NEW USA Social Security Office

[Ted]

Ok Warsaw has been very slow in the past so I hope it is better...



From: U.S. Embassy Kyiv, Ukraine 

Message to U.S. Citizens:  NOTICE REGARDING SOCIAL SECURITY SERVICES

September 29, 2017

The Social Security Administration (SSA) has consolidated its overseas operations into several regional offices that provide a full range of SSA services for U.S. citizens residing outside of the United States.  Effective October 1, 2017, individuals residing in Ukraine who require Social Security services or have questions about SSA benefits must contact the SSA Federal Benefits Unit (FBU) located in Warsaw, Poland, rather than the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv, Ukraine.

Please be advised that, as of October 1, the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv, Ukraine, can no longer accept telephone calls, emails, or walk-in consultations regarding Social Security issues.

For more information or any questions about the services provided at the FBU in Warsaw, Poland, and how to contact them, please visit their webpage at: https://pl.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/social-security/contacts/.  You can also reach them at +48-22-504-2112, or FBU.Warsaw@ssa.gov.

For comprehensive information on SSA's services abroad, please visit SSA's webpage, "Service Around the World," at https://www.ssa.gov/foreign/.

If you are already receiving SSA benefits payments, there will be no change in the method of distribution of those payments.

 

* * *

The U.S. Embassy in Kyiv is located at 4 A.I. Sikorsky St., 04112 Kyiv, Ukraine. If you are a U.S. citizen in need of emergency assistance, please call +38-044-521-5566 during regular business hours or +38-044-521-5000 after hours. For non-emergency assistance, you can reach us via e-mail at KyivACS@state.gov
See the Department of State?s travel website for the Worldwide Caution, Travel Warnings, Travel Alerts, and Country Specific Information.
Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive security messages and make it easier to locate you in an emergency.

[Ted]

UPDATE Messages:

Dear Sir/Madam,

This is an automated response to the message, which you sent to the American Citizen Services Unit at the Consular Section of the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv, Ukraine. Thank you for your email.  Unfortunately, due to changes in how Social Security services are provided overseas, ACS Kyiv is unable to respond to your message. Please see below for alternative methods of acquiring the information or services you may be seeking.

The Social Security Administration (SSA) has consolidated its overseas operations into several regional offices that provide a full range of SSA services for U.S. citizens residing outside of the United States. Effective October 1, 2017, individuals residing in Ukraine who require Social Security services or have questions about SSA benefits must contact the SSA Federal Benefits Unit (FBU) located in Warsaw, Poland, rather than the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv, Ukraine.

Please be advised that, as of October 1, the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv, Ukraine, can no longer accept telephone calls, emails, or walk-in consultations regarding Social Security issues.

Residents of Belarus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Russia, Slovakia and Ukraine, serviced by Federal Benefits Unit Warsaw may contact the FBU Warsaw in a variety of ways.

The most efficient method of reaching the FBU is by using their Online Contact Form at:
https://pl.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/social-security/fbu-warsaw-contact-form/

Other contact options include:


 *   Fax:                  +48 22 504 2281
 *   Mail:                U.S. Embassy Warsaw
Federal Benefits Unit
ul. Piekna 12
00-539 Warsaw
Poland

 *   Telephone:      +48 22 504 2112
Phone lines are open Monday, Tuesday and Thursday from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. (Warsaw time)

*         Email:  FBU.Warsaw@ssa.gov

Contact details for Federal Benefits Units worldwide can be found at https://www.ssa.gov/foreign/iclaim.htm

Kind regards,

American Citizen Services Unit
Consular Section
U.S. Embassy, Kyiv, Ukraine
+38 044 521 5566

AND FROM WARSAW:
If you haven't applied for Social Security read carefully

This is an automated response from the Federal Benefits Unit mailbox. Thank you for your message. Due to high volume of correspondence processed by our section, please allow 10 business days for a reply to your inquiry.
 
For information on SSA issues please visit our website at http://poland.usembassy.gov/fbu.html.
 
You can apply for Social Security retirement, spouse, Medicare only or disability on the Internet at https://secure.ssa.gov/iClaim/rib . Once you submit the application online, print the receipt, and wait.  We will contact you in about 6-8 weeks to review your claim and to request needed documents.
 
Online hours of operation are:
?         Weekdays 5 AM - 1 AM Eastern Time (ET)
?         Saturday 5 AM - 11 PM ET
?         Sunday 8 AM - 11:30 PM ET
?         Holidays 5 AM - 1 AM ET
 
 
Thank you. Federal Benefits Unit, Warsaw
 
***
To jest automatyczna odpowiedź ze skrzynki pocztowej Biura Świadczeń Federalnych. Dziękujemy za wiadomość. Z uwagi na dużą ilość korespondencji wpływającej do naszego biura odpowiedzi udzielimy w ciągu 10 dni roboczych.
 
Zapraszamy na stronę internetową naszego biura http://polish.poland.usembassy.gov/fbu.html, gdzie można uzyskać więcej informacji na temat spraw związanych ze świadczeniami z Social Security.
 
Biuro Świadczeń Federalnych, Warszawa


BECAUSE I just received THIS on my phone:

Please contact Warsaw FBU Unit at FBU.Warsaw@ssa.gov or +48225042112 to get Authorization for ID verification in December before you call the U.S. Embassy, Kyiv.
Verification cannot be provided without FBU authorization letter.


and this via e-mail:

Dear beneficiaries residing in Ukraine,

Please contact Warsaw FBU Unit to get Authorization for ID verification in December before you call the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv. Verification cannot be provided without FBU Authorization letter.

The most efficient method of reaching the FBU is by using their Online Contact Form at:

https://pl.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/social-security/fbu-warsaw-contact-form/

Other contact options include:

Fax:                  +48 22 504 2281
Mail:                U.S. Embassy Warsaw
Federal Benefits Unit

ul. Piekna 12

00-539 Warsaw

Poland

Telephone:      +48 22 504 2112
Phone lines are open Monday, Tuesday and Thursday from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. (Warsaw time)
?         Email:  FBU.Warsaw@ssa.gov
 

Kind regards,

 

American Citizen Services Unit

Consular Section

U.S. Embassy, Kyiv, Ukraine

+38 044 521 5566

 

 

Official

UNCLASSIFIED


Mkay?

[Ted]

Oh joy and rapture!  Remember when we were informed that we had to do a annual, then a 6 month in-person-visual-i.d. at the Embassy to verify we were NOT dead? Then they changed it to having Warsaw administer our SS i.d. but still go to Kyiv? Yeah it was stupid. So I did not receive my 6-month notification from Warsaw and I sent a note off to Warsaw asking where was my PDF to take to Kyiv....

Dear Sir:
Thank you for your email.
The requirement for periodic in-person identity verifications has been temporarily suspended; therefore, please hold scheduling your next appointment with the Embassy in Kyiv until you hear from us. The benefits payments will continue without interruption. Please do not respond to this email and await further instructions
 
Sincerely,
 
Claims Representative/JLK
Federal Benefits Unit
U.S. Embassy
ul. Piekna 12
00-539 Warszawa
Poland
 
Visit us at https://pl.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/social-security/
tel.:       +48 22 504 2112 (Monday, Tuesday and Thursday 09:00-12:00)
fax:       +48 22 504 2281
 
Personally Identifiable Information (PII), if any, has been removed from the original message per Social Security regulations.

GOOD! What a PITA that was.

[Sailor291]

Maybe its a stupid question,but why not use a stateside address and bank and just transfer money each month to Ukraine as needed?  I ask this as I have no idea.

[Ted]

Maybe its a stupid question,but why not use a stateside address and bank and just transfer money each month to Ukraine as needed?  I ask this as I have no idea.

Not a stupid question at all. Finding out all my info was a long pain in the ass process.

I started my Social Security AFTER I arrived in Ukraine, I did it on-line as well as the Direct Express option the SSAdministration set up and offered.


MY stateside bank does NOT allow me to use my card in Ukraine. I did not know this until I got here. (this set me on the path to SS payments where I ended up today) I DO NOT make trips to the USA, and NEVER plan to go back, so I had to find alternatives. I went to the Embassy and found that there are about 70 other Americans in the same boat. I decided to use Pro-Credit Bank until they got lazy and then switched to PrivatBank 8 years ago, I have never had a problem with Privat. I have a retirement check deposited into my US bank but can't transfer the money here! So I just run it in to a stateside savings account.

Some banks do not transfer money to Ukrainian Banks. I do not have the list but I know that MY USA Direct Express (where I have my SS deposited) will not transfer also. My Oregon State University Credit Union in Oregon is my stateside bank and has been since forever, they fall under some Federal Guidelines, same as Direct Express, thusly Ukraine is banned.

BUT.... I can use the Direct Express card that has USD in my PrivatBank ATMs and withdraw UAH as needed, conversion rate is very minimal, here is only a limit of 8000 uah PER TRANSACTION, so you can stand at the ATM all day and take out chunks of 8000UAH until you have drained your Direct express card dry. Other banks limited me to 2000UAH a day.

SO, before you come here, make absolutely sure your USA bank will operate in ATMs here, and get the fees straight for the conversions before you do.

Transferring money via SWIFT etc, has it's limitations. PayPal lets money out of Ukraine but not IN. Another can of worms.

Running into Direct Express (because it is how SS payments are now made to Americans overseas) is the best bet if you do not have a USA bank set up.

[AkMike]

Chas Schwab cards work here. My little credit union cards work here too.
You must have picked some duds for banks.

 A rumor that I heard yeas ago must be true based on you reporting to make sure you're alive...
 I was to;d that UA doesn't report deaths to the respective embassies. So IF you're drawing a pension and or SS those payments would continue for may more years...   

[Ted]

Chas Schwab cards work here. My little credit union cards work here too.
You must have picked some duds for banks.

 A rumor that I heard yeas ago must be true based on you reporting to make sure you're alive...
 I was to;d that UA doesn't report deaths to the respective embassies. So IF you're drawing a pension and or SS those payments would continue for may more years...

Yeah, had I known beforehand that my CU would not work here I would have switched to BofA or WF and be done with it. As it is.....it is not worth going back to USA to just make a bank change. My CU was set up for Oregon State Students, so it's pretty small.

True UA does not report death, hence the verification was in place. You know, in Russia we would not have to do this, so WTF???