You may apply for an original or replacement Social Security Card at the Federal Benefits Unit.

For all services, you will need to schedule an appointment. To schedule an appointment or to obtain information, the best way to contact the Federal Benefits Unit is by using our online form

Who is eligible for a Social Security Card? U.S. Citizens and non-citizens who have permission to work from the Department of Homeland Security can apply for a Social Security number

What documents will you need at the time of application? http://www.ssa.gov/ssnumber/ss5doc.htm

Read more about Non-Citizen requirements at: http://www.socialsecurity.gov/pubs/EN-05-10096.pdf (PDF, 853 KB)

U.S. Citizen Children Born in Dominican Republic

Children born in Dominican Republic and documented as U.S. citizens through the Consular Report of Birth Abroad (“CRBA”) process must apply for a Social Security Card.  They may apply for the card after completing the CRBA process and obtaining a U.S. passport. At the time of application, you will need the CRBA, U.S. Passport, and Dominican Birth certificate (en forma literal) for the child, as well as valid identification for the parent (either U.S. passport or Dominican Cedula).

Non-Resident Aliens / Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN)

Several classes of non-resident aliens are required to obtain an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) in order to file U.S. taxes.  To obtain an ITIN, you must file IRS Form W-7 with the Internal Revenue Service.  You may obtain a W-7 form from the Consular Section’s U.S. Citizens Services (ACS) Unit or via the Internet at http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/fw7.pdf (PDF – 263 Kb).

Changes of Address

If you receive Social Security Benefits and moved from the United States or any other country to Dominican Republic, you should report your new mailing address to the Federal Benefits Unit.

Please note that the mailing address you provide should be a foreign address.   You should not provide the Social Security Administration with the Miami address provided to you by your private mail courier, since this could cause temporary suspension of your benefits when the SSA learns that you are living outside of the United States.

To update your address, you need to fill out a form SSA-21 (Supplement to Claim of Person outside the United States). You can download the form at: www.ssa.gov/online/ssa-21.pdf (PDF, 115 KB)

Note: Question #9 on the form SSA-21 captures if you want to request Medicare disenrollment.

At the time of your appointment, please bring this form together with your passport and your naturalization certificate, if you are a naturalized citizen.

You must make an appointment with the Federal Benefits Unit to submit your completed form and identity document. To schedule an appointment or to obtain information, the best way to contact the Federal Benefits Unit is by using our online form.

Enrollment in the Direct Deposit Program

Social Security Beneficiaries overseas have three options for receiving their benefits via direct deposit:

1.     Direct Deposit to a U.S. Bank Account – You will need to supply the U.S. account information (routing number, type of account and account number) to the Federal Benefits Unit in Santo Domingo.

2.     Direct Deposit to an account in a foreign bank – To receive your benefits by international direct deposit in the country where you reside (Caribbean, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, French Giana or Suriname) you will need to obtain a SSA-1199 form from the Federal Benefits Unit in Santo Domingo. With the corresponding form to your country of residency, you can open a new account or enroll your existing account for international direct deposit.

3.     Direct Express – For more information on this service please visit the follow website: Direct Express® – How it works (usdirectexpress.com)

The best way to provide your U.S. Bank information, request the SSA-1199 from or to obtain information is by writing to FBU.Santo.Domingo@ssa.gov

Request a proof of income or benefits verification letter

If you need proof that you are receiving Social Security benefits, you can request a benefit verification letter by visiting the FBU. This letter is sometimes called a “budget letter,” a “benefits letter,” a “proof of income letter,” or a “proof of award letter.  To schedule an appointment or to obtain information, the best way to contact the Federal Benefits Unit is by using our online form.

Social Security Earnings Statements

The Social Security Administration has suspended the field office issuance of Social Security Earnings Statement.  However, an individual can download and complete the Form SSA-7004, Request for Social Security Statement, then print, sign, and mail it to request a statement. The form SSA-7004 can be printed from the following link: https://www.socialsecurity.gov/hlp/global/hlp-statement-7004-revi.htm

Sample Social Security Statement: https://www.ssa.gov/myaccount/materials/pdfs/SSA-7005-OL.pdf (PDF, 496 KB)

If you have a U.S. address, you can download your statement immediately by visiting: http://www.ssa.gov/myaccount/

• To learn how to earn Social Security Credits please reading: http://www.ssa.gov/pubs/EN-05-10072.pdf (PDF, 0.97 MB)

Applying for Social Security Benefits

Applicants residing in Dominican Republic may apply for Retirement, Medicare Only, or Auxiliary Spouse benefits online at: https://secure.ssa.gov/iCLM/rib or for Disability benefits at https://secure.ssa.gov/iCLM/dib.

For an overview of the information the Social Security Administration Requests on the internet application, please visit the following link: http://www.socialsecurity.gov/pubs/EN-05-10523.pdf (PDF, 1.76 MB)

You may view a short demo video on how to apply for benefits online at the following link: http://www.socialsecurity.gov/onlineservices/planners/Online_Application/oa.htm

If you do not meet the above category of beneficiary, you can request an appointment to file an application by using our online form.

Please may click on the following links for additional information on:

• Retirement benefits: http://www.socialsecurity.gov/pubs/10035.html
• Residency requirements if you are applying for spouse or widow(er) benefits: http://www.socialsecurity.gov/pubs/10137.html#a0=2
• Wife/Husband benefits: http://www.socialsecurity.gov/pubs/10035.html#a0=2
• Widow(er) Benefits/Surviving Divorced Spouse: http://www.socialsecurity.gov/pubs/10084.html#a0=0
• Children Benefits: http://www.socialsecurity.gov/pubs/10085.html
• Lump Sum death benefits: https://www.ssa.gov/planners/survivors/ifyou7.html
• Disability benefits: http://www.socialsecurity.gov/pubs/10029.html

The number of work credits needed for disability benefits depends on your age when you become disabled. Generally, you need 40 credits, 20 of which were earned in the last 10 years ending with the year you become disabled. However, younger workers may qualify with fewer credits.  Check the following link for the rules that applies: http://www.socialsecurity.gov/retire2/credits3.htm

Enrollment in Medicare Parts A and B (Medical and Hospital Insurance)

Please note that Medicare does not provide any coverage for medical or hospital services outside of the United States.  

You can apply for Medicare online at the following link: http://www.socialsecurity.gov/medicareonly

For official information on Medicare coverage outside the U.S., please review the pamphlet Medicare Coverage Outside the U.S. at:  https://www.medicare.gov/Pubs/pdf/11037-Medicare-Coverage-Outside-United-Stat.pdf (166 KB)

For additional information on Medicare, please visit the following link: http://www.socialsecurity.gov/pubs/10043.html

Foreign Enforcement Questionnaire (FEQ)

The Social Security Administration (SSA) contacts beneficiaries with foreign addresses on their SSA record residing outside the United States annually to verify their current status.

Every year we mail the questionnaire to beneficiaries with residence addresses on our records in the Dominican Republic. Selected beneficiaries receive the form with an envelope from the SSA facility in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania in July of every year.

In October, SSA mails a follow-up notice to selected beneficiaries that did not respond to the original questionnaire sent in July. If you receive the questionnaire, please return it in the envelope SSA provided.

SSA will suspend the benefits if they do not receive a completed and signed Foreign Enforcement Questionnaire (form SSA-7162 or SSA-7161) by December 30^th of every year.

If your benefits are interrupted for failure to return the questionnaire, it may take SSA 45-days or longer to resume your payments.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding the questionnaire, we ask you to complete our online form.

If you do not have the form we mailed to you, then you can download the forms here: SSA-7161 (PDF -175kb) or SSA-7162 (PDF – 164kb), print it double sided, email a copy to FBU.Santo.Domingo@ssa.gov and mail the original directly to Wilkes-Barre, PA.

Where to mail your questionnaire:

Form SSA-7161 mail to:
Social Security Administration
P.O. Box 7161
Wilkes Barre, PA 18767-7161

Form SSA-7162 mail to:
Social Security Administration
P.O. Box 7162
Wilkes Barre, PA 18767-7162

Certain non-U.S. Citizens can receive Social Security regular monthly benefit payments after residing lawfully in the United States of America for one full calendar month. They are required to live in the U.S. for one month each time they are outside of the U.S. for six full consecutive months and wish to receive payments.

This requirement applies to beneficiaries eligible to receive a payment but who:

• Are not a U.S. citizen, or
• Were not initially eligible for monthly benefits before January 1, 1985, or
• Have not resided in the U.S. for at least five years.

You must report completing your full-calendar month to receive  payment.

Once you have completed your full calendar month visit, you must present the following documents to the Federal Benefits Unit:

• Passport with date stamp entry into the United States.
• Plane ticket stubs associated with the travel dates on the passport
• Hotel receipts or statements of individuals specifying the dates the person provided the beneficiary with lodging. The person signing the letter must provide their address, telephone number and date the letter. The statement does not need to be notarized.

We will ask you to complete and sign a statement that include:

– the dates you entered and left the U.S.;

– the address at which you stayed; and

– a statement that you did not go outside the U.S. at any time during the month you were present in the U.S

You must make an appointment with the Federal Benefits Unit to submit your evidence related to completing your full calendar month. To schedule an appointment or to obtain information, the best way to contact the Federal Benefits Unit is by using our online form.

Example: How to comply with a One Full Calendar Month in the U.S. This means you have to be lawfully present in the U.S. before the first minute of the first day of a month and stay until after the last minute of the last day of that month.

Report the Death of a Beneficiary

The Federal Benefits Unit should be notified as soon as possible when a person dies. You can report the death of a beneficiary by using our online form: Certification of the death of a social security beneficiary.