Anyone Living in Colombia Who Receives US Social Security Benefits May Need to Complete a Foreign Enforcement Questionnaire

The United States Social Security Administration recently released the following notice for anyone who lives in Colombia and receives Social Security benefits. Finance Colombia is posting the notice in full to help ensure affected readers see this important information.

If you receive Social Security benefits, live in Colombia, and the last two digits of your Social Security Number end in 50 to 99, the Social Security Administration (SSA) mailed you a Foreign Enforcement Questionnaire (FEQ) between June and July 2023. If you did not return the first questionnaire, a second questionnaire was mailed to you on October 17, 2023.  Both questionnaires had instructions to return the form in the envelope provided to SSA’s processing center in Wilkes-Barre, PA.

You must send your completed questionnaire to SSA by mid December 2023, failing to do this may result in the suspension of your benefits the following year.  If you have 90 years of age or more and your benefits are paid through a representative payee, you also need to complete an FEQ, regardless of the last two digits of your Social Security number.

Do not send a duplicate Foreign Enforcement Questionnaire if you already mailed one in the second half of 2023.  If you have not received a FEQ, you must take the following actions:

• Complete SSA-7162 form  (Pdf-59Kb) if: you receive payments in your own name.
• Complete SSA-7161 form (Pdf-74Kb) if: you receive payments through a representative payee or are a representative payee.
• Make sure to include:
  • Social Security Number;
  • Name
  • Address
  • Signature (Note: we cannot accept digital or electronic signatures)
  • Date

The Social Security Administration cannot accept this document by email or fax, if you haven’t already returned your form, you will need to send the original document physically (no copies) to the following address:

US EMBASSY SANTO DOMINGO

Unidad de Beneficios Federales (FBU)

Av. República de Colombia #57

Santo Domingo

República Dominicana

Código postal 10505

The Federal Benefits Unit in Santo Domingo cannot confirm your questionnaire was received and will not respond to inquiries requesting confirmation.  You will need to verify the status of delivery with the tracking number provided by your shipping company.

If you are under 90 years of age, receiving benefits on your own and your SSN ends 00 to 49, you do not need to send a Foreign Enforcement Questionnaire for 2023, a from will be mailed to you between June and July 2024. If you meet the requirements for a questionnaire but your official address on record is the United States you may disregard this message.

Please visit the Regional Federal Benefits Unit (FBU) page for more information or contact the Federal Benefits Unit directly at [email protected] for more information.

Please do not contact Finance Colombia with questions!

Contact the Social Security administration directly via the links above.