U.S. Embassy in Benin

U.S. citizens in need of emergency financial assistance while abroad should first attempt to contact their family, friends, banking institution, or employer. Our American Citizen Services unit can assist in this effort, if necessary.

Use a commercial money transfer service, such as Western Union or MoneyGram., to wire money overseas. Money transfer cost comparison tools online can help you identify the best option. The person receiving the money will need to present proof of identity such as a passport.

When the commercial options listed above are not available or feasible, family or friends may send funds via the U.S. Department of State for delivery to a destitute U.S. citizen abroad at the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate. The U.S. Department of State assesses a $30 fee to establish an account and transfer funds.

Destitute U.S. citizens may be eligible for a loan from the U.S. government to travel to the United States. Repatriation loans must eventually be paid back to the U.S. government. Your U.S. passports will be limited at the time the loan is issued and in most cases you will not be issued a new passport until the loan is paid in full. Contact us for more information.

Access resources, if you believe you are the victim of an internet scam and check to see if you recognize the signs of a scam.

Embassy Cotonou has recently seen a spike in the number of Americans who have fallen victim to scams from individuals and/or companies allegedly based in Togo. These fraud schemes pose dangers of both financial loss and physical harm.

If you are a U.S. citizen or Lawful Permanent Resident (green card holder), you are responsible for filing U.S. federal income tax returns while abroad. You will find useful information on the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) website, such as Frequently Asked Questions about taxes or how to apply for an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN).

U.S. embassies and consulates abroad assist the Selective Service System with its registration program abroad. Overseas registrants are encouraged to register with the Selective Service website On-Line Registration. Where on-line registration is not available, the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate can be of assistance. Current brochures and guidance are also available on the Selective Service website.

If you reside in Benin and have questions regarding services provided by the Social Security Administration (SSA), you must contact the SSA Federal Benefits Unit (FBU) located in Paris. For more information on their services and how to contact them, please visit their webpage at: https://fr.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/social-security-administration/. For comprehensive information on SSA’s services abroad, please visit SSA’s webpage Service Around the World If you are already receiving SSA benefits payments, there will be no change in the method of distribution of those payments.

U.S. service members, veterans, and their beneficiaries can apply for benefits on the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) website. The Federal Benefits Unit (FBU) may also be able to help veterans and beneficiaries with questions about benefits and services.

Your vote counts! Did you know that many recent U.S. elections have been decided by a margin smaller than the number of ballots cast by military and overseas voters? All states are required to count every absentee ballot as long as it is valid and reaches local election officials by the absentee ballot receipt deadline.

If you have a child outside the United States the child may have acquired U.S. citizenship at birth if the requirements under the Immigration and Nationality Act have been met as of the time of your child’s birth. To determine whether your child acquired U.S. citizenship at birth and to document that, you can apply for a Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA) for your child. You may also choose to just apply for a U.S. passport for your child, although one benefit of a CRBA is that, unlike the U.S. passport, it does not expire and may be used as proof of acquisition of U.S. citizenship at birth. A full validity, unexpired U.S. passport is also proof of U.S. citizenship.

A Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA) is a formal document certifying the acquisition of United States citizenship at birth for a person born abroad to a U.S. citizen parent or parents who meet the requirements for transmitting citizenship under the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). United States non-citizen nationals are also eligible for a Consular Report of Birth Abroad, using the non-citizen option.

Transmission of U.S. citizenship depends on: At least one parent having the nationality of the United States at the time of the child’s birth; The existence of a blood relationship between the child and U.S. citizen parent(s); Documentary evidence demonstrating the U.S. citizen parent(s)’ presence in the United States prior to the child’s birth, as specified in the Transmission Requirements Table below.

Learn about applying for citizenship and steps to renounce citizenship.