On Tuesday, March 10, representatives of the U.S. Embassy in Warsaw’s Federal Benefits Unit traveled to Bialystok to provide information and take applications from Polish citizens who qualify for U.S. Social Security benefits. The representatives set up an office in the Hotel Gołębiewski, where for three days they fielded questions and assisted in the application process for more than 300 Polish citizens.

"Reaching out to Polish beneficiaries of the new Totalization Agreement really paid off," said U.S. Ambassador to Poland Victor Ashe. "In a short period we helped hundreds of people claim the benefits due them from their own past work and that of their parents or spouses." U.S. Embassy Consul General Phillip A. Min was in Bialystok on Wednesday, March 11 to meet with members of the press to discuss the details of the Agreement. "We could not be more happy with the way this outreach effort has come out. There's a palpable sense of how this Agreement is going to help people immediately." Future travel of the FBU staff to other Polish cities will be announced on this website and in local media.