Social Security has in excess of 1,000 offices scattered across the country, but you don’t have to be living in the United States to receive services from Social Security.
Many Americans who are collecting Social Security benefits are living in another country and this is where Social Security’s international program comes into play to assist beneficiaries living abroad.
A Social Security manager is temporarily reassigned to the State Department to oversee the international program and this manger becomes a Federal Benefits Officer to oversee the payment of all United States government benefits over a wide geographical area. The Federal Benefits Officer serves as an office manager in an American embassy and the manger’s staff is composed of foreign nationals who operate Social Security and other federal benefit programs. According to Social Security, training classes have been held for foreign nationals at least once a year since 1971 about Social Security’s programs and benefits.
In 1998 Social Security authored a document that summarizes the history of Social Security’s Division of International Operations, which has been the organization that has central office management responsibility for the agency’s international program since 1961.
Social Security is able to send payments to people living abroad in most countries, but the agency cautions there are some places Social Security will not send payments to. Two countries Social Security will not send payments to are Cuba and North Korea. Under Treasury Department sanctions Social Security is not allowed to send money to these two countries. Social Security has put together an informational packet informing of all restrictions and regulations related to receiving benefits while living abroad. In addition, this information provides all the different countries Social Security has agreements with concerning benefits, payments and other rules they follow.
