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Social Security
Important information
Social Security
Social Security Online Services
Frequently Asked Questions
Resources
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15 MINUTE READ

Important Information

Foreign Enforcement Questionnaires

If you have not received your monthly Social Security payments since February, your benefits have probably been suspended. This is 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, and SSN. Be sure to 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 action to reinstate benefits.

Any past due payments will be directly deposited into your bank account, usually within ten (10) to fifteen (15) business days.

Please do not email the questionnaire as it contains your Social Security number and we cannot guarantee email privacy. 

Thank you. 

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Social Security

The Federal Benefits Unit (FBU) is a Social Security foreign office that provides services for six (6) federal benefits programs outside the U.S. The largest program is Social Security. The FBU helps over 14,000 beneficiaries throughout Spain and four (4) other countries.

The most efficient way to contact us is by email at fbu.madrid@ssa.gov. Include your telephone number, name, and date of birth, the last four (4) digits of your Social Security number, and the purpose of your inquiry. We typically will respond within five (5) business days. Please do not send multiple emails, as this may cause further delays.

The FBU 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 Social Security 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, date of birth, and the last four (4) digits of your Social Security number. Please provide the purpose of requesting the appointment.

Please also take note of our privacy policy.

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Social Security Online Services

Until now, you needed a U.S. mailing address to access Social Security’s free mySocialSecurity account and use their online services. Now, many people without a U.S. mailing address can create a personal mySocialSecurity account and use the online services with an ID.me credential.

If you don’t already have an ID.me credential:

  1. Go to ssa.gov/myaccount.
  2. On the mySocialSecurity page, select the “Create an Account” button and then select “Sign in with ID.me.”
  3. Select the “Create an ID.me account” link and follow the instructions.
  4. On ID.me’s “Verify Your Identity” screen, select the “I don’t live in the United States” link at the bottom of the page and follow the instructions to complete the registration process.
  5. Once you create your credential, you will be returned to the mySocialSecurity webpage for next steps.

If you already have an ID.me credential, select “Sign In” from the mySocialSecurity page and then sign in to ID.me. You will be redirected to your mySocialSecurity account.

Note: if you had a mySocialSecurity account prior to moving overseas, you will need to create an ID.me credential to use it from an international address.

Once you have created your personal mySocialSecurity account, you will be able to:

  • Check your earnings.
  • Get your benefit estimates.
  • Check the status of your application or appeal.
  • View, print, or save a benefit verification letter (Social Security is unable to mail to a foreign address).
    Note: If you need a benefit verification letter in Spanish, write an email to FBU.Madrid@ssa.gov, indicating your full name, date of birth and the last four digits of your U.S. Social Security number.
  • Change Special Notice Options (SNO Notices).
  • Access some representative payee services.
  • View, print, or save a replacement SSA-1099/1042S tax statement (Social Security is unable to mail replacement statements to a foreign address).
  • Access online notices.
  • Request a replacement Medicare Card.

Some services are not available outside of the United States:

  • Changing your address.
  • Changing your direct deposit.
  • Requesting a replacement Social Security card.

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Frequently Asked Questions

U.S. Citizen Services