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Social Security Benefits The procedure for
Americans who wish to apply for Social Security or Disability
benefits is the following.
Only U.S. citizens can file a claim to social
security and disability benefits abroad. For social security
benefits, the person must have worked for at least 40 quarters. A
claim can be filed no sooner than three months before the claimant’s
65th birthday. Early claim can be filed as early as three
months before the claimant’s 62nd birthday, however,
early claim affects the amount of benefits.
All services for SS beneficiaries, connected to
their claim, are free of charge.
- The conditions for receiving benefits while living in Ukraine
are: you must either pick up a check every month, or request a
direct deposit to your U.S. bank. If you request direct deposit,
you must come in person to the Consular Section once a month to
sign an Affidavit of Physical Presence.
- The person completes the following forms (available at the
Consular Section):
| |
Disability Benefits |
Social Security |
| SSA-16 |
X |
|
| SSA-827 |
X |
|
| SSA-3368 |
X |
|
| SSA-3369 |
X |
|
| SSA-2512 |
X |
|
| SSA-21 |
X |
X |
| SSA-1 |
X |
X |
| SSA-7163 (only if the person is employed
or self-employed) |
X |
X |
| First affidavit of physical presence |
X |
X |
| Medical evidence from date of onset until
today |
X |
|
You must give us the following documents, and we will make
certified copies of:
- U.S. passport
- Birth certificate (VERY important, SSA will not be able to
process the claim without it)
- SS number card
It will take approximately 210 days for SSA to process the claim.
Please contact us if you do not hear from SSA within six months.
We can also assist you in contacting the Social Security
Administration, the Department of Veterans Affairs and other
offices. | 
