How to Call Social Security From Abroad
By the DialVia team ·
Quick answer: Call the Social Security Administration's Office of International Operations at +1-410-965-0160, Monday to Friday, 9am to 4pm Eastern time. Unlike the domestic 1-800-772-1213 line, there's no toll-free version for callers outside the US, this is a standard chargeable number.
Why there's no toll-free option here
Social Security's everyday number, 1-800-772-1213, is a toll-free line that only routes within the North American phone network, so it doesn't connect from overseas. What's different from some other US agencies is that there's no dedicated toll-free replacement either. The Office of International Operations, which specifically handles Social Security matters for people living outside the US or planning to leave, publishes a standard Baltimore-area number instead, and says so directly: there's currently no toll-free service for calls from abroad.
The verified number
| Line | Number | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Office of International Operations | +1-410-965-0160 | Mon-Fri 9am-4pm ET |
Source: SSA's official "Service Around the World" page. A fax option is also available at 1-877-385-0645 for questions that don't need a live conversation.
Who this line is actually for
This isn't general Social Security customer service, it's specifically the team that handles benefits, totalization agreements, and other Social Security matters for people who live outside the US or are planning to move abroad. If your question is genuinely domestic (you're in the US and just traveling internationally briefly), the standard toll-free line still applies once you're back, this overseas line is scoped to people whose situation involves living abroad.
What to have ready before you call
- Your Social Security Number
- Your date of birth
- The country you're living in or moving to
- Details of the specific issue: a benefits claim, a totalization agreement question, or a change in circumstances
Best time to call
The line runs Monday to Friday, 9am to 4pm Eastern time, a narrower window than most US institutions in our guides.
- UK/Western Europe: US Eastern time is 5 hours behind, so call in your early afternoon to catch the start of their day.
- UAE/Gulf: 8 to 9 hours ahead of US Eastern time, call in your late afternoon or evening.
- Australia (Sydney): 14 to 16 hours ahead, effectively the opposite time of day, plan for your very early morning.
- Singapore/Hong Kong: 12 to 13 hours ahead.
The cheaper way to actually make the call
This isn't a toll-free number, so standard international rates apply for the whole call, and Social Security questions often involve some verification and hold time. With DialVia, you call the real number over Wi-Fi from your browser instead:
- Open DialVia and sign up (about 30 seconds)
- Select United States as the destination
- Enter the number: 410-965-0160
- Hit call
Frequently asked questions
What's Social Security's number for calling from abroad? +1-410-965-0160, Monday to Friday 9am to 4pm Eastern time.
Is there a toll-free way to call Social Security from overseas? No, the SSA explicitly says there's currently no toll-free service for calls from outside the US.
Who is the Office of International Operations for? People who live outside the US or are planning to move abroad, not travelers making a brief domestic-to-international trip.
What should I have ready before calling? Your Social Security Number, date of birth, the country you're living in or moving to, and details of the specific issue.
Need another US government office's number? See the full guide to calling US government offices from abroad, covering the IRS and US passport services too.
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