Retiring Overseas: VA Benefits Abroad

More veterans are thinking about retiring abroad, whether to be near family, to stretch a fixed income, or to enjoy a new place. Before you pack, it pays to know which benefits travel with you. The good news: VA says, "Most VA benefits are payable regardless of your place of residence or nationality." The hard news: Medicare.gov says, "Medicare usually doesn't cover health care while you're traveling outside the U.S." This guide explains what happens to your VA payments, your health care, Social Security, and Medicare when you live overseas.

Key Takeaways

• VA disability compensation, pension, and most other VA benefits can be paid to veterans living abroad, and VA offers international direct deposit.
• The VA Foreign Medical Program (FMP) pays for care abroad only for service-connected conditions, or conditions that relate to or worsen a service-connected condition.
• FMP claims must be filed within 2 years of the date of care or hospital discharge.
• U.S. citizens can generally keep getting Social Security abroad, but the Treasury Department does not send payments to Cuba or North Korea.
• Medicare usually does not pay for care outside the U.S. If you drop or skip Part B and sign up later, you may owe a 10% higher premium for each 12-month period you could have been enrolled.
• Military retirees with TRICARE For Life keep TRICARE overseas if they keep Medicare Part A and Part B, but TRICARE pays first abroad and you pay its cost-shares.

Table of Contents

• Your VA Payments Overseas
• VA Health Care Abroad: The Foreign Medical Program
• Social Security Payments Abroad
• Medicare and TRICARE Outside the U.S.
• Steps Before You Move Abroad
• Ask the Navigator
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Sources

From the AVOY Book Library VA Benefits Abroad: The Expat Veteran's Guide covers this in more depth, with step-by-step guidance. Get the Book →

Your VA Payments Overseas

Moving abroad does not end your VA benefits. VA lists disability compensation, pension, education, health care, home loans, insurance, Veteran Readiness and Employment, and burial benefits among the benefits that are generally payable no matter where you live.

Getting paid

VA offers international direct deposit. VA says, "International Treasury Services will not charge you a currency conversion fee for payments sent overseas; however, your foreign financial institution may charge fees." VA lists a phone line for international direct deposit questions: (918) 781-7550.

Claim exams overseas

If you file a new claim or ask for an increase while living abroad, VA schedules disability exams "as close as possible to your home." VA asks veterans to give their physical address on VA Form 21-4138 so exams are scheduled correctly and claims are not delayed.

How to reach VA from abroad

• General benefits: (412) 395-6272
• Education benefits: (918) 781-5678
• Federal Benefits Units: VA lists Federal Benefits Units at American embassies and consulates as another place to get help.

A special note on the Philippines

VA runs a Regional Benefit Office at the U.S. Embassy in Manila. It helps with "disability compensation, education benefits, life insurance, pensions, and home loans." VA says "appointments are required; walk-ins cannot be accommodated." VA also notes that the VA Manila Outpatient Clinic provides limited non-service-connected care for established patients.

VA Health Care Abroad: The Foreign Medical Program

Outside the U.S., VA can pay for some care through the Foreign Medical Program (FMP). It is narrower than VA health care at home.

What FMP covers

VA states: "We only cover the cost of care for your service-connected conditions or conditions that relate to or make your service-connected condition worse." A VA News article explains that VA can pay for "health care services, medications and durable medical equipment (DME) to treat conditions related to a service-connected disability." Only veterans with VA-rated service-connected disabilities qualify. FMP does not pay for care unrelated to a service-connected condition.

Registering

VA News says veterans register for FMP using VA Form 10-7959f-1. Travelers without a permanent foreign address can apply before leaving using their U.S. address.

Filing a claim

VA says FMP claims must be filed within 2 years of the date you got care or were discharged from the hospital. You can file:

• Online through VA.gov
• By email, sending VA Form 10-7959f-2 and documents to HAC.FMP@va.gov
• By mail to VHA Office of Integrated Veteran Care, FMP, PO Box 200, Spring City, PA 19475
• By fax, using the number on the form

VA asks for an itemized bill with provider details and dates of care, proof of payment, and supporting papers such as discharge summaries or prescriptions. If you disagree with a decision, VA says you can appeal within 1 year.

Social Security Payments Abroad

Social Security can follow you overseas, but there are rules.

U.S. citizens

SSA says U.S. citizens may keep receiving benefits while living in countries where payments are allowed. The Treasury Department does not allow payments to people living in Cuba or North Korea. SSA also lists restrictions for Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan, with some exceptions.

Non-citizen spouses and survivors

SSA says, "Generally, we cannot pay Retirement, Survivors, and Disability Insurance benefits to noncitizens after their sixth calendar month outside the United States." Exceptions exist, and SSA offers a Payments Abroad Screening Tool to check them. This rule matters for families where a spouse is not a U.S. citizen.

Keeping payments flowing

• Report changes. SSA says to report address changes, work abroad, marriage, divorce, and death. "Failure to report a change may result in an overpayment."
• Answer questionnaires. SSA sends questionnaires to confirm you are still eligible. If you do not respond, payments can be suspended.
• Use direct deposit. SSA recommends direct deposit to a U.S. bank or to a bank in a country with a direct deposit agreement, rather than paper checks.

Medicare and TRICARE Outside the U.S.

Medicare usually does not travel

Medicare.gov says, "Medicare usually doesn't cover health care while you're traveling outside the U.S." There are narrow exceptions, such as certain emergencies when a foreign hospital is closer than the nearest U.S. hospital, or travel through Canada by direct route between Alaska and another state. Medicare drug plans do not cover prescriptions bought abroad. Medicare.gov adds that some Medigap policies "may cover emergency care when you travel outside the U.S."

Keep or drop Part B?

SSA says Part B is optional while you live abroad. But it warns: "if you do not sign up, be aware that if you do so at a later date, you will pay a 10% higher premium for each 12-month period you could have been enrolled." For 2026, the standard Part B premium is $202.90 a month, according to CMS. Many families weigh that cost against the chance of moving back to the U.S. one day.

TRICARE For Life overseas

For military retirees, the picture is different. TRICARE says TFL applies "regardless of age or place of residence" if you have Medicare Part A and Part B. Because "Medicare doesn't provide coverage in any other overseas locations," TRICARE becomes the primary payer abroad, and you pay TRICARE's deductible and cost-shares. TRICARE's 2026 cost matrix lists a 25% cost-share for TRICARE-covered services overseas, on top of the annual deductible. Dropping Part B would end TFL. To compare family health programs, see our guide on CHAMPVA vs. TRICARE.

Steps Before You Move Abroad

Here is an educational checklist many veterans use. It is not legal or financial advice.

1. Set up international direct deposit for VA and Social Security, or keep a U.S. bank account.
2. Update your address with VA and SSA. Give VA your physical address on VA Form 21-4138 so exams are scheduled near you.
3. Register for the Foreign Medical Program if you have service-connected conditions, using VA Form 10-7959f-1.
4. Decide about Medicare Part B. Weigh the monthly premium against the late penalty if you return. If you have TRICARE For Life, remember Part B is required.
5. Plan for non-service-connected care. FMP will not pay for it, and Medicare usually will not either.
6. Check your spouse's status. If your spouse is not a U.S. citizen, use SSA's Payments Abroad Screening Tool.
7. Save key contact numbers, including VA's overseas lines and the nearest U.S. embassy's Federal Benefits Unit.

Ask the Navigator

Thinking about retiring overseas? Ask AVOY Veteran Navigator AI™ your questions about benefits abroad at avoyvet.com. Then take the free Veteran Legacy Checklist to make sure your benefits, health care, and family plans move with you.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will VA keep paying my disability compensation if I move abroad?

Yes, in general. VA says most VA benefits, including disability compensation, are payable regardless of where you live. VA offers international direct deposit.

Will VA pay for my doctor visits overseas?

Only for service-connected conditions, or conditions that relate to or worsen them, through the Foreign Medical Program. Claims must be filed within 2 years of care.

Does Medicare cover me if I live in another country?

Usually not. Medicare.gov says Medicare usually does not cover care outside the U.S., with a few narrow exceptions.

Can I get Social Security in any country?

Not every country. The Treasury Department does not send payments to Cuba or North Korea, and SSA lists restrictions for several other countries. U.S. citizens can generally receive payments elsewhere.

Should I keep Medicare Part B while living abroad?

That is a personal decision. SSA says Part B is optional abroad, but signing up later means a 10% higher premium for each 12-month period you could have been enrolled. If you have TRICARE For Life, you need Part B to keep it.

Sources

• Veterans Living Overseas — VA.gov
• File a VA Foreign Medical Program claim — VA.gov
• Veterans: Living or traveling abroad? Info on the VA Foreign Medical Program — VA News
• VA Regional Benefit Office at U.S. Embassy in Manila — VA.gov
• Your Payments While You Are Outside the United States — SSA.gov
• SSA Payments Outside the U.S. — SSA.gov
• Travel outside the U.S. — Medicare.gov
• 2026 Medicare Parts A & B Premiums and Deductibles — CMS.gov
• TRICARE For Life — TRICARE.mil
• TRICARE For Life Cost Matrix 2026 — TRICARE.mil

Educational information only — not legal, tax, financial, or medical advice, and not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Estate and probate rules vary by state; an estate attorney in your state can confirm what applies. For VA benefits help, contact a VA-accredited VSO (often free), claims agent, or attorney.