Please note that the U.S. Embassy in Nicaragua is a non claims-taking post. There is no Social Security Administration (SSA), Veterans Affairs (VA) nor Office of Personal Management (OPM) staff located in Nicaragua. The role of the Federal Benefits Unit in Managua is to accept paperwork and forward it to the proper agency for processing.
Did You Know…? An appointment is required for first-time applicants for Federal Benefits. To make an appointment please send an email to ACS.Managua@state.gov. General Information on Federal Benefits is available Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 9:00 to 11:00 am. Please bring your valid U.S. or Nicaraguan passport and complete associated forms prior to your appointment for any and all services.
The Federal Benefits Unit (FBU) in Managua provides assistance to U.S. citizens and third country nationals who have worked in the United States and are eligible to apply for a pension from one of the Federal Agencies listed above. Assistance may also be available for the worker’s spouse and children who are under the age of 18 or disabled. We assist with a wide range of federal benefits issues, whether you are applying for a social security number, inquiring into survivor benefits, or requesting to receive your benefits by direct deposit, among others. You can also find answers to Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) below.
Social Security
The Social Security Administration (SSA) processes claims for retirement, disability and survivor benefits, as well as social security number applications. SSA also handles all post-entitlement activities affecting beneficiaries under the various programs such as changes of address, issues involving direct deposit of SSA checks, non-receipt of checks, designation or changes of Representative Payees and termination of benefits.
If you would like general information about social security, please visit the SSA website at www.ssa.gov. This site includes:
For General Inquiries: 1-800-772-1213 (English and Spanish)
Social Security Cards
If you are applying for a social security number or have a question regarding your social security card, please click here.
Post-Entitlement Services
We can assist you with:
- Name change or change of address
- Report of death of a beneficiary
- MEDICARE enrollment or cancellation
- Report of full calendar month presence
- Foreign enforcement questionnaire
- Overpayment/underpayment
- Reinstatements
- Benefit statement
- Schedule medical exams to verify disability claims
- Return checks
- Sign up for direct deposit
To contact our offices, please click here.
Department of Veterans Affairs
The Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA) processes survivor claims, educational benefits, compensation and pension examinations, etc. The Department of Veterans Affairs website offers the Federal Benefits Manual for Veterans and Dependants (1997), details of benefits available and downloadable benefits forms.
Our Federal Benefits Unit in Managua can provide forms, general information and forward your claims to Veterans Affairs. We can also arrange medical appointments, assist with direct deposit issues and follow up with Veterans Affairs about individual cases, when necessary.
For General Inquiries: 1-800-827-1000 (English only)
Office of Personnel Management
Office of Personnel Management deals with payments for annuitants covered by the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) and the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS).
The Office of Personnel Management website offers information about federal employee benefits such as retirement programs, thrift saving plans and health insurance.
Our Federal Benefits Unit in Managua can provide forms, general information and forward your claims to Office of Personnel Management. We can also assist with Direct Deposit issues and follow up with Office of Personnel Management about individual cases, when necessary.
For General Inquiries: 202-606-1800 (English only)
Railroad Retirement Board (RRB)
The Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) administers comprehensive retirement/survivor and unemployment/sickness benefit programs for the nation's railroad workers and their families. The RRB also administers certain social security benefit payments and railroad workers' Medicare coverage. Visit the RRB website for more information.
For General Inquiries: 1-877-772-5772 (English only)
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Additional Social Security Administration FAQs can be found here.
I would like to apply for a social security number for my child who is a U.S. citizen. What documents are required and what do I need to do?
If your child is under 12 years old, either parent can apply on the child's behalf; the child's father/mother will need to come in person to the Embassy to submit the application. We will need the following original documents: 1) your valid passport; 2) your child's valid U.S. passport (duly signed by either parent), 3) your child's birth certificate, and 4) your child’s Consular Report of Birth Abroad (if born abroad). We cannot accept photocopies – originals only, please. If your child is 12years old and over, must apply in person and should bring in addition to all of the above, his/her school records and employment records ( if applicable) to prove that he/she has been living outside the U.S.
If your child was born in the U.S. or is a naturalized U.S. citizen and moved overseas when he/she was an infant, you will also need to supply documentary evidence demonstrating that he/she has been living overseas since infancy. Typical evidence includes school records, old passports, etc.
Your child’s application will be forwarded to the Social Security Administration for processing which may take up to 6 month to complete. Once the process has been completed, the Social Security Card will be mailed to the address you listed on the application. The Federal Benefits Unit has no way of tracking your child’s application once it has been mailed to the Social Security Administration.
I applied for a social security number 6 months ago, but have not yet received it. Can you please update me on the status?
You can contact the Federal Benefits Unit at the Embassy in Managua in person or by email to ACS.Managua@state.gov with the particulars about your case. The Embassy will contact the SSA office in Costa Rica directly to request a status report. SSA Costa Rica will research your request and send the information to the Embassy. Once the Embassy has a response from SSA Costa Rica, we will then contact you and ask you to come down to the Embassy to release this information. We cannot release information over the phone or by email.
Important: SSA Costa Rica will not provide a status report for any applications that have been processed less than six months.
I am not a U.S. citizen but need to have a Social Security number for tax reasons.
Non-U.S. citizens and those who do not reside in the U.S. may be eligible for an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) for U.S. tax purposes. This category applies to Nicaraguan citizen spouses resident in Nicaragua without Legal Permanent Residence in the U.S. To obtain an ITIN, you must file IRS Form W-7 with the Internal Revenue Service. Follow this link for more information on ITINs.
I worked in the U.S. for more than 10 years and I believe I am eligible for social security benefits. When and where can I apply for these benefits? If I am currently working, can I receive benefits?
Social Security eligibility is dependent upon Social Security "quarters of coverage" in the U.S. and the age of the applicant. (For information on eligibility, please visit the SSA website at www.ssa.gov.) Generally speaking, if you earned more than 40 credits, which is roughly equivalent to 10 years of work, you are eligible for benefits, and you can apply at the Embassy (an appointment is required for first-time applicants). You can retire at any time between age 62 and full retirement age. However if you start benefits early, your benefits are reduced a fraction of a percent for each month before your full retirement age. You may submit your application up to 5 months prior to when you would like to start receiving benefits.
For information on how to determine your "full retirement age," please view this page. If you fall below the full retirement age AND are currently working full time (45 hours or more per month), it is advisable not to apply for benefits at this time, because your benefits will not only be permanently reduced but will also remain suspended. It is more advantageous to apply either when you reach full retirement age OR when you stop working full time. If you have more questions about your work and how it affects your benefits, please contact the Embassy or an SSA office in the United States.
My spouse is applying for retirement benefits. Am I or my children entitled to benefits? Can the Federal Benefits Unit help me file an application?
You may be eligible to file for spouse benefits if you are at least 62 years of age and have been married to the worker for at least one full year at the time of filing the application. The Federal Benefits Unit (FBU) can help you file an application. Children who are under the age of 18 or disabled may also be entitled to benefits.
If you fulfill all the requirements we will provide the appropriate application forms and schedule an appointment to submit the completed application forms. Please arrive for your appointment with all forms completed. The processing time with the Social Security Administration could take as long as 5 or 6 months to complete.
Learn more about this topic in FAQs in the Social Security Administration web site http://www.ssa.gov/
My spouse recently passed away, and I know he paid SSA/FICA taxes for several years. I am now 50 years old. Can I apply for widower/widow benefits?
Before age 60, you can apply for a lump-sum death benefit of up to $255. The application for lump-sum death benefits must be received within 2 years from the date of your spouse's death. Please contact the Embassy or SSA in the United States directly for more details.
The age of eligibility for widow's benefits is 60. You may submit your application up to 5 months prior to turning 60, if your husband worked in the United States for more than 10 years (more than 40 credits). You can contact the Embassy to schedule an appointment and pursue the possibility of benefits.
What is a "Claim Number" and how is it different from my social security number?
The "Claim Number" is a number assigned to social security beneficiaries and their families. For the worker, who is the primary beneficiary, the social security number and Claim Number are the same. Family members claim benefits under the primary beneficiary's Claim Number, but still have their own individual social security number. When applying for or requesting information about your claim, be sure to differentiate between these numbers.
My benefits check has not arrived. What should I do?
If you are paid through direct deposit and did not receive your payment, we highly recommend that you first contact your bank to ensure there is no internal problem with the bank that could have resulted in a delay in your deposit. If your payment is not in your bank, then please contact the Federal Benefit Unit at the U.S. Embassy in Managua to report this fact. You should indicate the last month that you received your benefit. We will contact the SSA office in Costa Rica to request a status report. Once the Embassy has a response from SSA Costa Rica, we will provide you with the information. We may have to request a replacement payment.
My husband, who had been receiving SSA benefits, recently passed away and I found some checks issued to him. Can I, as his wife, cash them?
No, you cannot. Please return them to our Federal Benefits Unit. We will forward the check to SSA and they may issue a replacement check under your name.
Can I sign up for direct deposit of my Social Security check with a Nicaraguan-based bank?
Yes. Monthly payments can be directly deposited into the beneficiaries' designated Nicaraguan bank accounts. You must come to our Federal Benefits Office at the Embassy to set up direct deposit. Applicable bank fees are deducted from the beneficiary’s monthly payment. Direct deposit is more secure than the mailing of paper checks, which are subject to theft and loss.
Does Medicare cover my medical expenses in Nicaragua?
No, there is no Medicare coverage outside of the United States. You will need to pursue private options for medical insurance coverage.
What is a Social Security Statement? How can I obtain a Social Security Statement?
Your Social Security Statement is a concise, easy-to-read personal record of the earnings on which you have paid Social Security taxes during your working years and a summary of the estimated benefits you and your family may receive as a result of those earnings.
You can electronically request a Social Security Statement at https://secure.ssa.gov/apps6z/isss/main.html, or you can print Form SSA-7004, complete it and mail it to the following address:
SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION
WILKES BARRE DATA OPERATIONS CENTER
PO BOX 7004
WILKES BARRE PA 18767-7004
The Social Security Administration will process your request in 2-4 weeks and will mail the Social Security Statement to the address you listed on Form SSA-7004.
Learn more about this topic in FAQs in the Social Security Administration web site http://www.ssa.gov/
I received Form SSA-7162 in the mail? What is it for? What should I do with Form SSA-7162?
The Social Security Administration periodically sends Form SSA-7162 to a beneficiary living outside the United States to figure out if the beneficiary is still eligible to receive benefits. When you receive this form, you should answer the questionnaire and return it to the office that sent it as soon as possible. The form will include instructions and provide the address where you need to return the form. Generally, a self-addressed envelope is enclosed, too. All you need to do is affix postage and mail it. If you do not return this form in a timely manner, your payments will stop.
In addition to responding to the questionnaire, you should notify the Social Security promptly about changes that could affect your payments. If you fail to report something or deliberately make a false statement, you could be penalized by a fine or imprisonment. You also may lose some of your payments if you do not report changes promptly.
It’s important that you report any change of address to the Social Security Administration to ensure you get this questionnaire and other important notices from SSA. FBU can help you report a change of address to the Social Security Administration. If your benefits are suspended because SSA did not receive your completed Form SSA-7162, FBU can help you restore your benefits.
Learn more about this topic in FAQs in the Social Security Administration web site http://www.ssa.gov/ and in the following publication http://www.ssa.gov/pubs/10137.html#how
I received Form SSA-1099 in the mail. What is Form SSA-1099 for? Do I need to reply to this form?
At the end of each year the Social Security Administration will mail you a Social Security Benefit Statement (Form SSA-1099) showing the amount of benefits you received during the year. You can use this statement when you complete your federal income tax return to find out if you have to pay taxes on your benefits. Form SSA-1099 is informational; there is no need for you to respond to the Social Security Administration upon receipt of this form.
You can use your SSA-1099 form as proof of your income if you receive Social Security benefits.
The Social Security Administration issues SSA-1099 by January 31 of each year. If you did not receive your Form 1099, you can request a replacement online.
Learn more about this topic in FAQs in the Social Security Administration web site http://www.ssa.gov/
What steps can I take to prevent my benefits from being suspended?
It is your responsibility to report to the federal agency any change in address, a change in your nationality or country of residence, a change in your marital status or report employment or self-employment to prevent the possibility that your pension be suspended.
Federal agencies commonly suspend a pension when a letter to the pensioner is returned as undeliverable and the “moved” box has been checked by the post office. When this occurs the pension is immediately suspended.
The federal agency will also suspend your pension if you fail to respond to a form or other request in the time frame set by the agency.
FBU can help you obtain the form required to report any of these facts to the appropriate federal agency.