Even in the best of circumstances, living abroad can be overwhelming. From coping with language and cultural barriers to navigating the intricacies of foreign bureaucracy, chances are you have a lot on your plate as it is.
Things don’t get any easier when you also throw transitioning from active service and living with a disability into the mix.
More red tape is the last thing you need right now – with one exception. Applying for disability benefits is one hassle that will prove well worth your while. Living overseas on VA disability can significantly improve your quality of life – and that of your family.
To make the process easier for yourself and secure the best possible outcome for your VA application, you need to research your options, know your rights, and read up on the procedure from start to finish.
The tips below are a great place to start – whether you are yet to apply for VA disability or have received a negative decision and are ready to appeal.
In this article about VA disability for veterans living abroad:
- VA disability tips for veterans living abroad
- 1. Transitioning abroad? Be sure to contact your overseas military services coordinators.
- 2. Look up your VA regional office – it might not be where you expect
- 3. Estimate and calculate your disability rating in advance
- 4. Research the application process before you apply
- 5. Get legal advice ASAP if your claim is denied at the RO level
- Frequently asked questions:
VA disability tips for veterans living abroad
Looking to apply for VA disability outside of the U.S.? These tips will help you clear up the biggest VA headaches before you go.
1. Transitioning abroad? Be sure to contact your overseas military services coordinators.
Are you a transitioning service member, a U.S. veteran who lives or works abroad, or dependent eligible for VA benefits?
If you answered “yes” to any of the above, be sure to consult with your local VA Overseas Military Services Coordinators (OMSCs).
They can provide you with a wealth of helpful information on all kinds of matters related to living overseas on VA disability.
The OMSC you contact depends on where in the world you are. Scroll down to find your local coordinators and their contact details. To learn more about VA benefits, get up-to-date information on OMSC office hours, or book an appointment, simply drop them an email.
United Kingdom OMSC contact:
- If you are based in the U.K., email [email protected].
Germany OMSC contact:
Have questions related to veterans’ affairs? Because Germany is the starting point for so many operations in Europe, Africa, and Asia, Germany has not one but two OMSCs that could assist you:
- Disabled veterans living in Germany can email the OMSC in Kaiserslautern at [email protected] or [email protected].
- Alternatively, you can send your questions to OMSC Vilseck-Bavaria at [email protected].
Italy OMSC contact:
- Living or working in Italy? You have your own dedicated OMSC. Italy is the only European country that doesn’t work through Germany for VA support. Your point of contact is [email protected].
Japan OMSC contact:
- Veterans in or around Iwakuni can write to [email protected].
- If you are based in Okinawa, contact [email protected].
- Service members in or around Yokosuka can email their nearest OMSC at [email protected].
Asia-Pacific veterans who need to contact OMSC:
- Contact any of the OMSCs in Japan above. They are also your contact if you need information on VA hospitals in Thailand, Indonesia, or elsewhere in the region.
Africa, Central Asia, Europe, Middle East, South Asia, and West Asia OMSC options:
- Veterans based in these regions can contact any OMSC in Italy, Germany, or the United Kingdom.
You don’t have to use a Veteran’s compensation lawyer that is nearby. We can work with you over the phone and apply or appeal electronically.
2. Look up your VA regional office – it might not be where you expect
The VA provides veterans living abroad with international direct deposit payments and free currency conversion of their disability benefits. You may also enroll in the Foreign Medical Program, which pays for the treatment of veterans with disabling conditions in VA hospitals worldwide.
The VA’s regional offices (ROs) are the best places to get reliable and up-to-date information about these and other disability-related issues straight from the source. More importantly, you can file your claim for disability benefits there. Before doing that, however, you need to know which RO handles applications from your region.
How do I contact my VA regional office?
Below, we’ve compiled the full list of VA regional office locations and station numbers.
United States
If you are in the U.S., simply type “VA regional office near me” in your search engine and select your nearest RO from the search result. Alternatively, you can browse the full list of all U.S.-based regional offices.
Canada
Veterans living in Canada should contact:
VA Medical and Regional Office Center
Hartland Road
White River Junction, VT 05009
Telefax: 802-296-5174
Please note that this RO only handles benefits-related matters.
If you require overseas assistance with non-disability issues, including medical treatment, education benefits, life insurance benefits, home loan guaranty benefits, and vocational rehabilitation and employment benefits, visit the Veterans Living Abroad Contact Information page.
In this video, one of our clients that was in the Navy didn’t realize the ringing in his ears was a VA disability until long after his service.
Mexico, South & Central America, and the Caribbean
If you are based farther down south, your point of contact is:
VA Regional Office
6900 Almeda Road
Houston, TX, 77030
Telefax: 713-794-3818
Note that this is a benefits-only service, and there is no separate regional office of the VA in Mexico.
The Philippines
Do you live in the Philippines? You are in luck. The Manila Regional Office and Outpatient Clinic happens to be the only VA RO outside of the United States and its territories.
The VA’s presence in the Philippines goes way back: in 2020, the organization marked its 98th anniversary in the country.
The Manila office serves thousands of veterans, paying out $20+ million in disability compensation and other benefits to nearly 12,000 beneficiaries per month. In 2020 alone, more than 5,000 veterans were registered with the Outpatient Clinic.
The reason for the large veteran population in the Philippines is that the U.S. Army extends recognition as service members to individuals who served in the Philippine Commonwealth Army and guerrilla units between late 1942 and June 30, 1948.
Veterans based in the Philippines can direct any medical care and benefits-related inquiries to:
VA Regional Office
1501 Roxas Blvd.
Manila, Philippines
Telefax: 011-632-318-8387
For benefits-specific questions, you can contact the RO benefits counselors by telephone at 011-632-550-3888 every Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
As of March 2021, the office is no longer open for walk-ins and in-person benefits counseling due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but you can still book a telephone or virtual interview. An RO representative will be in touch on the date and time you booked.
You can also get through to the VA Manila Regional Office via the Inquiry Routing and Information System (IRIS).
Also, be sure to check out the dedicated website of the VA Manila Regional Office for more information.
Here, one of our VA disability lawyers talks about what we do when we appeal your case to the Veteran’s Administration.
Other locations
If you are living overseas on VA disability anywhere else in the world, your dedicated regional office is:
VA Regional Office
Foreign Claims
1000 Liberty Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15222-4004
Telefax: 412-395-6057
For more details, visit the Pittsburgh Regional Office page.
This is a benefits-only contact.
What information should you prepare before contacting your VA regional office?
Besides your VA regional office phone number, you must also have your:
- Full name
- VA file number
- Social Security Number
- Email address
- Telephone and/or telefax number
Providing these details will ensure that your inquiry is processed as soon as possible. You can normally expect a response within three to 10 business days.
3. Estimate and calculate your disability rating in advance
Before submitting your application, it’s always a good idea to calculate your disability rating in advance. That should give you a better idea of how much you are entitled to and what you can expect from living overseas on VA disability.
There are two ways to do that.
One is to do the math yourself using a standard VA disability rating table. However, if you have tried that in the past, you probably know that 50% disability plus another 50% disability does not necessarily add up to 100% disability. VA math doesn’t work that way, making it difficult to get the math right on your own.
Alternatively, you can automate the process with our free Veterans Disability Calculator. It uses the latest 2021 VA ratings table and we update the algorithm regularly to reflect any new changes as they arise.
All you need to do is enter the level of disability for each of your arms and legs. If you have two conditions that are 20% each in, say, your left arm, be sure to hit the 20% button twice. Our calculator will also automatically count in the Bilateral Factor if it relates to your disability.
Then, add any other issues you may have under the “Additional Disability” category and the number of dependent children from the dropdown menu, if applicable. Children under 18 will be relevant to your application only if you reach a 30% rating or higher, but you can add them anyway. Don’t forget to also include any dependent children under 24 if they are still in school or were classified as disabled prior to reaching 18.
Finish by entering the number of dependent parents and your marital status.
The system will automatically generate your current VA disability rating and your estimated monthly payment amount using the latest rates.
Use our VA Disability Calculator to estimate your combined VA rating and monthly entitlement here.
However, note that this is just an estimate. This is based on the information you submitted and the latest 2021 veteran disability compensation rates, which will stay in force until December 2021.
To ensure that you get the most accurate rating calculation possible, you should seek professional advice from a VA-accredited disability attorney.
Here one of our VA disability lawyers goes over the questions Woods and Woods, The Veteran’s Firm, is often asked about veterans’ disability claims and appeals.
4. Research the application process before you apply
Information is power. The better you understand how living overseas on VA disability works, the higher your chances of success.
With that in mind, take the time to read our in-depth guide on applying for VA benefits. Give us a call with all of your questions. The call is free, and if we work on your case, we don’t charge until after we win against the VA.
Be sure to also check out the secrets the VA won’t tell you as well as these 78 tips and tricks for veteran disability benefits.
Don’t skip this part of the process. At Woods & Woods, we’ve seen the VA turn down eligible applicants due to incomplete or poorly prepared claims. In 2018, the most recent year we have such data, almost 40% of all VA claims had errors in them! With just a little research and legal help, you can spare yourself all the hassle and drudgery of the VA benefits application process.
5. Get legal advice ASAP if your claim is denied at the RO level
Unfortunately, veterans often get their applications for disability benefits denied by their respective ROs. What’s even worse is that some applicants decide not to pursue the matter further, thinking they don’t stand a decent chance of appeal.
That couldn’t be further from the truth. In our experience, a large percentage of applications don’t get rejected on their merits. Instead, they fail due to the claimant’s poor understanding of the benefits system and application criteria or their failure to seek timely legal advice.
If your regional office denies your application, know that this is not the end and that you usually have the right to appeal the VA’s decision – and potentially win. A VA disability benefits lawyer can advise you on how best to appeal the negative decision.
However, you should consult with an attorney in a timely manner. Ideally, as soon as your application gets turned down. This way, you will make sure that you don’t miss any deadlines, giving your legal team ample time to prepare your appeal.
Living overseas on VA disability: The bottom line
To recap, if you are looking to apply for VA disability benefits abroad, you should first get in touch with your local VA Overseas Military Coordinators.
Then, look up and contact your VA regional office. If you are based in Canada, your point of contact is the RO in White River Junction, VT. Veterans living in the Caribbean, Central, and South America should direct their inquiries to the RO in Houston, TX. And if you live anywhere else in the world, you should contact the Philippines or Pittsburgh VA regional offices.
Finally, don’t forget to calculate your disability rating and research the application procedure carefully. That said, if the entire process seems daunting or you’re being careful, be sure to have legal help from VA disability attorneys. At Woods & Woods, we are a family-owned law firm with disability lawyers that have been fighting for both injured and disabled veterans for almost four decades.
At Woods and Woods, the Veteran’s Firm, we’ve helped thousands of veterans with their VA disability applications and appeals. We’ve been adding staff and lawyers during the Covid pandemic to serve disabled veterans better in difficult times.
Call us today to discuss your VA disability appeal or your first application. The call is free and we won’t charge you a single fee until we win your case. We even pay for the postage for all of the documentation you send to our office. You can look for a VA disability attorney near you or call us and join the thousands of veterans living off of VA disability thanks to Woods and Woods.
Talk to Us About Your Claim:
(866) 232-5777
Frequently asked questions:
Yes, you can. Because everything is now done electronically, you don’t have to have a VA disability lawyer nearby or even on the same continent. We take calls every week from veterans in Germany, Guam, and even San Diego. We can even work across hard-to-reach time zones to help you get the disability rating you deserve.
No, the VA doesn’t consider where you live when they give you a VA rating. The rating is paid in US dollars, so any exchange into a different currency would hurt or benefit you depending on where you live.