| Where you are | Call |
|---|---|
| Europe | +1 844-702-5495, or DSN 988 on base |
| Asia-Pacific (Philippines, Thailand, Japan, Korea and more) | +1 844-702-5493, or DSN 988 on base |
| Latin America and the Caribbean | +1 866-989-9599 |
| Middle East | +1 855-422-7719 |
| Africa | +1 888-482-6054 |
| Anywhere online | Confidential chat |
Texting 838255 works only on a U.S. carrier plan. International call charges may apply. Older numbers such as DSN 118 and 00800-1273-8255 are outdated.
If you're in immediate danger, call local emergency services. Save your region's number in your phone today.
Get answers from vets who've done it
The VA Benefits Abroad channel is free. Ask about your country, your claim or your hospital.
Set it up today: five minutes that matter
- Save your region's number in your phone under "Veterans Crisis Line."
- Save a backup. The Crisis Line says that if you can't get through on your region's number, try one of the others.
- Bookmark the online chat in case calls won't connect.
- Learn your local emergency number and the nearest hospital.
- Tell one person you trust where these numbers are.
What happens when you call
Trained counselors answer 24 hours a day, every day of the year, and many of them are veterans. There's no charge from the Crisis Line, and you decide how much information to share. If you're calling off base from outside the U.S., Canada or Mexico, your carrier may charge international rates, even for a toll-free number. If cost is a worry, use the chat. On a U.S. base, dial DSN 988 instead.
| Europe | +1 844-702-5495 |
|---|---|
| Asia-Pacific | +1 844-702-5493 |
| Latin America and the Caribbean | +1 866-989-9599 |
| Middle East | +1 855-422-7719 |
| Africa | +1 888-482-6054 |
If someone you know is struggling
- Ask directly how they're doing, and listen.
- Stay with them if you're worried about their safety.
- Call or chat with the Crisis Line together. Family members and friends can call too.
- If there's immediate danger, call local emergency services first.
- Follow up the next day. A short message saying you're thinking of them matters more than finding the perfect words.
Support after the crisis
A crisis call is a start, not the whole plan. If you have a service-connected mental health condition, the Foreign Medical Program can pay for treatment from a local provider. In the Philippines, the VA Manila clinic offers mental health care and telehealth. Peer connection helps too. Our free member community is not a crisis service, but it is a place to find veterans who live where you do.
How this helps in real life
Example scenario (composite, not a real person): A veteran in Vietnam saves the Asia-Pacific number and the chat link after reading this page. Months later, a friend from his unit sounds hopeless on a video call. He stays on the line, opens the chat on his laptop, and they talk to a counselor together. Afterward, his friend books a mental health appointment.
Questions about your situation?
Ask in the VA Benefits Abroad channel. Vets who've filed from your country answer fast.
Last reviewed November 2026. Information only. Confirm with the official sources.
