Important Information
Foreign Enforcement Questionnaires
If you did not receive your monthly Social Security payment this month, your benefits have likely been suspended because we did not receive the annual questionnaire form that was mailed to you.
To reinstate your benefit payments, you will need to print and complete one of the forms listed below:
- If you are a Social Security beneficiary, please complete Form SSA-7162
- If you are the Representative Payee for a beneficiary, please complete Form SSA-7161
When completing the form, please ensure that you include your complete name, address, contact number, SSN and sign the form. Once signed, mail the completed form to:
Social Security Administration – FBU
U.S. Embassy
Federal Benefits Unit
Serrano 75
28006 Madrid
Once we receive the completed form, we will take immediate action to reinstate benefits. Any past due benefits will be directly deposited into your bank account, usually within 10-15 business days. Thank you.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Social Security Numbers (Related: Proof of Residence Outside The United States)
- Reporting a Death
- Reporting a Change of Address
- Starting or Changing a Direct Deposit
- Filing for Benefits or Medicare
- Social Security Statements
- Foreign Enforcement Questionnaire (Forms SSA-7161 or SSA-7162) and Foreign Enforcement Suspensions
Social Security
The Federal Benefits Unit (FBU) is a Social Security foreign field office that provides services for six federal benefits programs outside the U.S. The largest program is the Social Security Administration. The FBU provides assistance to over 14,000 beneficiaries throughout Spain and 4 other countries.
You may contact us in a variety of ways but email is the most efficient one. To contact us, send an email to fbu.madrid@ssa.gov with your telephone number, name and date of birth, the last four digits of your Social Security number, and the purpose of your inquiry. We typically will respond within five business days. Please do not send multiple emails, as this may cause further delays.
The Federal Benefits Unit is unable to answer inquiries not related to our office such as visas, taxes, U.S. passports, or notarials. Information on these services may be obtained via links and email addresses available in the Embassy’s website. The email address of the Citizen’s Services Office is MadridACS@state.gov, and the address for Visas is visasmadrid@state.gov. Please note that inquiries not related to the Social Security Administration will NOT be answered or redirected.
In-person services are by appointment only and in general terms, restricted to services that ‘require’ a personal interview. To make an appointment, send an email to fbu.madrid@ssa.gov with your telephone number, name and date of birth, the last four digits of your Social Security number, and the purpose of requesting the appointment.
Please also take note of our privacy policy.