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. edgar m.

    sorry about d negative comment and if its possible a quick question i received a second notice (ssa-7162) and Im in my way to the capital to mail the original my question is: once this form its processed will I received this months and the following months check too or will i lose this (february)month of which I didnt get anything in other words in march will I get 2 months worth, thank you I hope this comming gov shut down does not affect you guys blessings

  2. edgar m.

    so infortunate that the form required for people that live outside the u.s .every year if is not returned in 45 days your payments will be suspended / p.o. box in Wilkes barre pa.with no Street address no certified mail will deliver lousy system

    • A.C.

      Hi, Edgar. We are sorry to hear about your experience. If you wish to submit feedback related to your experience, visit our Contact Social Security page. Once there, select the “Email Us” link. This will take you to the “Email a Question to our Support Team” form, where you can complete and submit a compliment, complaint, or suggestion. We hope this helps.

  3. Lex R.

    WHY DIDN’T YOU SEND A NOTICE THAT THERE WOULD BE A DEDUCTION TO MY BENEFITS?
    tRY NOT TO LIE.

  4. Lex R.

    I want to send an Email to social security. The office of Central operations lied to me in an Email and did not send a notice that they were going to deduct from my benefits until 2 weeks after I did not receive 2 months of direct deposits.
    The office lied by saying that there was an address problem however:
    1.I have lived at the same address for 16 years.
    2. direct deposits were made to the same account for 3 years.
    3. my son received his direct deposit (same address)
    4. Bank Mandiri said that no deposits were attempted (if information of the try is available they will double check).
    The balance of evidence point to a lie.

    The Philippines office reported that a notice of benefits was not sent. This information was reported in a recorded call (on Feb 1st.). Why did you not send a notice? Don;t worry about address because I live in a small town if you just send to my or my wife’s name we to the Kawali, Ciamis, West Java Indonesia we will get the letter.

    • A.C.

      We are sorry to hear about your experience, Lex. For your security, we do not have access to private information in this venue. We do ask that members in our Blog community to continue to work with our offices with questions about their specific case. For assistance outside of the U.S, contact your local Federal Benefits Unit. Also, our Office of International Operations home page provides more information to assist our customers living abroad. We hope this is resolved soon.

  5. Bo G.

    I am on SSDI and considering moving to Spain for a year, will that affect my benefits?

    • V.V.

      Hi Bo, thank you for your question. If you move, you are required to report your change of address to Social Security, even if we are sending your payments to a bank or other financial institution. Our publication, “Your Payments While You Are Outside the United States”, explains how being outside the United States may affect your Social Security payments.

      If you are a U.S. citizen, you may continue to receive payments outside the United States as long as you are eligible for payment and you are in a country where we can send payments. If you aren’t a U.S. citizen, you must meet one of the conditions for payment described in this publication.

      You may use our Payments Abroad Screening Tool to see if your benefits will continue indefinitely, stop after six consecutive months or if certain country specific restrictions apply.

  6. Jane

    This is an update to my original post on January 7. The 6 month ongoing problem I was experiencing with my survivor benefit has now been fully resolved because of your help. Thank you for responding and thank you for this blog.

  7. Leandra N.

    I was trying to see if its time for me to received my check

  8. Renato T.

    I LIVE NOW IN THE PHILIPPINES AND I DON’T HAVE A U.S. ADDRESS.
    HOW CAN I CREATE A SOCIAL SECURITY ACCOUNT WITHOUT A U.S. ADDRESS?

  9. mawasi

    Hello!
    My name is mawasi keita jahi , American citizen living outside the US since 2007. I was born in 1952 and trying to get information about the paper work to appy for retirement benefits.

    Thank you.

    • A.C.

      Hi, Mawasi. For information and assistance outside of the U.S., please contact your local Federal Benefits Unit. Thanks!

  10. Glenn H.

    sorry for the typo’s. My bad. ;-(

Comments are closed.