BASIC (01-02)

A. Procedure — Notification that Beneficiary is in (or will be in) a Treasury-Barred or SSA-Restricted Country

If the beneficiary indicates that he is, or will be, in a Treasury- barred or SSA-restricted country, no SVB payments (regardless of the beneficiary's mailing address and/length of stay) will be made while the beneficiary is in such country. This includes payment by direct deposit. Follow the procedures in VB 01201.015B.

If the SVB beneficiary is in, or will be in, a Treasury-barred country and alleges U.S. citizenship, obtain proof of U.S. citizenship in accordance with GN 00303.300.

Fax the above information (and proof, if required) to OIP per VB 01201.015B. Also fax, and then mail, the items to the CPS having SVB jurisdiction.

B. Procedure — CPS

1. General

When the CPS receives notification that an SVB beneficiary has gone to a Treasury-barred or SSA-restricted country, stop SVB payments. (These situations are exceptions to automated Goldberg/Kelly systems processing and SVB will be discontinued with the earliest month based on the recurring tape cutoff.)

NOTE: There is no PSY for discontinuing benefits based on residency in a Treasury-barred or SSA-restricted country. Instead, force due SVB to $0 to stop payments.

REMINDER: SVB entitlement must be manually terminated after 12 consecutive months of nonpayment (as explained in MSOM BUSSR 002.004) to a beneficiary residing in a Treasury-barred country and is not a U.S. citizen or national.

Annotate in the remarks field of the SVB SSR the beneficiary's citizenship and the restricted country code shown in VB 01201.015B. (If proof of U.S. citizenship is submitted, update the SVB SSR via MSSICS as explained in MSOM MSSICS 008.012.)

Annotate the suspension/stop payment-action to the SVB Intranet site “Special Veterans Benefits”.

Notify the SVB beneficiary of the discontinuation of SVB. Notice content will depend on whether he/she is in a Treasury-barred or SSA-restricted country.

2. Treasury - Barred Country

Include the following language in the notice if the SVB beneficiary is in, or will be in, a Treasury-barred country:

• The Social Security Administration is unable to pay any Special Veterans Benefits to you as long as you are in (country). The Social Security Act provides that persons who are not citizens of the United States do not qualify for payment for any month in which they live in (country). U.S. Treasury regulations prohibit the payment of Special Veterans Benefits to individuals in (country) or to an address in another country on behalf of someone in (country). Be sure to report any change in address to the Social Security Administration so we can determine if benefits can be paid.

Include the following language if the SVB beneficiary is a U.S. citizen or national:

• Special Veterans Benefits withheld while you are in (country) and to which you are entitled, may be paid if you leave (country) and go to a country to which U.S. Government payments can be made.

3. SSA - Restricted Country

Include the following language in the notice if the SVB beneficiary is in, or will be in, an SSA-restricted country:

• Special Veteran Benefits cannot be paid to you, or on your behalf, as long as you are in (country). Payments cannot be made until an agreement is reached with the government of (country) for verifying the orderly distribution of benefits and for free access to beneficiaries and records in that country, or you visit a country to which benefits can be paid. In either situation, benefits to which you are entitled but are withheld while you are in (country) may be paid if you leave (country) and go to a country to which U.S. Government payments can be made. If you leave (country), be sure to notify the Social Security Administration to see if benefits can be paid.

C. Procedure — Notices

In addition to the language in B.2 or B.3. above, advise the SVB individual of his/her appeal rights (see VB 02501.025). The notice will NOT explain the right to benefit continuation under the Goldberg/Kelly provisions as SVB payments cannot be paid to individuals in Treasury-barred or SSA-restricted countries even if the individual files an appeal within 10 days of receipt of the notice.

Advise the beneficiary that SVB will terminate after 12 consecutive months of nonpayment in situations where the SVB beneficiary is in a Treasury-barred country and is not a U.S. citizen or national.

Fax a copy of the notice to Office of International Programs (OIP), Attention: SVB at (410) 966-7025.

D. Procedures — Response To Notice Received

Treat response as a request for reconsideration. Fax and then forward the response to the CPS having SVB jurisdiction. The CPS will process the reconsideration using the procedures in VB 02502.001 through VB 02502.020.