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This change was made on Apr 23, 2018. See latest version.
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GN 02605.230: Foreign Address Used by a Beneficiary Abroad

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  • Effective Dates: 03/04/2008 - Present
  • Effective Dates: 04/23/2018 - Present
  • TN 25 (02-08)
  • GN 02605.230 Foreign Address Used by a Beneficiary Abroad
  • A. Use of a Foreign Mailing Address
  • A beneficiary must use a foreign mailing address if he/she will be outside the U.S. for more than 3 months unless the address being used is an APO/FPO address or an address for a representative payee who is remaining within the United States.
  • If the foreign address provided is in a country to which payments are barred or restricted additional development may be required.
  • B. Jurisdiction
  • The Office of International Operations (OIO) has jurisdiction of all claims where at least one beneficiary:
  • The Division of International Operations (DIO) has jurisdiction of all claims where at least one beneficiary:
  • * uses a foreign mailing address, including an APO/FPO address specific to a foreign country;
  • * resides in a country to which the payment of benefits is barred or restricted;
  • * will be outside the U.S. for at least 6 months;
  • * resides in the U.S. and is entitled to totalization benefits; or,
  • * resides in the U.S., is not insured for RSDI benefits but has at least 6 quarters of coverage, and his/her claim for totalization benefits has been denied.
  • C. In-Care-Of Address
  • A beneficiary's use of a foreign “in-care-of” mailing address is acceptable if it is the address of a relative or friend with whom he/she lives or intends to live. When a beneficiary outside the U.S. requests that his/her checks be mailed “in-care-of” another person abroad, change the address and secure a Form SSA-795 (Statement of Claimant or Other Person) showing the beneficiary's actual residence address and an explanation of the use of the “in-care-of” address.
  • If the claimant's explanation justifies Social Security’s use of the “in-care-of” address, then all correspondence and checks will be sent to that address. If the explanation or evidence indicates that the address may be that of a third party or may involve the assignment of benefits, the “in-care-of” address must be disregarded, and all correspondence containing benefit or payment information and checks will be sent to the claimant's own mailing address.
  • Following is a list of foreign equivalents of the designation “in-care-of”. The word or phrase will appear somewhere within the address of the claimant or beneficiary.
  • Language
  • In-Care-Of Designation
  • Czech
  • pri
  • Danish
  • addresse
  •  
  • addressert
  •  
  • (ddr.)
  • Flemish
  • Per adres
  •  
  • (p.a.)
  •  
  • bij
  • Finnish
  • osiote
  •  
  • louna (usually after the name)
  • French
  • chez
  •  
  • aux soins de
  • German
  • bei (plus the in-care-of name)
  •  
  • Per addresse
  • Greek
  • dia (sometimes written as D/A)
  • Italian
  • Presso
  •  
  • p. (followed by a family name. However, if there is no street name in the address, the p. stands for “piazza”)
  • Norwegian
  • addresse
  •  
  • addressert
  •  
  • adr.
  • Polish
  • prezes or z listami p. (preceded by the claimant's or beneficiary's name and followed by the in-care-of name)
  • Portuguese
  • por meio do
  •  
  • em casa de
  • Romanian
  • la
  • Slovak
  • pri
  • Serbian
  • kod (sometimes written as KOD)
  • Spanish
  • a cargo de
  •  
  • a/c
  • Swedish
  • address
  •  
  • addresserat
  •  
  • adr.
  • Macedonia
  • kod (sometimes written as KOD)
  • Serbo-Croatian
  • kod (sometimes written as KOD)
  • Slovenian
  • Pri
  • D. Use of the Foreign Service Post (FSP) as a Mailing Address
  • D. Use of the Federal Benefits Unit (FBU) as a Mailing Address
  • In rare instances, the Foreign Service Post itself can serve as the mailing address of the beneficiary. This only occurs when all other options are exhausted.
  • In rare instances, the Federal Benefits Unit itself can serve as the mailing address of the beneficiary. This only occurs when all other options are exhausted.
  • E. Related References
  • Checks Issued to Beneficiaries Residing in Foreign Countries (GN 02401.065)
  • Foreign Postal Zone Numbers (GN 02605.915)
  • Special Payment for Certain SSA-Restricted Countries (RS 02650.040)
  • Treasury Department Restrictions (RS 02650.001)
  • Use of FO Address (GN 02401.050)
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