General, Retirement, SSI

Social Security Benefits U.S. Citizens Outside the United States

August 8, 2016 • By

Reading Time: 2 Minutes

Last Updated: March 17, 2021

Benefits-outside-the-USOver 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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About the Author

Doug Walker, Deputy Commissioner, Communications

Deputy Commissioner, Office of Communications

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Comments

  1. Robert E.

    I’m an australian receiving social security benefits from the US which is paid into my US bank account. I want to arrange to have those payments now paid into an Australian bank account.
    I can not sign into my SS account because I don’t have a US address any longer.
    Please help.

  2. Chris D.

    O.k. and thanks. I’ll get that done next week. Take care … Chris

    • Chris D.

      Hi Ray, I ill have the letter from my mother’s doctor Wednesday however we have a problem I went to your list of interviewers for those in BC and all are in the US. As you know, I’m a quadriplegic without a passport. What on earth can i do? Can nothing be arranged in Vancouver? Please help. I’m mobile only half days. Many thanks ..Chris

      • R.F.

        Hello Chris. 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. Thanks.

  3. Chris D.

    Many, many thanks for your help. My brother and I both already have legal Power of Attorney over my mom’s finances. Should I still get a physician from Blenheim Lodge (the senior home she’s in) to write a letter re her dementia or am I o.k. with the POW. Thanks again for your help. .. Chris

    • R.F.

      Hello Chris. Please note that having a power of attorney, being an authorized representative, or having a joint bank account with the beneficiary, is not the same as being a representative payee. These arrangements do not give you legal authority to negotiate and manage payments for someone receiving Social Security payments. You must apply for and be appointed as a representative payee by SSA. A letter from the doctor will help us expedite your request. We hope this helps.

  4. Chris D.

    My mom lives in Canada & has always received her US pension. She’s been hit by dementia and I’m (her son) desperately having to find out why her payments stopped. Can someone please tell me where to begin. I don’t have any documents to work from. Just her bank statements. Many thanks … Chris Dumper

    • R.F.

      Hi Chris, we’re sorry to hear about your mother’s medical condition. Since it sounds like your mother will be needing help managing her Social Security account, you may be interested in applying to become her Representative Payee. If approved to serve as your mother’s representative payee, it will make it easier for you -in the future- to update her account information and discuss, with us, any issues affecting her Social Security benefits.
      It would be helpful to obtain a statement from her doctor. The statement should say that she is not able -mentally and physically- to take care of herself and that you are the person responsible to keep her finances in order.
      A face to face interview is required for this process. If you have specific questions, or to make an appointment, 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 you can contact your local Social Security office directly. If in Canada, you can also use the Canadian Service Area Directory to determine which Resident Office is near you.
      We understand how inconvenient this may be for you, but we hope that you understand our role in protecting everyone’s personal information.
      Please read our publication: A Guide For Representative Payees for more details.
      Thanks!

  5. Vijay

    I have contributed toward Social Securty when I was working on the US from 2000 to 2005. I was on H1B2 & I not a US citizen. I have moved out of US permanently. I am told thst since I am not a US citizen/ nor a green card holder I am not eligible for retirement benefit through SS. Since US of A collected fpr tye purpose and since O am not eligible to get benefits, will US of A return nack my SS contribution?
    Possible?

  6. ron l.

    hi i have applied for social security .i live outside the us and got it all done and it wont go thru because my bank account number only has 9 numbers and it says i need 12 numbers. called the bank and they are not sure what to do. what should i do. thanks ron loftin

  7. Carin S.

    I am an overseas, non-US Citizen who voluntarily registered as a US Tax payer to jointly file with my spouse who is a US-Citizen. I have been issued with a TIN. At which point, if ever, may I be eligible for Social Security either inside or outside the USA?

    • R.F.

      Thank you for your question, Carin. Generally, you will need to have 40 credits, or 10 years of work paying Social Security taxes, to qualify for any type of Social Security benefit.
      A tax identification number (TIN) is issued by the Internal Revenue Services (IRS) to certain non-resident and resident aliens, their spouses, and dependents who do not qualify for a Social Security Number (SSN). TINs are issued regardless of immigration status. TINs are issued for the purpose of federal tax reporting or filing requirements. Not directly associated for Social Security benefits.
      Please contact the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate for any assistance related to Social Security programs and benefits. Also, see our Frequently Asked Questions web page titled “Noncitizens“. Thanks!

  8. Elaine A.

    Hello
    I live and am a resident in Italy.
    , Can I use online services to apply for Social Security.
    I will be able to receive SS at my 66th birthday this July, 2018.
    What is the best process to register for my SS Benefits?

  9. NESTOR G.

    I did not receive the 2017 Social Security Benefits form because I was back in Lima, Peru for 6 months since 2017, I returned to Seaside, CA on April 4, 2018, and I do not know what to do?

  10. Judith O.

    Hello
    I am an American Citizen living in Australia, 71 years of age and receiving my SS benefits. Currently my benefits are paid into an account in America and I am wondering if my payments were made directly to an account in Australia how would that affect me. Would I have to pay taxes on my SS benefits. I am trying to save some money by doing it that way, less withdrawal fees and foreign exchange fees. Can you please advise me on that.
    Thank you

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