Social security office drop box near me

Location: Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza

Updated Federal Benefits Unit Processing at the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem

Key Points:

The Social Security Administration (SSA) administers the Social Security program; U.S. Passports and Consular Reports of Birth Abroad are provided by the Department of State.
These different agencies have different timelines for processing their requests. Passports and Birth Reports are generally done in one to two months. Social Security numbers are generally issued in six to nine months. U.S. citizens applying for newborns who do not get their SSN back at the same time as their passport should not be concerned.
The pandemic has created a backlog of Social Security number requests.
There is only one Federal Benefits Unit (FBU) office within Embassy Jerusalem, located within the Embassy’s Consular section in the Arnona neighborhood in Jerusalem; there is no FBU at the Branch Office in Tel Aviv. The Embassy’s FBU office administers federal benefits programs for residents of Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza.

Services That Must Be Submitted Through Mail or Drop Box:

Children under 12 years of age applying for a Social Security card for the first time (if the child already has a Consular Report of Birth Abroad or a passport);
All applicants requesting a replacement Social Security card;
Applicants who wish to file an official name change with the Social Security Administration; and
Applicants for Social Security benefits.

If you are applying for any of these, you must mail your application to the Embassy or place it in the Jerusalem drop box.

Services That Require an In-Person Appointment:

Applicants 12 and older applying for a Social Security card for the first time require an in-person FBU appointment in Jerusalem. Such appointments must be made by emailing . Until further notice, the Federal Benefits Unit is no longer providing monthly in-person appointments in Tel Aviv.
Applicants under 12 who need a Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA) are also welcome to drop off their SS-5 form during their in-person interview for that service.

The Social Security Administration (SSA) Is Dealing with a Large Backlog; Processing Times Are Longer Than Pre-COVID: SSA and other federal benefit programs are currently dealing with a backlog due to COVID-19 and are working diligently to process applications as fast as possible.

Current estimated processing times are:

Social Security number (8-12 months);
Social Security retirement benefits (8 months); and
·Social Security disability benefits (1-2 years).

These processing times only begin once we have received a full and complete application. Original documents such as passports or Consular Reports of Birth Abroad that are mailed in or dropped off as part of a complete application will be returned to applicants 4-6 weeks after the Federal Benefits Unit receives them, and your case will continue to be processed. Please do not contact the Federal Benefits Unit regarding the status of an application if it has not exceeded the timelines above.

Tips For All Social Security Number Applicants: Please avoid the most common pitfalls when filling out your SS-5 form or any other Social Security forms. Ensure you do the following:

Use CLEAR handwriting or, preferably, complete the SS-5 form on a computer and print it.
Remember to sign in the signature field.
Ensure that you include the original, currently valid identification document of the applicant or signing parent.
Include your own photocopies.
Do not include expired identification documents.
Ensure that your address is clearly marked and legible to SSA processing employees who are located globally and may not be familiar with addresses in Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza.
If you have a U.S. address, consider using that as your mailing address on the SS-5 form as that will reduce processing times slightly and will be less likely to result in misdirected mail.
Your phone number should include the country code.

Contacting the Federal Benefits Unit: You can only reach the Federal Benefits Unit via their e-mail address () or via their online inquiry form. Social Security related email inquiries sent to the American Citizen Services Units in Jerusalem () or Tel Aviv () cannot be forwarded to the Federal Benefits Unit so please be sure you have correctly directed your inquiry.

Complete guidance for how to fill out your SS-5 form and what documents to provide along with your application is available on the U.S. Embassy website: https://il.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/social-security/

For Further Information:

U.S. Embassy Jerusalem
14 David Flusser St.
Jerusalem
Telephone: +972-2-630-4000
Website: https://il.usembassy.gov/
https://il.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/social-security/

State Department – Consular Affairs
888-407-4747or 202-501-4444

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social security office drop box