Social Security Benefits U.S. Citizens Outside the United States
Reading Time: 2 MinutesLast Updated: March 17, 2021
Over half a million people who live outside the United States receive some kind of Social Security benefit, including retired and disabled workers, as well as spouses, widows, widowers, and children.
If you’re a U.S. citizen, you may receive your Social Security payments outside the United States as long as you are eligible. When we say you are “outside the United States,” we mean you’re not in one of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, or American Samoa. Once you’ve been outside the United States for at least 30 days in a row, we consider you to be outside the country.
If you are traveling outside the U.S. for an extended amount of time, it’s important that you tell Social Security the date you plan to leave and the date you plan to come back, no matter how long you expect your travel to last. Then we can let you know whether your Supplemental Security Income (SSI) will be affected.
You can use this online tool to find out if you can continue to receive your Social Security benefits if you are outside the United States or are planning to go outside the United States at www.socialsecurity.gov/international/payments_outsideUS.html.
This tool will help you find out if your retirement, disability, or survivor’s payments will continue as long as you are eligible, stop after six consecutive calendar months, or if certain country specific restrictions apply.
When you live outside the United States, periodically we’ll send you a questionnaire. Your answers will help us figure out if you still are eligible for benefits. Return the questionnaire to the office that sent it as soon as possible. If you don’t, your payments will stop. In addition to responding to the questionnaire, notify us promptly about changes that could affect your payments.
You can also read the publication titled Your Payments While You Are Outside the United States at www.socialsecurity.gov/pubs.
Social Security is with you through life’s journey, even if that journey takes you outside the United States.
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Tags: Disability, retirement, Social Security benefits, SSI
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Doug Walker, Deputy Commissioner, Communications
Deputy Commissioner, Office of Communications
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Audrey E.
I live in Canada and receive my SS benefit by direct deposit to RBC and want to move it to an US account at the Bank of Montreal. My home address remains the same.
How can I do this by email or mail?
R.F.
Hello Audrey! Please contact your local U.S. embassy or consulate. Also, our Office of International Operations home page provides more information to assist our customers living abroad. In your case, you may want to use the Canadian Service Area Directory to determine which Resident Office is near you. Thanks.
Nelson H.
My S,S. XXX-XX-XXXX NO PAYMENT FOR FEBRUARY AND MARCH HAS BEEN MADE I HAVE SEND MY SUPERVIVENCIA FORM VIA eMAIL. HAVE YOU RECEIVED THE FOR WAS ALSO SCANNED AND SEND VIA aIR MAIL. 3 WEEKS AGO MY eMAIL IS nelsonhgo@gmail.com please help me Colombia does not have anything to do with SSa. thanks Nelson
R.F.
Hello Nelson. We do not have access to personal information, therefore, we do not do direct messaging in this venue. Please be cautious about posting personal information on social media and communicating personal information via email.
We remind you that when living outside the United States, you may contact your local U.S. embassy or consulate for assistance with your Social Security benefits. Also, our Office of International Operations home page provides more information to assist our customers living abroad. Thanks.
Balwant K.
I wanted to get more info , how do I go about getting social security and early retirement if I’m planning on moving back to Fiji Islands ??Been in USA for last 18 years and now it’s time to go takecare of my parents.I got my alien card and also married to an American citizen for last 10 years
R.F.
Hi Balwant. The earliest age you can apply for reduced retirement benefits is 62.
Social Security offers an online retirement application that you can complete in as little as 15 minutes. However, there are special guidelines for noncitizens living outside the United States when receiving Social Security benefits.
If you have questions about filing a claim and you are in the United States, please call our toll free number at 1-800-772-1213. Representatives are available Monday through Friday, between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. Or visit your local Social Security office.
If you are outside the United States, see our list of Contacts for Services outside the U.S.
Also, you can use our Payments Abroad Screening Tool to find out if you can continue to receive your Title II Social Security payments if you are outside the United States or are planning to go outside the United States.
We hope this information helps!
Geri L.
please respond.
Geri L.
is it possible to establish an online account for social security matters if I live outside the U.S? I live in Guanaja, Honduras.
R.F.
Hello Geri! The “my Social Security” authentication system requires address verification as one of the essential criteria for issuing an account. People with APO/FPO/DPO addresses can create an account overseas, but our system does not support registration and account creation for users with a foreign address yet.
Please contact your local U.S. embassy or consulate for any assistance related to your Social Security benefits. Also, our Office of International Operations home page provides more information to assist our customers living abroad. We hope this helps!
MistiRae M.
I am thinking on selling my house and raising my children in Mexico. But I am on disability. Am I able and how can I receive my benefits in Mexico. The more crippled I get the harder the winters.
Kirk M.
When will the annual reporting be put into place in the US?
Kirk M.
Ha, never got the letter and benefits cut off. Thank you Social Security. Bank account running on fumes while waiting for things to happen. BEFORE I left the US, I asked one of your representatives if there was ANYTHING that could impact my benefits (other than working) and the answer was ‘no.’
Nasty letter sent by Social Security on Jan 26. Got it Feb 23. Not good. Embassy contacted.
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Lynn S.
I live in Thailand and will turn 65 in March. How can I report this to SSS so that I am not penalized for not signing up for Medicare when I return to the States?
R.F.
Hi Lynn! Generally, individuals receiving Social Security retirement benefits and attaining age 65 are automatically enrolled under Medicare Part B (Supplementary Medical Insurance or SMI) as they become eligible for Part A (Hospital insurance) coverage. However, this automatic enrollment does not apply to people living in Puerto Rico or foreign countries.
Medicare is not accepted in foreign countries; therefore, Medicare Part B is optional. Beneficiaries may refuse the coverage and if they file a written notification before SMI coverage starts, we always consider this a timely SMI refusal. Timely refusals may not incur premium charges in certain situations. For more information, visit “Signing up for Part B outside the U.S.”
We recommend that individuals living outside the United States contact their local U.S. embassy or consulate for any assistance related to Social Security programs and benefits. Also, our Office of International Operations home page provides more information to assist our customers living abroad. We hope this information helps!