How to call US Social Security (SSA) from abroad
Phone numbers
Primary international line
“While travelling in Europe with only a data SIM and needed to call airlines to change or cancel flights, as well as my insurer regarding claiming costs. Some airlines and my insurer only provided phone numbers, so WorldDial was really useful. It was easy to use and low cost!”
Your first minute is free
Verified email, once per account, on destinations up to $0.40 USD/min. The minute starts when the line picks up; menus and hold time count.
International Call Center: Monday-Friday 7:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Eastern Time. OEIO Baltimore geographic line: Monday-Friday 9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. Eastern Time. FBU hours vary; the country directory lists each office.
Other numbers
- Dial in WorldDialFetching exact price…
OEIO Baltimore geographic line (English)
+1 410 965 0160 - Dial in WorldDialFetching exact price…
FBU London (directory phone; some country rows list a local window such as 10:00-13:00)
+44 20 7499 9000 - Dial in WorldDialFetching exact price…
FBU Paris (directory phone for France and many assigned countries)
+33 1 43 12 27 05 - Dial in WorldDialFetching exact price…
FBU Manila (directory lists this phone plus fax and email)
+63 2 5301 6200 - Dial in WorldDialFetching exact price…
FBU Santo Domingo (directory phone for the Dominican Republic and many assigned countries)
+1 809 368 7011 - Dial in WorldDialFetching exact price…
FBU Madrid (directory phone for Spain and assigned territories)
+34 915 87 22 61
Social Security Administration (SSA) number Browse numbers in United States by category →
If you live outside the United States, start with the line SSA publishes for that task. US embassy Federal Benefits Unit pages and SSA's own death-reporting guidance publish +1 855-522-6936 as the International Call Center, Monday-Friday 7:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Eastern Time. WorldDial connected the tested US voice numbers at the displayed US rate. That test does not cover every US toll-free number. Which Federal Benefits Unit handles country-specific work depends on where you live now. Use the official country directory, not a remembered office.
- Secure payments via Stripe
- Transparent per-minute pricing
- Call from any browser
Works from any browser. No phone plan required.
About Social Security Administration (SSA)
SSA describes 1-855-522-6936 as a dedicated international line, and at least one US embassy FBU page calls it a toll-free international number. That is SSA's intended access, not a promise that your phone company or a calling app will carry the call for free. The live dialer shows WorldDial's price before you connect. WorldDial rates in September 2026: $0.03/min to US destinations. FBU numbers follow the destination country. If your own plan already includes cheap calls to the number you need, use that plan.
Why calling from abroad is difficult
- ✗SSA's handbook still names the national 1-800-772-1213 line as unavailable from outside the United States, and publishes +1 855-522-6936 for people abroad. WorldDial connected the tested US voice numbers. That does not change which line SSA assigns to the task.
- ✗ssa.gov/foreign still publishes +1 410-965-0160 as the English geographic line, which is a different number from the International Call Center
- ✗Some directory offices publish a phone, fax, and email; others (including Buenos Aires and Athens) list fax and email only, with no phone row
- ✗FBU phone windows on the directory are local and are not the same for every country assigned to that office
- ✗Eastern Time is several hours behind much of Europe, Africa, and Asia, so the published US window can fall late in the local evening
Calling costs from abroad
| Method | Typical cost |
|---|---|
| WorldDial | WorldDial: $0.03/min to US numbers in September 2026; FBU follows the destination; check the dialer |
| Your mobile or home plan | Depends on the allowance |
| EE pay monthly, calling from the UK | £4.64/min (EE standard rate in October 2026) |
| Vodafone UK pay monthly, calling from the UK | £3.00/min (Vodafone standard rate in October 2026) |
| Movistar contract, calling from Spain | €1.10/min plus €0.77 per call (Movistar standard rate in October 2026) |
Common reasons to call Social Security Administration (SSA)
How to call Social Security Administration (SSA) with WorldDial
- 1
Create a free WorldDial account
Sign up with Google or email in under a minute. No credit card required to register.
- 2
Add credit from $1
Top up your WorldDial wallet securely via Stripe. Credit never expires. No subscription.
- 3
Dial the number
Enter +1 855 522 6936 in the dialer and press call.
- 4
Your call connects
Your call connects directly through your browser. Pay only for the minutes you use.
Practical tips
- 💡Look up your country on https://www.ssa.gov/foreign/foreign.htm before you dial a Federal Benefits Unit
- 💡Have the Social Security claim number from your check or SSA letter, the name of the person the report is about, and the date of the event
- 💡If the directory lists only fax and email for your office, use those contacts; do not treat another country's phone as a general overseas helpline
- 💡For an FEQ mailing, SSA and embassy notices say not to email the form; phone and mail options are listed on the notice
- 💡If you already have a foreign mailing address, SSA's my Social Security pages point overseas users to ID.me rather than Login.gov
Frequently asked questions
What is Social Security's international phone number?
SSA and US embassy FBU pages publish +1 855-522-6936 as the International Call Center, Monday-Friday 7:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Eastern Time. Country-specific work still goes through the Federal Benefits Unit on ssa.gov/foreign/foreign.htm. OEIO also publishes +1 410-965-0160, Monday-Friday 9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. Eastern Time, as an English geographic line.
Can I call Social Security toll-free from abroad?
SSA's handbook says the national 1-800-772-1213 line is not the overseas access number, and embassy FBU pages describe 1-855-522-6936 as the international number. WorldDial connected the tested US voice numbers, including +1 855-522-6936, at the displayed US rate. A toll-free label does not make the WorldDial call free, and a mobile plan may still treat the number differently. The dialer shows the price before you connect.
What are SSA's international hours?
International Call Center (+1 855-522-6936): Monday-Friday 7:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Eastern Time, per US embassy FBU notices. OEIO geographic line (+1 410-965-0160): 9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. Eastern Time, per ssa.gov/foreign. Convert with the current Eastern offset (EDT UTC-4 or EST UTC-5). FBU hours are listed per country on the directory and are not a single worldwide window.
What information do I need before calling?
SSA's international contact page asks for the claim number on the person's check or SSA correspondence, the name of the person the report is about, what happened, and the date it happened. Use the identifiers on your notice. Do not send full Social Security numbers by unsolicited email.
Is there an online way to handle this instead of calling?
my Social Security at ssa.gov/myaccount can show benefits and some tax forms. SSA tells people with a foreign mailing address to create or use an ID.me credential and follow the overseas instructions on ssa.gov/foreign. A phone call is still required when SSA or your notice says the task is not available online, including some FEQ responses.
Why did my benefits stop when I moved abroad?
One documented reason is a missed Foreign Enforcement Questionnaire (SSA-7161 or SSA-7162). Embassy notices describe annual or biennial mailings and a response deadline. Other causes exist. Read the notice. SSA says not to email the FEQ form. Completing it by the published phone or mail option is not the same as guessing a cause.
Can I call Social Security from the UK?
The International Call Center on +1 855-522-6936 is published for people outside the US, including from the UK, during 7:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Eastern Time. The directory also lists FBU London at +44 20 7499 9000, with a local window such as 10:00-13:00 on some country rows. Confirm the UK row on ssa.gov/foreign/foreign.htm.
Can I call Social Security from Spain or France?
Yes, using the International Call Center and the office the directory assigns. France is listed with FBU Paris on +33 1 43 12 27 05. Spain is listed with FBU Madrid on +34 915 87 22 61. Check the current row for your country; assignments are not a substitute for the directory.
Does FBU Manila have a phone number?
Yes. The SSA foreign directory lists FBU Manila at +63 2 5301 6200, plus fax and email. That is not a fax-only office. Buenos Aires and Athens directory rows checked the same day list fax and email without a phone.
Useful guides
Other institutions to call from abroad
Same type of institution in other countries
Ready to call Social Security Administration (SSA)?
Create a free account and add credit from $1. No contract, no subscription.
Start with WorldDial →Your first minute is free
Verified email, once per account, on destinations up to $0.40 USD/min. The minute starts when the line picks up; menus and hold time count.
No credit card required to sign up.
