Federal Benefits and Obligations

U.S. citizens living abroad can use federal services and may be eligible for certain benefits. There are also some federal obligations you must fulfill while living abroad. 

The Department of State, through federal benefits units at U.S. embassies and consulates, helps the following federal agencies with processing of benefit claims for U.S. citizens living abroad:

• Social Security Administration
• Department of Veterans Affairs
• Office of Personnel Management
• Railroad Retirement Board 
• Department of Labor

For questions or assistance in filing a benefit claim, please contact the federal benefits unit servicing the country you are in. 

If you are a U.S. citizen or green card holder, you must file U.S. federal income tax returns while abroad. You can get helpful tax information on the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) website. 

The IRS website includes Frequently Asked Questions about taxes. It also explains how to get an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN).   

Important IRS resources 

• Tax Information for International Taxpayers
• Tax Guide for U.S. Citizens and Resident Aliens Abroad
• FAQs About International Individual Tax Matters
• Moving expenses to and from the United States

The U.S. government enacted the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FACTA) on March 18, 2010. FATCA requires foreign financial institutions to sign an agreement with the IRS. This agreement requires reporting on specific accounts owned by U.S. citizens or foreign entities connected to them. 

For more information:  

• Joint FAQs (2022)
• IRS
• U.S. Department of Treasury

Federal law requires nearly all male U.S. citizens and male immigrants to register at age 18.  If you are abroad and need to sign up for the Selective Service System, you can do it online. If you can't access online registration, contact the U.S. embassy or consulate for your destination.