows:

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  Take application(s) and develop evidence as appropriate.

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  Request a certified U.S. earnings record for the foreign country as explained in GN 01702.215C.3.

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  Forward claim for foreign benefits to OIO at the address in GN 01702.310C.

  Complete the Modernized Development Worksheet (MDW) screen to show the date the claim was forwarded to OIO. This is for informational purposes only—no Tickle date is necessary. Show the local field office unit designation as the UNIT and “Totalizatio” as the ISSUE when completing the MDW screen.

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  Totalization coding in concurrent title II and foreign claims, MSOM MCS 009.011

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  Totalization coding in foreign only claims, GN 01702.215C.3.