US savings bonds can be cashed from outside the United States: paper bonds go by mail to Treasury Retail Securities Services with FS Form 1522 (Revised April 2026) and a signature certified abroad. Treasury pays non-citizens as well as US citizens. Treasury Retail Securities Services processes mailed bond requests for Treasury.
Three kinds of officials can certify your signature abroad, two added documents depend on your citizenship, and processing takes 3 months or longer for bonds in your name (TreasuryDirect, as of November 11, 2026). For the general rules, see how to cash savings bonds at a bank, by mail or online inside the United States.
ClaimMyBonds is a private independent guide, not the government. This page walks the free route first: FS Form 1522 is free, and Treasury charges no fee to cash bonds by mail.
Can You Cash US Savings Bonds From Outside the United States?
Yes. Treasury cashes paper savings bonds for owners living abroad, US citizens and non-citizens alike, when the owner signs in front of an authorized certifier and mails the bonds. TreasuryDirect says it plainly: "We will cash them for you." The same answer applies to owners who have no suitable bank nearby.
The table compares what a US citizen abroad and a non-citizen owner or heir each do. Rows with one value apply to both groups. Read the added document row first, because it is the one place where the two groups clearly differ.
| Point | US citizen abroad | Non-citizen (owner or heir) |
|---|---|---|
| Who cashes | A US-incorporated bank's branch if it agrees, else Treasury | Treasury |
| Form | FS Form 1522 (Rev. April 2026) | FS Form 1522 (Rev. April 2026) |
| Signature certified by | A US consular representative, a US bank's foreign-branch officer or a notary | Same |
| Added document | Citizenship statement and SSN | IRS Form W-8BEN |
| Send to | Treasury Retail Securities Services, P.O. Box 9150, Minneapolis | Same |
| Payment | Direct deposit to a routing number beginning 0 to 3; method without a US account unpublished | Same |
| Time | 3 months or longer in your name; 5 months or longer if not in your name | Same |
| Treasury fee | None | None |
Source: TreasuryDirect, Cashing paper bonds outside the United States and Contact Us pages, as of November 11, 2026; FS Form 1522 (Revised April 2026).
TreasuryDirect practice is to cash paper bonds whole, although 31 CFR 353.41 still describes partial redemption, and Treasury sets no limit on the value or number of bonds you mail. Savings bonds never expire, so no deadline applies, although interest stops at final maturity, the date a bond stops earning interest (see the FAQ below).
Two Ways to Cash Paper Savings Bonds From Abroad: A US Bank's Branch or Treasury by Mail
Two routes exist. A US citizen near a branch of a bank incorporated in the United States, a US territory or possession, or Puerto Rico may ask that bank, and everyone else mails the bonds to Treasury.
Non-citizens use the mail route, and the list of what banks cash savings bonds shows dated policies for banks inside the United States.
Paper bonds are cashed at a bank or by mail. Online cashing exists only for electronic bonds, covered near the end of this page. A bank branch abroad is therefore an option for citizens only, while the mail route is open to every owner and heir.
When a Bank Can Cash Your Savings Bonds Abroad
TreasuryDirect says to contact the bank to find out whether its foreign branch is willing and able to cash your bonds. FS Publication 0022 (Rev. October 2022) makes cashing optional for non-customers and required for established account holders.
Banks may pay Series A to D, E, EE, I and Savings Notes, never F, G, H, J, K or HH (31 CFR 321.7(a), 321.9(b)). An ID document alone covers only $1,000 or less.
Banks may not pay an attorney-in-fact, the person who signs for an owner under a power of attorney, and may not charge you a fee (31 CFR 321.9(c), 321.23(c)).
USAA, for example, does not redeem savings bonds in person or by mail (usaa.com, checked November 11, 2026); read does USAA cash savings bonds for the details.
Who Can Certify Your Signature Outside the United States
Three kinds of officials certify a savings bond signature outside the United States, as the list below shows (TreasuryDirect, as of November 11, 2026). The third kind can need an extra step, explained under foreign notaries below.
- US diplomatic or consular representatives
- Officers of foreign branches of banks incorporated in the United States, a US territory or possession, or Puerto Rico
- Notaries (public officials who witness signatures) or other officials authorized to administer oaths
The certifier watches you sign. An officer with an interest in the bonds may not certify the signature (31 CFR 353.57). Pick a certifier who has no interest in your bonds.
Certifiers inside the United States follow a different list, covered under savings bond signature certification. Owners living in the United States use that list instead of the three above. ClaimMyBonds does not certify signatures.
Foreign Notaries and the Hague Convention Rule
If the notary's country is not party to the Hague Convention, a US diplomatic or consular official "should certify and attest to the official's character and jurisdiction" (TreasuryDirect). That is the rule TreasuryDirect gives for notaries outside the United States.
The regulation words it differently: 31 CFR 353.55(c) allows a notary only when no consular representative or foreign-branch officer is available, with consular certification (eCFR, as of November 6, 2026).
Use a consular officer or a US bank's branch where one is within reach, since the sources checked do not list which countries belong to the Hague Convention.
Service Members and Their Families Abroad
Commissioned and warrant officers of the US Armed Forces may certify the signatures of Armed Forces personnel, civilian field employees and members of their families (31 CFR 353.55(b); TreasuryDirect signature certification page). The officer shows their rank. The regulation sets no geographic limit, so the route can serve service members and families stationed abroad.
What US Citizens Abroad Add: A Citizenship Statement and Social Security Number
A US citizen living abroad adds a statement over their signature that they are a US citizen, and gives their Social Security Number (SSN) (TreasuryDirect, as of November 11, 2026). Treasury asks for both with the bonds. Citizens do not use IRS Form W-8BEN; that form is for non-citizens.
The payee section of FS Form 1522 also asks for an SSN or an EIN (employer identification number), so the same number appears twice. Treasury reports the interest on Form 1099-INT, the IRS statement of interest paid, the following January.
What Non-Citizens Add: IRS Form W-8BEN
A non-citizen cashing US savings bonds fills out and includes IRS Form W-8BEN, an IRS form for non-US persons, and the same form applies to non-citizen owners and non-citizen heirs. TreasuryDirect's instruction reads: "Not a U.S. citizen: Fill out and include IRS Form W-8BEN."
FS Form 1522 still asks for an SSN or EIN. How a non-citizen without either is paid is not published, so contact Treasury Retail Securities Services before mailing (call details are in the FAQ).
The form's signature section also has the signer certify, under penalties of perjury, "I am a U.S. person (including a U.S. resident alien)"; ask Treasury how a non-citizen completes it before signing. Ask a tax professional about your own tax.
How to Cash Savings Bonds From Abroad by Mail, Step by Step
Six steps cash paper savings bonds from abroad by mail, in the order below. Processing takes 3 months or longer for bonds in your name. The steps assume paper bonds; electronic bonds are covered at the end of this page.
- Check what your savings bond is worth first, since values change on the first of each month.
- Print FS Form 1522 (Revised April 2026) and fill in Items 1 to 3.
- Sign the request in front of a certifier from the list above.
- Add the citizenship statement and your SSN, or IRS Form W-8BEN.
- Mail the form, the bonds and your document to the address below.
- Keep copies: "Legal evidence or documentation you submit cannot be returned."
Treasury Retail Securities Services
P.O. Box 9150
Minneapolis, MN 55480-9150
Phone: 844-284-2676 (toll free), Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm ET
Source: FS Form 1522 (Revised April 2026); TreasuryDirect, Cashing paper bonds outside the United States and Contact Us, as of November 12, 2026
Getting Paid From Abroad: Direct Deposit and the US Routing Number
Treasury pays a mailed request on FS Form 1522 (PDF, TreasuryDirect) only by direct deposit, a payment straight into a bank account. The form asks for a routing number of nine digits beginning 0, 1, 2 or 3, and for the payee's SSN or EIN.
The abroad page does not describe payment, and how a payee without a US account is paid is not published. Call Treasury Retail Securities Services before mailing; the phone number is in the address block above and in the FAQ.
FS Form 1522 lets bonds worth a total of $1,000 or less go with a copy of an ID (driver's license, passport, state ID or military ID). The abroad page asks for certification and is silent on that option, so confirm with Treasury before relying on it.
Non-Citizen Heirs: Cashing a Deceased Owner's Savings Bonds From Abroad
Heirs abroad, non-citizens included, cash a deceased owner's paper bonds through the route that fits their situation, as the table below shows.
A surviving co-owner or POD (payable on death) beneficiary becomes the sole owner, and a will cannot change that (31 CFR 353.70(b)(1), (c)(1); 353.20(a)). The survivor sends FS Form 1522 with a certified death certificate; the basics are in savings bonds after death.
The abroad rules stack on top: a certified signature, plus the citizenship statement or IRS Form W-8BEN. Bonds not in your name take 5 months or longer, Series HH bonds are cashed only through Treasury, and paper bonds are never cashed online. Choose the row below that matches your situation.
| Heir situation | Route and form | Abroad adds | Owner page |
|---|---|---|---|
| Surviving co-owner | FS Form 1522, certified death certificate (353.70(b)(1)) | Certified signature, plus W-8BEN or citizenship statement and SSN | savings bond co-owner rules |
| POD beneficiary | Same as co-owner (353.70(c)(1)) | Same | POD savings bonds |
| Court-appointed representative | Signs FS Form 1522 with title; court letters dated within one year; estates over $100,000 at date of death need administration | Same | savings bonds in probate |
| Voluntary representative | FS Form 5336 (Rev. April 2026): nobody named on the bond living, no administration, $100,000 or less at date of death; one representative who is a blood relative, adopted child or spouse | Same | FS Form 5336 |
| Closed estate or state small-estate procedure | FS Form 5394 (Rev. May 2026); FS Form 5336 barred after a state procedure (353.71(e)(1)(i)) | Same | FS Form 5394 |
| Series HH bonds | Cash only, Treasury only, direct deposit; final maturity August 1, 2024 | Same | Series HH savings bonds |
Source: TreasuryDirect death-of-owner pages, as of November 11, 2026; 31 CFR 353.70 and 353.71. Executors also meet FS Form 1455 (Rev. April 2026), the Request by Fiduciary for Distribution of United States Treasury Securities.
Processing Time, Mailing Risk and the Six-Month Signature Rule From Abroad
Mailing paper bonds takes 3 months or longer for bonds in your name and 5 months or longer for bonds not in your name (TreasuryDirect, as of November 11, 2026). Treasury refuses a request signed more than six months before it receives it (31 CFR 353.39(c)), so sign close to the mailing date.
You bear the cost and risk of mailing (31 CFR 353.39(b)), and the sources checked do not say how best to ship the package. Keep a list of issue dates and serial numbers before sending, because Treasury cannot return your documents. The table gathers the timing and risk rules.
| Point | Rule |
|---|---|
| Bonds in your name | 3 months or longer |
| Bonds not in your name | 5 months or longer |
| Signature older than six months at receipt | Refused (353.39(c)) |
| Cost and risk of mailing | Owner (353.39(b)) |
| Documents returned | No |
| Converting to electronic first | Not needed; takes 9 months or longer |
| Lost-bond search | 11 months or longer |
Source: TreasuryDirect Contact Us, as of November 11, 2026; 31 CFR 353.39; FS Form 1522 (Revised April 2026).
Other Savings Bond Situations for Owners Outside the United States
Seven related situations change what an owner abroad sends: three have their own pages below, and four follow in the sections after them (tax, electronic bonds, power of attorney, lost bonds). The list shows the three that have their own pages.
- When you can cash savings bonds: the 12-month hold
- Cashing a savings bond in a child's name: minors, parents and age rules
- Cashing savings bonds after a name change: marriage or divorce
Taxes on Savings Bond Interest When You Live Abroad
Savings bond interest is federally taxable in the year you cash the bond or it reaches final maturity, whichever comes first, unless you reported it yearly (IRC 454). It is exempt from state and local income tax (31 U.S.C. 3124), and Treasury mails Form 1099-INT the following January.
Read taxes on savings bond interest for the federal rules, and taxes on inherited savings bonds if you are an heir. For a bond that reached final maturity in an earlier year, that earlier year is the year the rule names, and foreign tax, treaties and withholding for non-citizens are questions for a tax professional.
Electronic Savings Bonds and TreasuryDirect From Abroad
Electronic savings bonds are cashed online in TreasuryDirect, $25 or more at a time with at least $25 left, or by mail with FS Form 5512 (Rev. April 2026), which only a certifying officer may certify (a notary is not acceptable).
A TreasuryDirect account requires an SSN, a US address of record and a US bank account that accepts ACH, the standard US electronic bank transfer (31 CFR 363.11). Read electronic savings bonds for how those accounts work. If the owner has died, see a deceased owner's TreasuryDirect account.
Having Someone in the United States Cash Bonds for You
An owner abroad can name an attorney-in-fact in the United States, the person who signs for the owner under a power of attorney. Banks may not pay an attorney-in-fact (31 CFR 321.9(c)), so this person cashes by mail only.
The attorney-in-fact sends FS Form 1522, the unsigned bonds and a certified copy of a durable power of attorney (or one signed within two years), or uses FS Form 5188 (Rev. April 2026), which names only a certifying officer. Read cashing savings bonds for someone else for the rules.
Lost Savings Bonds While Living Abroad: FS Form 1048
Bonds you cannot find cannot travel with FS Form 1522. Lost-bond searches take 11 months or longer (TreasuryDirect, as of November 11, 2026), and Treasury Hunt, the discontinued Treasury search tool, has not been available since September 30, 2025.
Owners and heirs claim lost, stolen or destroyed bonds with FS Form 1048 (Rev. March 2026), mailed to the same P.O. Box 9150 in Minneapolis (OMB control number 1530-0021).
Cashing Savings Bonds From Abroad: FAQ
Five questions come up most often from owners and heirs abroad, and each answer below starts with the short version.
Can a Non-US Citizen Cash a US Savings Bond?
Yes. Treasury cashes US savings bonds for non-citizens, who sign before a certifier and include IRS Form W-8BEN. A non-citizen heir adds the same form to the request for a deceased owner's bonds. Paper bonds are not cashed online.
Can You Cash Savings Bonds at a US Embassy or Consulate?
No. A US diplomatic or consular officer can certify your signature, but Treasury pays the bonds after you mail them to P.O. Box 9150, Minneapolis. The consular route is one of the three certifier options listed above.
Do You Have to Convert Paper Bonds to Electronic Before Cashing Them From Abroad?
No. Paper bonds do not have to be converted to be cashed, and converting takes 9 months or longer (TreasuryDirect, as of November 11, 2026). Read how to convert paper savings bonds to electronic if you want an account.
Is There a Deadline to Cash US Savings Bonds From Overseas?
No. Savings bonds never expire and no deadline applies to cashing them (Executive Order 13968, 85 FR 83745), but they stop earning interest at final maturity. See when savings bonds stop earning interest.
How Do You Call Treasury About Savings Bonds From Outside the United States?
Call 844-284-2676, toll free, Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm ET (TreasuryDirect Contact Us, as of November 12, 2026). That page lists no separate number for callers outside the United States. Treasury Retail Securities Services says it charges no fees and offers no gifts; see savings bond scams.
Rules checked November 11, 2026, against the Treasury sources named above; see our methodology.