According to the Social Security Administration if you are a U.S. citizen, you can travel to or live in most foreign countries without impacting your Social Security benefits, but there are a few countries where they cannot send Social Security payments. These countries include: Azerbaijan, Belarus, Cuba, Cambodia, Georgia, Kazakstan, Kyrgzstan, Moldova, North Korea, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan and Vietnam. If you plan to travel or live outside the United States for up to 30 days or more, be sure to provide Social Security with the name of the country/countries you plan to visit and the date you expect to leave the United States. Social Security will send you a letter on “special reporting instructions” and tell you how to arrange for your benefits to continue while you are abroad. In addition, do not forget to tell Social Security when you return to the United States.
If you are not a United States citizen, the law requires Social Security to stop payments after you have been outside the United States for six consecutive calendar months unless you meet one of several exceptions that allow your benefits to continue. Most of these exceptions are based on your country of citizenship, residence or on other conditions. If you are planning to be outside the United States for six consecutive calendar months or more, you can find out if you can receive your Social Security payment outside the United States. Social Security offers a “payments abroad screening tool” online. This is a tool to help you 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. This tool can also help you find out if your retirement, disability, or survivor’s payments will continue indefinitely, stop after six consecutive calendar months, or if certain country specific restrictions apply.
Be sure to research and contact Social Security to inquire more information about the country you plan to visit to obtain more detailed information.
