Can You Get US Social Security Benefits While Living Abroad?
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A growing number of Americans choose to retire outside the United States, often because life is cheaper and the lifestyle is slower. But the big question that comes up quickly is whether Social Security benefits continue once you relocate. The rules are surprisingly specific, and in some cases, your payments could stop entirely depending on your citizenship, where you move and whether you ever paid into the system.
For most retirees, Social Security keeps flowing regardless of the country they move to. However, there are important exceptions, and noncitizens face even stricter requirements. Understanding these boundaries early can help you avoid a loss of income in retirement.
Countries Where Benefits Cannot Be Sent
The U.S. government can’t send payments to certain countries because of legal and political restrictions. If you retire in Cuba or North Korea, payments automatically stop, and there are no exceptions. In seven other countries — Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan — you may be allowed to receive benefits only if you qualify for special exceptions.
If you move to any other part of the world, payments usually continue without issues as long as you remain eligible. However, citizens and noncitizens are treated differently when it comes to proving that eligibility.
Rules for US Citizens Living Abroad
U.S. citizens can generally keep receiving Social Security while living abroad. The only requirement is that they live in a country where payments are allowed and that they remain eligible for benefits based on their work history.
But the Social Security Administration has one more rule that applies to both citizens and noncitizens: the six-month absence rule for noncitizens. Citizens are exempt from this, but it is important to understand the broader framework because mixed-citizenship households often need to plan around it.
The Six-Month Rule for Noncitizens
Noncitizens face more complicated rules once they leave the United States. If you are not a U.S. citizen and you stay outside the country for six full calendar months in a row, your payments stop unless you qualify for one of several exceptions. Once stopped, your benefits won’t restart until you return to the United States and stay for an entire calendar month — every hour, every day.
If you arrive even a day late or leave a day early, the clock resets. This strict timing often surprises retirees who thought occasional travel would solve the problem.
There are some exceptions for residents of countries with Social Security agreements, but they don’t apply universally.
How Totalization Agreements Help Immigrants
The United States has Social Security agreements, known as totalization agreements, with 30 countries. These agreements help workers who split their careers between the United States and another country. If you didn’t earn enough credits in one country, the two systems can combine your work history and determine a prorated benefit.
This is especially useful for immigrants who came to the United States later in life or returned to their home country before accumulating the full 40 U.S. work credits. Even with a totalization agreement, you still need at least six U.S. credits to qualify for any U.S. payment.
Noncitizens Who Can and Cannot Receive Benefits
Not all noncitizens working in the United States qualify for Social Security in retirement. Those who never received work authorization or who did not pay payroll taxes while earning income cannot collect benefits. Some individuals, including refugees and certain lawful immigrants, may qualify for Supplemental Security Income if they meet the credit requirement.
Immigrants who worked using a Social Security number issued after December 2003 and remained lawfully present usually qualify if they meet the work-credit thresholds.
When Other Pensions Affect Social Security
Some workers spend years in jobs that don’t pay into Social Security at all. This applies to —
federal employees hired before 1987 under the Civil Service Retirement System,
long-tenured railroad workers covered by the Railroad Retirement Board, and
certain state and local government employees are covered only by government pensions.
These workers generally cannot receive Social Security based solely on those jobs unless they also hold other employment that pays into the system.
A major change took effect in 2025 — the elimination of the Windfall Elimination Provision and the Government Pension Offset. This increased benefits for many workers with non-covered pension jobs, including teachers, police officers, firefighters and federal employees under CSRS.
Bottom Line
Most Americans can receive Social Security no matter where they live, as long as they have paid into the system and avoid the handful of restricted countries. Noncitizens face stricter rules, especially when staying outside the United States for extended periods, but many still qualify through work credits or totalization agreements.
If you’re planning to retire abroad — or you’re an immigrant with work history in two countries — understanding these rules ahead of time can help protect an income stream that many retirees rely on.