Getting Social Security benefits if you are living outside the U.S. | USAGov (2024)

FAQs

Can a U.S. citizen collect Social Security while living abroad? ›

If you earned Social Security benefits, you can visit or live in most foreign countries and still receive payments. Look up the country on the SSA Payments Abroad Screening Tool to be sure you can receive your payments.

There's No Time Limit For Receiving Social Security Benefits Abroad. Luckily, there is no time limit on how long you can live outside the U.S. and still receive monthly Social Security payments.

USCIS extracts information from USCIS Forms I-131 (Application for Travel Document) and I-157 (Notice of Removal) and sends it to SSA. The system compares the information with account numbers on the supplemental security record (SSR) and, if there are any matches, sends an alert to the FO for development.

If you already have enough credits under the U.S. Social Security system to qualify for a benefit, we will not count your credits in the other country. If we need to count your foreign work credits, you will receive a partial U.S. benefit based on how long you worked under U.S. Social Security.

You must have worked and paid Social Security taxes in five of the last 10 years. If you also get a pension from a job where you didn't pay Social Security taxes (e.g., a civil service or teacher's pension), your Social Security benefit might be reduced.

The United States generally considers a person with dual U.S. and foreign citizenship a U.S. citizen for Social Security purposes. This does not apply if you are a U.S. citizen and a citizen of a country the United States has an international social security agreement with.

The immigration law states that if a Legal Permanent Resident is outside of the U.S. for 180 days in a row (but less than 1 year), without permission from the U.S. government, then it will be presumed that the person has lost or abandoned their residency, and therefore can no longer apply for U.S. Citizenship / ...

A US citizen can stay outside the US for as long as they want (with or without a US passport).

Has your income declined or have you experienced a loss of financial resources? You may be able to get additional income through the Supplemental Security Income program, which helps seniors and the disabled who have limited income and financial resources.

Have you heard about the Social Security $16,728 yearly bonus? There's really no “bonus” that retirees can collect. The Social Security Administration (SSA) uses a specific formula based on your lifetime earnings to determine your benefit amount.

Can I access my Social Security account from overseas? ›

You can also access your information with an ID.me account if you have one. Keep in mind: You must be 18 years of age or older and have a Social Security number (SSN). Many online services can now be accessed overseas with an ID.me account.

If the beneficiary does not return to the U.S. for 30 consecutive days before the end of the 6-month period, payments are suspended, and may only be resumed effective with the first full month throughout which the individual is in the U.S.

If you leave the U.S., we will stop your benefits the month after the sixth calendar month in a row that you are outside the country. You can make visits to the United States for specific periods of time, depending on how long you've been outside, to continue receiving your benefits.

In some cases, your Social Security disability payments may continue if you are abroad. If you are only visiting another country for less than 30 days or remain in a U.S. territory, you will continue to receive your Social Security disability like normal.

Wages paid to U.S. citizens and residents employed outside the United States are generally subject to Social Security and Medicare tax if the employer is an American employer.

US citizens can live outside the country for as long as they wish — even for the rest of their lives — without a problem. A US citizen cannot be prevented from re-entering the US. You can stay out of the USA for as long as you'd like. You can renew passport as needed at the local US embassy or consulate.

Where you retire is completely up to you, but some countries are more convenient, affordable, and friendly to U.S. residents than others. The U.S. The Department of State website regularly updates their country-specific visa requirements and travel advisories, for those curious about moving to specific countries.

What happens to a Social Security account if an individual leaves the United States? The SSN number remains valid. However, generally, if an individual leaves the United States for more than six (6) months, he or she is no longer eligible for Social Security benefits.

Lawfully present noncitizens of the United States who meet all eligibility requirements can qualify for Social Security benefits. This rule also applies to noncitizens authorized to work in the United States who got a Social Security number after December 2003.