Federal Benefits encompasses programs from the following agencies: ()

• Social Security
  
  • Applying for a Social Security Number
  • U.S.-Japan Social Security Totalization
  • Social Security FAQ
• Department of Veteran Affairs
• Office of Personnel Management
• Department of Labor
• Railroad Retirement Board

The Social Security Administration (SSA) deals with claims for retirement, disability and survivor benefits, Social Security number applications, all post-entitlement activities affecting beneficiaries under the various programs, i.e., changes of address, issues involving direct deposit of SSA checks, nonreceipt of check allegations and death terminations.

If you would like information on how to apply for social security retirement benefits, or for instructions on how to replace, correct, or change your name on your Social Security Card, see the Social Security Administration (SSA) website. This site also has a downloadable application form, the (SS-5), to use to apply for a Social Security Card and tells you what kind of identification you need to send along with your application form.

You may also go directly to the Social Security Handbook, which gives general information about Social Security Programs. The website also has a list of all publications and a list of all downloadable forms.

People in Tokyo, Chiba, Fukushima, Gunma, Ibaraki, Kanagawa, Nagano, Niigata, Saitama, Shizuoka, Tochigi, Yamagata or Yamanashi prefectures (follow this link if you are elsewhere in Japan) with specific questions on Social Security can FAX us at 03-3224-5856, or call us at (03) 3224-5183.

Please note that since enactment of the Japan-U.S. Social Security Agreement there has been a sharp increase in the number of customer phone inquiries at our office. If our agents are busy assisting other customers and cannot immediately take your call, please leave a message and they will try to return your call as soon as possible.



  Follow this link to apply for your new born baby's social security number at the same time you apply for his/her first passport and birth documentation.

  U.S. military members and others associated with the Department of Defense may apply for social security cards by contacting their base personnel or legal office.

  Private U.S. citizens interested in obtaining social security cards should come to the Embassy or one of our Consulates with evidence of identity and separate evidence of age. Both a U.S. passport and a certified copy of your birth certificate are normally required; originals only, no copies please. The original documents will be returned to you after examination.


  Parents may apply on behalf of children under the age of 12 but must present their own passport in addition to the U.S. passport and birth certificate of their child; originals only, no copies please.

  For people who are not U.S. citizens and who do not reside in the U.S., you may be eligible for an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) for U.S. tax purposes. Follow this link for more information on ITINs.

  If you and your Japanese spouse are immigrating soon to the U.S., s/he should apply for a Social Security Number once in the U.S. as a Legal Permanent Resident. S/he cannot apply from within Japan and must apply in the U.S.

  Persons headed to the U.S. on student or work visas cannot apply for a social security number overseas. Please apply in the United States.



An agreement effective October 1, 2005, between the United States and Japan improves Social Security protection for people who work or have worked in both countries. It helps many people who, without the agreement, would not be eligible for monthly retirement, disability or survivors benefits under the Social Security system of one or both countries. It also helps people who would otherwise have to pay Social Security taxes to both countries on the same earnings.

For the United States, the agreement covers Social Security taxes (including the U.S. Medicare portion) and Social Security retirement, disability and survivors insurance benefits. It does not cover benefits under the U.S. Medicare program or the Supplemental Security Income program.

For Japan, the agreement covers Social Security taxes (including the Japanese health insurance portion, in some cases) and Social Security retirement, disability and survivors benefits. It doesnt cover the National Pension Fund and the Employees Pension Fund which are corporate pension funds under which participation and contributions are voluntary. The pension system for members of local assemblies, a supplemental pension system for local government workers, is also not covered by the agreement. The agreement also doesnt apply to the Old-Age Welfare Pension or other Japanese non-contributory, means-tested allowances paid from general revenues.

This document covers highlights of the agreement and explains how it may help you while you work and when you apply for benefits.

To find out more about U.S. Social Security benefits or for information about a claim for benefits write to:

Social Security Administration
OIOTotalization
P.O. Box 17049
Baltimore, Maryland 21235-7049
U.S.A.

Residents of Japan who have questions about specific claims can contact Social Security's Regional Office in Manila using a toll free number: 0066-33-801336 (dial direct - no country code or prefix is necessary).

Totalization-related Questions

Q: I believe that I am eligible for benefits under the U.S.-Japan Social Security Agreement. Please tell me how to apply.

A: Please contact the nearest Japanese social insurance office. The Japanese social insurance office will send your information to SSA Manila, and Manila will then send you the appropriate application forms and instructions. Information on the U.S.-Japan Social Security Agreement can be found in Japanese at http://www.sia.go.jp/seido/kyotei/kyotei06.htm or in English at http://www.socialsecurity.gov/international/Agreement_Texts/japan.html.


Q: As part of the U.S.-Japan social security agreement, the Social Security office in Manila has instructed me to obtain a “Mandatory Interview Certificate” for my wife to obtain her social security number. What specifically do we need to do?

A: Your wife will need to come to the Embassy or closest U.S. Consulate in person to apply for her social security number; she will need to bring photo identification – specifically, a valid passport or driver's license or resident card with picture attached. The Embassy is currently taking appointments for Monday-Thursday afternoons, 2-4pm. Please call 03-3224-5000 between 2-5pm Monday-Thursday to schedule an appointment. (If you intend to visit a U.S. Consulate instead of the Embassy, please contact the Consulate directly regarding their appointment schedule.)


Benefits-related Questions

Q: I worked in the United States 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? I was born in 1943 and am 63 years old.

A: Social security eligibility is dependent upon the period of time worked 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 worked in the U.S. more than 10 years, you are most likely eligible for benefits, and you can apply at the Embassy or closest Consulate. You may submit your application up to 3 months prior to when you would like to receive the benefit.

Individuals are eligible for early retirement benefits as early as age 62 (reduced benefit). Full benefits accrue upon reaching the “full retirement age.” The full retirement age for persons born in 1943 is 66. A person who falls below the full retirement age and is currently engaged in full time work (more than 45 hours a month) cannot receive benefits.

If you worked in the U.S. for less than 10 years, you may be eligible for benefits under the U.S.-Japan Social Security Agreement. You can find information on this agreement at http://www.sia.go.jp/seido/kyotei/kyotei06.htm (in Japanese) and http://www.socialsecurity.gov/international/Agreement_Texts/japan.html (in English).


Q: My father worked in the U.S. about 5 years and passed away about 5 years ago. Can my mother apply for widow's benefits? My father's social security number is unknown. What if father worked in U.S. for 10 years or more?

A: Yes, if your mother is age 60 or older, she can apply for survivor benefits. If your father worked in the U.S. for less than 10 years, please contact the Japanese social insurance office to pursue benefits. If he worked in the U.S. more than 10 years, you can contact the Embassy to schedule an appointment and pursue benefits.


Q: My husband recently passed away, and I know he paid SSA taxes for several years. I am now 50 years old. Can I apply for widow's benefits?

A: The age of eligibility for widow's benefits is 60. You can begin applying up to 3 months prior to turning 60. At present, you can apply for a lump-sum death benefit of up to $255. The application for benefits must be received within 2 years from the date of your spouse’s death. If you have a child under 18 years old, please contact the Embassy or Consulate as the child may also be eligible for survivor benefits.


Q: 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?

A: No, you can not. Please return them to the SSA. SSA may issue a replacement check under your name.


Social Security Number/Card-related Questions

Q: 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?

A: If your child is under 12 years old, either parent can apply on their behalf; the child’s father/mother will need to come in person to the Embassy or closest Consulate to submit your application [link to SS-5]. We will need you and your child's passports and the child's birth certificate (if born in the U.S.) or “Consular Report of Birth Abroad” (if born outside the USA) – originals only, no copies please. If your child is over 12 years old, he/she must apply in person.

If your child was born in the U.S. 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.


Q: I applied a Social Security number 6 months ago, but have not yet received it. Can you please update me on the status?

A: Social Security information is never released via phone. In order to determine the current status, please contact the SSA office in Manila (toll free 0066-33-801336; email: SSAD.VARO.Manila@ssa.gov), and provide the following information: your name, date of birth, place of birth, parents’ names (with mother’s maiden name), and telephone number. Manila will research your request and send the current status to the Embassy, at which point we will contact you by phone and ask you to come down to the Embassy or closest Consulate to release this information.


Miscellaneous Questions

Q: I received various forms from the Social Security office in Manila, but do not know how to fill them out. What should I do?

A: Please contact the SSA office in Manila for assistance. Japanese and English speaking staff are available. Please call toll free 0066-33-801336 between 11AM-4PM Japan time (no country code or prefix is required).


Q: I have heard that I need a birth certificate in order to apply for SSA benefits. But, I am a Japanese citizen and don't have a birth certificate.

A: Japanese nationals should supply a Japanese family register (either “TOHON” or “SHOHON”) in place of a U.S. style birth certificate.



The Department of Veteran Affairs (DVA) processes survivor claims, educational benefits, compensation and pension examinations, etc.
The Department of Veteran Affairs website offers the Federal Benefits Manual for Veterans and Dependants (1997), details of benefits available, and downloadable benefits forms.




The Office of Personnel Management website offers information for federal employee benefits such as retirement programs, thrift plans, and health insurance.




The Department of Labor website offers information on benefits programs such as the Family and Medical Leave Act and workers' compensation programs, (Black Lung, FECA, Longshore).



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 their website for more information.