BASIC (09-05)

A. Policy

The SSA Office of International Operations (OIO) is responsible for administering the Social Security program abroad with the exception of the Special Veterans Benefit (SVB) program under Title VIII. Central processing sites (CPS) and field offices (FO) have collaborative responsibility for administering the SVB program whose beneficiaries are required to reside abroad (see VB 00901.005). Since SSA has no offices outside the U.S., the following agencies assist OIO, CPS and FOs in these responsibilities by providing their facilities and services:

• Department of State (DOS) foreign service posts in various foreign countries,

• Department of Veterans Affairs, Regional Office, (VARO), Manila, Philippines and other parts of the Asia-Pacific region; and

• American Institute in Taiwan, a private corporation under contract to DOS in Taiwan.

As necessary, relevant tax and non-tax return information may be disclosed to those agencies from the following systems of records:

• 60-0058—Master Files of Social Security Number Holders (SSN) and SSN Applications,

• 60-0059—Earnings Recording and Self-Employment Income System

• 60-0089—Claims Folders System,

• 60-0090—Master Beneficiary Record,

• 60-0103—Supplemental Security Income Record and Special Veterans Benefits System, and

• 60-0320—Electronic Disability (eDib) Claims File.

B. Procedure

SSA components involved in processing claims outside the U.S. should follow established procedures (e.g., see GN 00904.000 and GN 00905.000).