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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DEBORAH G.
PLEASE CONTACT ME AT 250-545-2050
I WAS SUPPOSE TO RECEIVE BENEFITS STARTING MARCH 1ST AND HAVE NOT RECEIVED. CLAIM
DEBORAH GARVIE
14107 TAMARACK DR
VERNON BC
V1B2G3
A.C.
Hi, Deborah. We are sorry to hear about your situation. For your security, we do not have access to private information in this venue. We ask that members in our Blog community outside of the U.S. to continue to work with their local Federal Benefits Unit with specific questions. You may also find our Office of Earnings and International Operations web page helpful. Just a reminder – please be cautious about posting personal information on social media. We hope this is resolved soon.
Susan
I would like to update my mailing address however I cannot find a portal for people residing overseas. I live in Australia. Please direct me to the correct link.
Thank you
Stanley R.
I live in Canada, and am a U,S. citizen.
I have not received a W-2 form for social security for 2018.
I cannot find a phone # for S.S that is I can access from
CANADA. PLEASE HELP. I need a number, or a duplicate
form.
A.C.
Hi, Stanley. For assistance outside of the U.S., please contact your local Federal Benefits Unit. You may also find our Office of Earnings and International Operations web page helpful. We hope this helps.
Kathryn M.
My husband and I opened “my social security” accounts on line thinking that we would have easy access to notify social security of changes and to receive updated information…only to discover that I am unable to edit anything while we are residing outside of the U.S. The contact number provided is invalid outside the U.S.
Furthermore, social security services have been moved from our Belmopan U.S. Embassy to Costa Rica and I have never received responses from them via email in the past. They are not accepting phone calls for matters relating to social security at this time.
Can you understand how frustrating this is not to be able to directly contact someone for immediate assistance in the U.S or at our local embassy?
We want to change our direct deposits asap and now it could take several weeks just to notify you.
Please consider improvements for U.S. citizens who are overseas…Thank you.
A.C.
Hi, Kathryn. We are sorry to hear about your experience. For your security, we do not have access to private information in this venue. We do ask that members in our Blog community continue to work with our offices with questions about their specific case. For more information on how to contact us outside of the U.S., please visit our Office of Earnings and International Operations web page. If you wish to submit feedback related to your experience, you can visit our Contact Social Security page. Once there, you can 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 is resolved soon.
Aamir P.
I am a US citizen and live in canada, however I am unable to create a online account to manage my social security information. The online option is only available to folks who live in USA. hopefully this will change in the future and option to create a online account from Canada will be available.
Frank
Wanting to know how a legal alien from Honduras working in USA and paying ss taxes can get retirement benefits once he is eligible and living back in Honduras
Susan S.
Where do I send my W-4V for Social Security if I receive payments from out of the country? Wilkes-Barr, PA?
Kenneth J.
I have been in the Philippines since 2005.
I did not receive an earnings statement for 2018.
I cannot sign up for an online account because of where I live.
How can I find out my earnings for 2018 so I can file my taxes?
V.V.
Hi Kenneth, thank you for using our blog to ask your question. If you live outside of the United States and you need a replacement form SSA-1099 or SSA-1042S, please contact the nearest Federal Benefit Unit or U.S. Embassy .
glenn w.
my mother lives in the Philippines and did not get the questioner most likely due to a move. this has suspended her benefits. can you email it to me so I can download it for her or give me the form number to download it ?
thank you
V.V.
Hello Glenn. Unfortunately, the SSA-7162 is not available online and cannot be emailed to you or your mother. Our beneficiaries living abroad receive the SSA-7162 annually or biannually depending upon the countries in which they reside.
We recommend that individuals living outside the United States contact the nearest Federal Benefit Unit or U.S. embassy in the area 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.
roger c.
i am trying to find out where my social security check is for this month of february.my name is Roger and I live inMexico City.my rent is due today or else there is a $100 late fee,I have caled and left messages and faxed yesterday but still have not recieved a answer. my ph inmexico city is 55 5264 0297,social security *** – ** – ***.please contact me and it is terrible youdo not have a phone where a person can not be reached nd only messages. thank you,Roger Cantrall
A.C.
Hi, Roger. Unfortunately, your question is a bit more complex than we can handle in this forum. For your security, we do not have access to information about your account in this venue. If you do not receive your payment on the scheduled pay date, please contact your bank or financial institution first. They may be able to determine why your direct deposit failed. For assistance outside of the U.S., you can contact your local Federal Benefits Unit. We hope this is resolved soon.