list
1. Is Direct Deposit available in foreign countries?



2. What must I do to receive VA Education Benefits while attending school in a foreign country?



3. If a veteran becomes seriously ill overseas, will VA pay for hospital expense and/or return to the United States?



4. How does a service-connected disabled veteran get prosthesis in a foreign country?



5. May I get a home loan guaranty to purchase a house in a foreign country?



6. Will VA loan me money to get back to the United States, if all of my personal belongings are stolen while traveling in a foreign country?



7. What overseas address should I give to VA?



8. I have my original Service Medical Records.   Should I send them to VA?
   
   
9. Can I complete an application for benefits on line?
   
   
10. How can I have an old claim reconsidered or upgraded while abroad?
    
    
11. How long does it take to process an overseas claim?
    

1.   Is Direct Deposit available in foreign countries?

The Department of Veterans Affairs offers International Direct Deposit service to many countries world wide. International Direct Deposit allows your payment to be deposited directly into your local bank account in local currency (for most countries). International Direct Deposit has several advantages. You never have to worry about your check being delayed in the mail, lost or stolen. With International Direct Deposit you receive your payment much faster than if you are paid by check (usually one to three weeks faster than check deliveries). You also avoid check cashing and currency conversion fees.

To determine if International Direct Deposit or other forms of electronic payment are available in the country where you live, please contact the US Embassy or Consulate in your country, or contact the Department of Veterans Affairs.

An International Direct Enrollment form and instructions for completing it is available for download by clicking this link.

If you do not have Microsoft Word software installed, you may download free viewer and reader software to view the documents cited on this page.

2.   What must I do to receive VA Education Benefits while attending school in a foreign country?

Here are two possible situations which might occur.

You are attending a U.S. school but actually attending classes in a foreign country.   If the course of study is approved by the State Approving Agency for the State where the school is located, your VA benefits can be used to attend school.

You are actually attending a foreign school (not based in the U.S. A.).   If this is the case, you must have VA approve your program before you can receive your VA benefits for that program. Click here for further details.

3.   If a veteran becomes seriously ill overseas, will VA pay for my hospital expenses and/or return to the United States?

If you are a U.S. veteran residing or traveling in a foreign country, excluding Canada and the Philippines, and you become critically ill, VA will pay the cost of necessary and acceptable health care services only for your VA rated service-connected disabilities or for the care of a condition(s) associated with and aggravating your VA rated service-connected disabilities.   VA will not pay for transportation costs to return to the United States.

4.   How does a service-connected disabled veteran get prosthesis in a foreign country?

If you reside in a foreign country and you require a prosthesis for your VA rated service-connected condition, and the cost of the prosthetic appliance exceeds $300 (U.S. currency), you must obtain preauthorization from the VA Foreign Medical Program (FMP) office located in Denver, Colorado.   If the cost is less than $300 (U.S. currency) you may purchase the prosthetic appliance from a local health care provider and send the invoice to the FMP Office for reimbursement, or the health care provider may bill the VA. Preauthorization requests and claims for reimbursement should be submitted to:   VA Health Administration Center (FMP), PO Box 65021, Denver, CO 80206-9021, USA.   Requests may also be submitted via telefax, 24-hours a day, to 303-331-7803.
In Canada, contact the local office of Veterans Affairs Canada or the VA Medical and Regional Office Center, White River Junction, VT. Go to our Medical Treatment Canada page.

5.   May I get a home loan guaranty for a house in a foreign country?

Home loan guaranties are available only in the United States and selected territories and possessions.

6.   Will VA loan me money to get back to the United States, if all of my personal belongings are stolen while traveling in a foreign country?

No.   The VA does not provide this type of financial assistance to veterans.   However, assistance may be available at U.S. embassies and consulates through the American Citizens Services (ACS) program.   Destitute Americans can turn to a U.S. consular officer abroad for help. ACS will help by contacting the destitute person's family, friends or business associates to raise private funds. It will help transmit these funds to destitute Americans.   ACS also provides repatriation loans to pay for Americans' direct return to the U.S. See our Other Resources page for additional information.

7.   What overseas address should I give to VA?

Many veterans use an APO address only.   It helps to give VA the international address too.

8.   I have my original Service Medical Records.   Should I send them to VA?

Original service medical records should be sent to VA at the time you file a claim.   Keeping the records only delays processing.    Make copies of all the records and keep them in a safe place for future reference.   If the original records are lost you will have difficulty proving your claim without any other evidence.   If you have electronic copies of your records on a disk, it is best if they are in a text, PDF, or one of the more common word processing formats.   Image files such as .jpg and .tif are very difficult to work with.

9.   Can I complete an application for benefits on line?

Yes.   VA offers a number of on-line benefits applications.   Just make sure VA gets your service medical records and/or discharge documents if you kept the originals.   Claims received from abroad will be processed at one of a select few regional offices or processing centers depending on the type of claim for benefits, and the area of the world in which you reside.

10.   How can I have an old claim reconsidered or upgraded while abroad?

Any veteran may simply ask for a prior denial of a claim to be reconsidered because new evidence has been found.    You also may ask for an existing service connected condition to be reevaluated because the condition has worsened.    The simplest way to do it while living abroad is to go to the "Contact the VA" web page and click on "Ask a Question."   You must be specific as to what disability you are asking to have reconsidered.    Simply stating that, "My condition has worsened" is not enough.    You must describe in detail which arm, leg, internal organ, or external part of, or location on, the body was affected.

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Reviewed/Updated Date: March 4, 2010