The short version
Living overseas doesn't change your eligibility for VA disability compensation, every claim and rating you've earned still counts, anywhere. What changes is the operational machinery: which office processes your claim, how you get to a C&P exam, how you receive medical care for service-connected conditions, and how the money reaches your bank.
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Which VA office handles your claim, depends on country
VA divides foreign-claims processing geographically:
Pittsburgh Regional Office, most of the world
- All foreign-residence veterans except those listed below
- Address: VA Regional Office Foreign Claims, 1000 Liberty Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15222-4004
- Fax: 412-395-6057
- Foreign claims hotline: (412) 395-6272 (8 a.m.–9 p.m. ET, Mon–Fri)
Houston Regional Office. Latin America and Caribbean
- Mexico, Central America, South America, and the Caribbean
- Address: VA Regional Office, 6900 Almeda Road, Houston, TX 77030
- Fax: 713-794-3818
Manila Regional Office. Philippines
- Full RO and clinic in Manila; only foreign location with on-site VA presence
- Handles all claims and care for Philippines-resident veterans
Canada, has separate VA-Veterans Affairs Canada arrangements; talk to either.
When you file via VA.gov from abroad, your claim is auto-routed based on your declared country of residence. You don't flag it manually.
Pittsburgh also runs Benefits Delivery at Discharge (BDD) teams overseas
- Germany: Landstuhl Regional Medical Center (LRMC), Bldg. 3724, `GermanyBDD.vbapit@va.gov`
- Korea: USAG Camp Humphreys, Maude Hall Bldg. 6400, `KoreaBDD.vbapit@va.gov`
These are for active-duty members within 180 days of separation, not retiree-side claims.
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Filing the claim itself
Same forms, same standards:
- Intent to File (ITF) via VA.gov, locks your effective date worldwide
- VA Form 21-526EZ, main disability claim form
- All supporting evidence rules apply, service treatment records, nexus letters, buddy statements, DBQs
One operational note: prefer electronic filing. International mail can be slow or scrutinized depending on country; VA.gov is the cleanest path.
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Foreign Medical Program (FMP), care for your service-connected conditions
FMP is how VA pays for medical care related to your service-connected conditions while overseas. It's a reimbursement program, not direct-pay, you pay your foreign provider, then file for reimbursement.
Eligibility
- Must have at least one rated, service-connected condition.
- FMP only covers treatment for that specific condition (and recognized complications/secondaries).
- Active in most countries; the Philippines has a separate process via Manila RO.
FMP administration
- Run by the VHA Office of Integrated Veteran Care in Denver, CO.
- Mail: VHA Office of Integrated Veteran Care, Foreign Medical Program (FMP), PO Box 469061, Denver, CO 80246-9061
- Fax: 1-303-331-7803
- Email: `hac.fmp@va.gov`
- Phone: 1-877-345-8179
To enroll: submit VA Form 10-7959f-1 (Foreign Medical Program Registration Form). Get the form from VA.gov or directly from the FMP office.
FMP covers
- Care for your service-connected conditions
- Care for documented complications/secondaries
- Approved durable medical equipment related to your conditions
- Hospitalization, surgery, prescriptions tied to your SC conditions
FMP does not cover
- Routine care unrelated to your SC conditions
- Non-emergency dental (unless dental is service-connected)
- Care in countries where credentialing can't be verified (very narrow set)
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C&P exams while abroad
When the VA needs a C&P (Compensation & Pension) exam and you're overseas, the exam is contracted to one of the VA's current third-party contractors. As of 2025–2026 the active C&P contractors are:
- Veterans Evaluation Services (VES), primary international contractor; international customer service: +1-713-255-5656 (the U.S. domestic number won't work from abroad)
- Leidos QTC Health Services, 800-682-9701
- OptumServe Health Services (formerly LHI), 866-933-8387
- Loyal Source Government Services, 833-832-7077
Approximately 93% of all VA C&P exams are now conducted by these third-party contractors.
How it works overseas
- Your RO (Pittsburgh, Houston, or Manila) orders the exam.
- The contractor (most often VES for international) contacts you, usually by email. Keep your VA.gov contact info current; international contractors lean on email almost exclusively.
- They locate a credentialed local examiner in your country.
- You attend the exam. Examiner submits the DBQ back to VA.
- VA processes the claim using DBQ findings.
Operational tips
- You cannot pick your contractor. VA assigns it based on your location and provider availability.
- Reply to scheduling emails fast. International scheduling windows are narrow, finding a credentialed examiner takes coordination.
- No travel reimbursement for veterans living outside the U.S. and its territories, different rule than stateside C&P.
- No local examiner available? Two fallback paths exist:
- VA may direct you to a U.S. military or VA facility for the exam (some travel reimbursement may be available depending on circumstance). - For some claims, VA accepts a DBQ completed by your private provider (translated to English if needed) in lieu of a contracted exam. This is at the rater's discretion.
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International direct deposit (IDD)
VA can deposit your monthly disability compensation directly into a foreign bank account in 65 supported countries. Faster, cheaper, and more reliable than international wire transfer or mailed check.
Forms (use the one your bank/country requires)
- VA Form 24-0296A. VA's International Direct Deposit Enrollment form
- Standard Form 1199A. Treasury's direct deposit form (often required by foreign banks)
Or enroll by phone: call the VA International Direct Deposit team at (918) 781-7550 (9 a.m.–5:30 p.m. ET, Mon–Fri). At the menu, press 2 for banks outside the U.S. Email: `DIRECTD.VBAMUS@VA.GOV`.
Have ready
- Foreign bank name and address
- Account number
- SWIFT/BIC code (mandatory for international transfers)
- IBAN if your country uses it (most of Europe, Middle East, much of Africa)
How payments work
- IDD pays in your local currency, converted at the U.S. Treasury's exchange rate on the day of payment.
- No conversion fees from U.S. Treasury, but your foreign bank may charge receiving fees, that's outside VA's control.
- Amount in local currency will fluctuate month to month with exchange rates; the USD amount is what's constant.
If your country isn't supported (sanctioned states like Iran, North Korea, Cuba, Russia under current sanctions), VA can mail a paper check or hold funds until you change residence.
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Federal Benefits Units (FBUs) at U.S. embassies
A handful of U.S. embassies and consulates host Federal Benefits Units with VA-trained staff to help with claim filing, FMP enrollment, and IDD setup. Where they exist (Manila, Mexico City, Bangkok, Madrid, Rome, San José, and several others), they're a useful in-person resource.
For everyone else, Overseas Military Services Coordinators (OMSCs) are reachable by email through VA's coordinator network.
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Documentation: The translation problem
Foreign medical records submitted as evidence generally need to be in English:
- Certified translation (preferred), a professional translator with a signed certification. Strongly recommended for nexus letters and key medical evidence.
- Self-translation with attestation, you can translate informally and sign an attestation that the translation is accurate. VA accepts this for many routine records.
For nexus letters from foreign physicians: ask the doctor to write the letter in English when possible. If not, certified translation, nexus letters are decision-critical.
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Things that often surprise overseas vets
- PACT Act applies to you. Burn pit, Agent Orange, Camp Lejeune water, and other presumptives don't care where you live now, they care where you served then.
- Compensation amounts are the same. No expat discount, no foreign-residency reduction. Your rating, dependency supplements, and SMC all pay in full.
- Appeals work from abroad. Higher-Level Review, Supplemental Claim, and Board Appeal all process via Pittsburgh/Houston/Manila depending on your residence.
- TDIU, P&T, SMC-K, A&A, dependent supplements, every benefit you qualify for stateside, you qualify for abroad.
- Active C&P contractor is OptumServe, not "LHI". LHI rebranded; old guides still calling it "LHI" are dated.
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Checklist
Get these set up and your VA experience overseas runs almost as smoothly as stateside:
- File claims via VA.gov → routes to Pittsburgh, Houston, or Manila based on your country
- Enroll in FMP via VA Form 10-7959f-1 → covers care for your service-connected conditions
- Respond to C&P scheduling emails fast when VES (or QTC/Optum/Loyal Source) reaches out
- Set up IDD via VA Form 24-0296A or by calling (918) 781-7550, press 2 → monthly comp to your foreign bank