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Veterans Living Overseas
If you’re a Veteran who lives overseas, you remain entitled to the benefits and services you earned through your military service. Most VA benefits are payable regardless of your place of residence or nationality. VA benefits include disability compensation, pension, education and training, health care, home loans, insurance, vocational rehabilitation and employment and burial.
What you should know
Direct Deposit: Once benefit payments are sent from the United States, your international direct deposit arrival depends on your foreign financial institution’s processing time.
VA Claim Exam: In support of a disability claim, VA will schedule your claim exam (compensation and pension exam) as close as possible to your home. It is very important that you provide your physical address, even if you utilize a separate mailing address. You can provide your physical address by completing VA Form 21-4138 (Statement in Support of Claim) and uploading it with your claim at VA.gov or through Quick Submit. Additionally, you should provide your most current contact information (telephone number and e-mail address) as we will utilize multiple means to notify you of your exam date, time and location. If we do not have your physical address and current contact information, your claim may be delayed or denied. Additional claim exam information can be found here: VA Claim Exam (C&P Exam) | Veterans Affairs
Currency Conversion: International Treasury Services will not charge you a currency conversion fee for payments sent overseas; however, your foreign financial institution may charge fees as applicable.
Foreign Schools: Education benefits are offered to eligible Veterans to attend approved programs at foreign schools. Visit our Foreign School Information for Students page to learn more. You can use our WEAMS Institution Search tool to find foreign schools with approved programs.
Specially Adaptive Housing: If you are a disabled Veteran, you may be eligible for a Specially Adaptive Housing grant to accommodate your disability. You must have a substantial ownership interest in the home to be adapted or built. It’s also important to know that any improvements or modifications must be first approved by VA. Visit our Specially Adaptive Housing page for information on eligibility, how to apply, and how to contact VA for assistance.
Getting healthcare overseas
As a Veteran living or traveling abroad, you can receive medical care for VA service-connected disabilities through our VA Foreign Medical Program. Under this program, we assume payment responsibility for the necessary treatment of service-connected disabilities. You can visit our Foreign Medical Program page for more information. There are regional toll-free phone numbers on this page that you can call for additional assistance.
How to get an eBenefits account
You can manage and apply for benefits online using eBenefits. If you don’t already have an eBenefits account, you can register on the DS Logon Registration page. Instead of using your APO address for registering on eBenefits, use your last recorded United States address.
For dependents of Veterans without a social security number, you must do the following:
- Contact the Defense Manpower Data Center (DMDC) at 1-800-538-9552.
- Provide your dependent's Foreign ID number.
- Obtain a generated social security number provided by DMDC.
- Use the generated social security number for registration in eBenefits.
You can visit the eBenefits help page for assistance with registering for an account or you can call 1-800 372-7437.
- For general benefit questions and assistance:
- Call us at (412) 395-6272 from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., Eastern Standard Time, Monday through Friday.
- Send us an email using the Ask VA.
- For questions related to education benefits:
- Call us at (918) 781-5678 from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., Eastern Standard Time, Monday through Friday.
- For help related to international direct deposit and currency conversion:
- Call us at (918) 781-7550 from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Eastern Standard Time, Monday through Friday.
- Send us an email at DIRECTD.VBAMUS@VA.GOV.
- To speak to a benefits representative at an American embassy or American Consulate:
- Visit Social Security’s Foreign Country Service Information page. This page provides a list of Federal Benefits Units who have specially trained staff who can provide a full range of VA benefits assistance to include claim submissions.
- To speak to a VA Overseas Military Services Coordinator:
- Visit Overseas Military Services Coordinators page. This page provides the email contact information for VA Overseas Military Services Coordinators who provide a full range of VA benefits assistance.
- To appoint an accredited representative to help you manage and apply for benefits:
- Use the Manage Your Representative for VA Claims tool to locate and appoint a recognized representative from a Veterans Service Organization, attorney, or claims agent by state/territory, zip code, or by the organization's name.
Veterans who live in the Philippines
If you live in the Philippines, visit our Philippines overseas page that provides special information about residing in this country.
