Can non-US citizens collect Social Security benefits when living abroad?

Yes! Non-US citizens can definitely receive Social Security benefits if they've earned enough credits (those 40 quarters you mentioned). I went through this with my father-in-law last year. The Social Security Administration doesn't care about citizenship for retirement benefits - they care about whether you paid into the system. However, receiving benefits while living outside the US gets complicated. It depends on which country you're in. Some countries have totalization agreements with the US that make it pretty straightforward. Others have restrictions. Check out the SSA's "Your Payments While You Are Outside The United States" publication - it lists all the countries and specific rules.

ive heard some countries tax ur SS diferent too, so u might get less $$ depending where u go. my uncles friend moved back to philippines and gets his check there every month no problem tho

I can provide some precise information on this topic. As a non-US citizen who has worked legally in the US and earned 40 credits (quarters), you are entitled to retirement benefits regardless of citizenship status. However, there are important considerations: 1. Country-specific restrictions: Payments to non-citizens living outside the US can be withheld for certain countries (Cuba, North Korea, etc.) 2. Alien residency requirements: If you're not a US citizen, you generally need to have lived in the US for at least 5 years during which you had a legal relationship with the Social Security system (spouse, child, or parent) 3. Tax implications: Benefits paid to non-residents are sometimes subject to a 30% withholding tax unless your country has a tax treaty with the US 4. Totalization agreements: The US has agreements with 30+ countries that allow you to combine work credits from both countries to qualify for benefits SSA Publication No. 05-10137 covers this in detail. I recommend calling SSA directly to discuss your specific situation.

My cousin tried to collect SS from Canada AND IT WAS A NIGHTMARE!!! She spent MONTHS trying to reach someone at Social Security. They kept sending forms to her old US address even though she updated her info like 20 times!!! The phone lines were always busy or they'd hang up after she waited for 2 hours!!! She almost gave up on getting HER OWN MONEY that she paid into the system!!! The whole system is DESIGNED to make it hard for people outside the US!!

One thing nobody's mentioned is that your benefit amount is based on your highest 35 years of US earnings. If you only work 10 years in the US, you'll have 25 years of zeros averaged in, which significantly reduces your benefit amount. Just something to consider in your retirement planning. You'll still get something, but it might be substantially less than what the SSA estimates show if they're assuming a full US work history.

has anyone here actually successfully gotten their benefits sent to another country? i keep hearing horror stories and now im worried. i worked in US for 15 yrs and plan to retire in thailand next year. already paid into SS all this time!

my aunt gets ss in mexico and uses western union to get her money but she says they take a big cut everytime, try to avoid that if u can

To answer your follow-up question: Once you've earned your 40 credits, you're eligible for benefits regardless of your immigration status later on. Your green card status doesn't need to remain valid after you leave the US to collect retirement benefits. However, non-citizens who received their Social Security numbers after 2004 must have work authorization at some point to receive benefits based on that work. Also, be aware that different rules apply for different benefit types. For example, SSI benefits generally cannot be received outside the US, while retirement benefits can (with the country restrictions others have mentioned).

ANOTHER THING they don't tell you - some countries have AGREEMENTS with the US so you don't LOSE benefits, but other countries DON'T! If your country doesn't have an agreement you might lose some of your benefits after 6 months abroad!! Look up "totalization agreements" on the SSA website!!!

I'm also a green card holder (6 years in) and have been researching this extensively! One additional resource that really helped me was contacting the Social Security office in my home country's US embassy. They often have staff who specialize in these international benefit questions and can give you country-specific guidance. Also, if you're planning to move back eventually, consider keeping a US bank account open even after you leave - it makes the direct deposit process much smoother than trying to set up international transfers later. The embassy staff told me that many people run into issues when they try to change their banking information from abroad.

I'm in a similar situation as a new green card holder! Just wanted to add that I recently attended a Social Security seminar specifically for immigrants, and they mentioned that you can actually create a my Social Security account online at ssa.gov to track your earnings and get benefit estimates. This is super helpful for planning because you can see exactly how many credits you've earned and what your projected benefits might look like based on different scenarios (like working 10 years vs 20 years in the US). The online account also lets you update your contact information, which several people mentioned is crucial if you move abroad. They said it's much easier to keep everything updated through the online portal than trying to do it by phone or mail from another country.

Great question! I'm actually going through something similar as a green card holder planning for the future. One thing I learned recently is that the Social Security Administration has a really helpful tool called the "Payments Abroad Screening Tool" on their website that lets you enter your specific country and citizenship status to see what restrictions might apply to you. It's more specific than the general country lists and can give you a clearer picture of what to expect. Also, I'd recommend documenting everything now while you're still in the US - keep copies of your tax returns, W-2s, and any correspondence with SSA. My immigration attorney mentioned that having a complete paper trail makes the process much smoother if you do end up applying for benefits from abroad later. The more documentation you have showing your work history and legal status during your earning years, the better. One last tip: if you're considering eventually becoming a US citizen, that would eliminate most of the residency and payment restrictions that apply to non-citizens living abroad. Just something to factor into your long-term planning!

As someone who recently went through the process of setting up Social Security benefits from abroad, I can share some practical experience. I moved to Portugal two years ago and now receive my full benefits there without any issues. A few key things that made the process smoother: 1. I set up direct deposit to a US bank account BEFORE leaving the US, then used that bank's international transfer service to move money to my Portuguese account. Much more reliable than trying to set up international direct deposit later. 2. The key form you'll need is SSA-21 (Application to Apply for or Change Direct Deposit) - get familiar with it now while you're still in the US. 3. Portugal has a tax treaty with the US, so I don't face the 30% withholding tax that some countries have. Definitely research your home country's tax treaty status. 4. One thing that surprised me: they require periodic "proof of life" documentation when you live abroad. It's not difficult, but good to know about in advance. The whole process took about 3 months to get everything fully set up, but having all my documentation organized beforehand made a huge difference. Happy to answer any specific questions about the practical side of receiving benefits abroad!

As someone who's been researching this topic extensively, I wanted to add that timing can be really important when you're planning to receive benefits abroad. The Social Security Administration recommends notifying them at least 2-3 months before you plan to move overseas, not after you've already relocated. This gives them time to process any necessary paperwork changes and ensures there's no gap in your payments. Also, I discovered that some countries have specific requirements about reporting foreign income (including US Social Security) to their tax authorities. Even if your home country has a tax treaty with the US that prevents double taxation, you may still need to report the income on your local tax returns. It's worth consulting with a tax professional who understands both US and your home country's tax laws before making the move. One more thing - if you're married, the rules can get even more complex regarding spousal benefits when living abroad, especially if your spouse isn't a US citizen. Definitely factor that into your planning if it applies to your situation.

I'm also a green card holder researching this topic and wanted to share something I recently learned that might be helpful. The Social Security Administration actually has country-specific fact sheets that go beyond the general "Payments Abroad" information. These are available on their website under "International Programs" and provide detailed information about payment restrictions, tax treaties, and totalization agreements for specific countries. What really caught my attention was learning about the "alien nonpayment provisions" - there are actually very few countries where Social Security payments are completely prohibited (mainly Cuba and North Korea), but the 6-month rule someone mentioned applies differently depending on your citizenship and the country you're in. I also discovered that if you become a US citizen before you start receiving benefits, it eliminates most of these restrictions entirely. The naturalization process takes time, but it might be worth considering if you're still several years away from retirement and want to simplify your future benefit collection. One practical tip: I started keeping a detailed spreadsheet of my quarters earned and projected benefits under different scenarios (10 years vs 15 years of US work, etc.). The online Social Security account is great, but having your own tracking helps with long-term planning, especially when you're trying to decide how much longer to work in the US versus when to potentially return home.

This thread has been incredibly informative! As someone who just got my green card last year and is starting to think about long-term financial planning, I'm learning so much from everyone's experiences. I had no idea about the complexity of receiving benefits abroad or how the 35-year averaging formula could impact someone who only works in the US for 10-15 years. One question I haven't seen addressed: does anyone know if there are differences in how Social Security handles benefits for people who split their time between countries (like spending 6 months in the US and 6 months abroad) versus those who permanently relocate? I'm wondering if maintaining some US residency might simplify things, or if it creates its own complications with tax obligations in both countries. Also, for those who mentioned keeping detailed records - are there specific types of documentation beyond tax returns and W-2s that you'd recommend keeping? I want to start organizing everything properly from the beginning rather than scrambling to find paperwork years from now. Thanks to everyone for sharing their knowledge and experiences - this is exactly the kind of practical information that's hard to find elsewhere!

As a newcomer to this discussion, I'm so grateful for all the detailed information everyone has shared! I'm currently on an H-1B visa but hoping to get my green card soon, and this thread has opened my eyes to so many considerations I hadn't thought about regarding Social Security and international retirement planning. One aspect I'm curious about that I haven't seen mentioned yet: for those of us who might accumulate Social Security credits in the US but also have retirement savings/pensions from our home countries, are there any issues with receiving both simultaneously? I know some countries have offset provisions where receiving foreign pensions can reduce your domestic benefits, but I'm wondering if the US has anything similar that could affect Social Security payments. Also, I noticed several people mentioned the importance of keeping good records - does anyone know if there are professional services that specialize in helping immigrants navigate Social Security planning? It seems like the rules are complex enough that having expert guidance could be really valuable, especially for those of us who are still learning the system. Thank you all for creating such an informative discussion - this is exactly the kind of real-world advice that's impossible to find in official publications!

This has been such an incredibly helpful thread! I'm a green card holder (4 years in) and had been putting off researching this topic because it seemed so complicated, but everyone's real-world experiences have made it much clearer. I wanted to add one resource that helped me recently: the Social Security Administration actually has a telephone service specifically for international inquiries (410-965-0160) that's separate from their main customer service line. The wait times are still long, but the representatives are supposedly better trained on international benefit issues. I haven't used it yet, but it was recommended by someone at my local SSA office when I went in with preliminary questions. Also, for anyone considering the naturalization route that several people mentioned - I just started that process and learned that current processing times are running 18-24 months in most areas, so if you're thinking about it as part of your retirement planning, definitely factor in that timeline. The naturalization would need to be completed before you start receiving benefits to get the full advantage of simplified international payments. One more thing I discovered: some US banks have international partnerships that can make the money transfer process easier once you're abroad. Bank of America, for example, has partnerships with several major banks in different countries that can facilitate transfers at lower fees than traditional wire transfers or services like Western Union that someone mentioned earlier.

As someone who's been through a similar situation, I can share some practical experience that might help. I'm a green card holder who worked in the US for 12 years before moving back to Germany last year, and I'm now successfully receiving my Social Security benefits there. A few key things I learned that haven't been mentioned yet: 1. **Banking setup timing**: Set up your US banking arrangements BEFORE you leave. I opened a Charles Schwab account specifically because they reimburse international ATM fees and have good international transfer options. Much easier to do this while you still have a US address. 2. **Address forwarding**: The postal forwarding service is crucial but limited to 1 year. I used a mail forwarding service (like Traveling Mailbox) for longer-term mail management since SSA occasionally sends important notices even after you've set up direct deposit. 3. **Annual reporting**: Germany requires me to report my US Social Security income on my German tax return, but thanks to the tax treaty, there's no double taxation. However, I still had to register with German tax authorities as a recipient of foreign pension income. 4. **Processing delays**: Everything takes longer when you're abroad. Allow 6+ months for any changes or updates to your account. I learned this the hard way when I needed to update my banking information. The good news is that once everything is set up properly, the payments are very reliable. The totalization agreement between the US and Germany made the whole process smoother than I expected. Happy to answer any specific questions about the Germany experience!

As someone who just received my green card last month and is starting to think about long-term financial planning, this entire discussion has been incredibly eye-opening! I had no idea about the complexity involved in receiving Social Security benefits abroad or how different countries have varying restrictions and tax implications. I'm particularly grateful for all the practical tips about setting up banking relationships and documentation before leaving the US. The advice about using the dedicated international inquiry line at SSA (410-965-0160) and the country-specific fact sheets under "International Programs" on their website will definitely be my starting points for research. One question I have that I haven't seen addressed: for those of us early in our green card journey, is there any advantage to front-loading our Social Security contributions (like maximizing earnings in early years) given that the benefit calculation uses your highest 35 years? Since many of us might only work 10-15 years in the US, would earning more in those years significantly impact the final benefit amount despite the "zero years" that get averaged in? Also, I'm wondering if anyone has experience with how Social Security credits earned during different visa statuses (H-1B, green card, etc.) are treated. Are they all counted equally toward the 40 quarters needed for eligibility? Thank you all for sharing such detailed experiences - this community knowledge is invaluable for those of us navigating these complex decisions!