I already have my ssa.gov account, but my wife did not create one while she was still in the US.  She just tried to create one from Bangkok, but it rejected her.  Since there was no place to input the country for the address we used our mail forwarder's address for her.  Whether for that reason or another it said it could not create an account for this SS #.  She was using a US vpn ip at the time.

 

Is there a way to open an ssa.gov account as an expat without a US address?

For online registration purposes SSA compares the address you enter against the latest address showing on your credit report and/or IRS address records....if they can't get a match then the registration is rejected. 

 

So to register use the latest "U.S." address showing on the credit report....if that address don't work try the U.S. address before that.   Once you get registered you can update you address onfile with the SSA to a US or foreign address on your online account.....you can't do it directly online but you contact SSA to update the address.