An applicant filing for benefits under the agreement with Germany must complete Form
SSA-2490-BK (Application for Benefits Under A U.S. International Social Security Agreement).
This is true whether the applicant is filing for benefits only from the U.S., only
from Germany or from both countries.
The SSA-2490-BK is available through MCS only when the NH is filing an application
for both U.S. (regular or Totalization) benefits and German life benefits. It is not
available when the NH is filing for German benefits only or when an application for
survivor benefits is being filed. In those cases, a paper SSA-2490-BK application
form must be filed. (An SSA-2490-BK is not necessary in claims for U.S. auxiliary
benefits in life cases since it would have been previously completed with the NH's
claim.)