Do Expats Get Social Security? Eligibility, Payments, and Tax Rules

Yes, expats get Social Security. U.S. citizens who have earned at least 40 credits (10 years of work) can collect Social Security retirement benefits while living in most foreign countries, and moving abroad does not cancel, reduce, or pause your payments. The SSA’s Payments Abroad Screening Tool confirms which countries are eligible, and you can receive payments via direct deposit to a U.S. or foreign bank account. (SSA: Your Payments While Outside the United States)

Here is what you need to know at a glance:

40 credits required: you need the equivalent of 10 years of work history paying into Social Security to qualify for retirement benefits
Full retirement age is 67: for anyone born in 1960 or later; reduced benefits are available starting at age 62
2026 COLA increase: benefits increased 2.8%, bringing the average monthly check to $2,071 and the maximum at age 67 to $4,152/month
WEP eliminated: the Social Security Fairness Act (January 2025) repealed the provisions that previously reduced benefits for expats with foreign pensions

Will Moving Abroad Affect Your Social Security Benefits?

Greenback helps expats understand how Social Security eligibility, payments, and taxation work from overseas.

Below, we cover eligibility, where payments can and cannot be sent, how to apply from abroad, what happens to non-citizens, the difference between Social Security and SSI, how benefits are taxed on your U.S. return, and the impact of the Social Security Fairness Act.

No, you do not lose your benefits by moving abroad. This is the most common concern among expats considering retirement overseas, and the answer is straightforward: your payments continue in nearly every country in the world as long as you remain eligible.

The SSA cannot send payments to a small number of countries:

Cuba and North Korea: payments stop entirely while you reside in either country. Withheld benefits can be paid once you move to an eligible country.
Certain former Soviet Union countries: Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan have restrictions for some beneficiaries, though exceptions may apply.

For all other countries, use the SSA Payments Abroad Screening Tool to confirm your specific eligibility.

If you are not a U.S. citizen but qualify for Social Security benefits (for example, as a permanent resident with a Green Card), different rules apply.

The Six-Month Rule

The SSA cannot pay benefits to non-citizens after their sixth consecutive calendar month outside the U.S. Your payments stop the month after you have been outside the country for six full calendar months.

Exceptions to the Six-Month Rule

You may continue receiving benefits abroad if:

You are a citizen of a country with a U.S. totalization agreement: these agreements cover 30+ countries including the UK, Canada, Germany, Australia, Japan, and most of Western Europe
You qualified for benefits before December 1956
You are receiving benefits as a dependent or survivor of someone who worked for the U.S. government or military
You meet other specific conditions listed on the SSA website

Restarting Benefits

If your benefits stop due to the six-month rule, they restart when you return to the U.S. for a full calendar month. You will need to provide proof of physical presence (passport stamps, flight records).

You can apply online at ssa.gov regardless of where you live, up to four months before you want benefits to begin.

Required Documentation

Proof of age: birth certificate or passport
Proof of U.S. citizenship or lawful alien status
W-2 forms or self-employment tax returns for the most recent year
Military discharge papers (if applicable)
Banking information for direct deposit

Payment Methods

You have two options for receiving payments abroad:

Direct deposit to a U.S. bank account: the safest and fastest method. Your benefits are deposited on the same schedule as domestic recipients.
Direct deposit to a foreign bank account: available in countries with an international direct deposit agreement with the U.S. Check the SSA’s international direct deposit list for your country.

Paper checks are available but not recommended due to the risk of loss, theft, and international mail delays.

Yes, if you worked in both the U.S. and a country with a totalization agreement, you may qualify for benefits from both systems. The U.S. currently has totalization agreements with over 30 countries.

Totalization agreements serve two purposes:

Combining work credits: if you do not have enough credits in either country alone, the agreement lets you combine work history from both to meet minimum eligibility requirements
Preventing double contributions: you pay Social Security taxes to only one country at a time, based on where you work

Your benefits from each country are calculated separately based on your work history in each system. Receiving a foreign pension does not reduce your U.S. Social Security benefits (see the Social Security Fairness Act section below).

Feature	Social Security (OASDI)	Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
Basis	Work history and contributions	Financial need (low income/assets)
Available abroad	Yes, for U.S. citizens in most countries	No
What happens if you leave the U.S.	Payments continue indefinitely	Payments stop after 30 consecutive days abroad
Funded by	Payroll taxes (your contributions)	General tax revenue

If you receive SSI and move abroad, you lose this benefit entirely. Social Security retirement, disability, and survivor benefits continue.

The Social Security Fairness Act, signed into law on January 4, 2025, eliminated two provisions that previously reduced benefits for people who also receive a pension from work not covered by Social Security:

Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP): previously reduced Social Security benefits for workers who also earned a pension from employment where they did not pay Social Security taxes, including many foreign pensions
Government Pension Offset (GPO): previously reduced spousal or survivor Social Security benefits for people receiving a government pension

For expats, this is significant. If you worked abroad and earned a foreign pension from employment not covered by U.S. Social Security, the WEP previously reduced your U.S. benefits. That reduction is now gone. Affected beneficiaries are seeing an average monthly increase of $360, with retroactive payments back to January 2024.

What Ongoing SSA Requirements Do You Need to Meet?

The SSA sends questionnaires every one to two years to confirm:

You are still alive and eligible
Your address is current
Your circumstances have not changed (marriage, divorce, return to work)

If you do not respond, the SSA may stop your payments. You must also notify the SSA immediately if you change your address, return to work, divorce, become unable to manage your funds, or become eligible for a foreign pension. Contact the nearest U.S. Embassy or the SSA’s Office of Earnings International Operations.

Social Security benefits are U.S.-source income, which means they may be taxable on your U.S. return regardless of where you live.

Up to 85% of your benefits may be taxable depending on your combined income (adjusted gross income + nontaxable interest + half your Social Security benefits)
The Foreign Earned Income Exclusion does not apply: Social Security is not earned income, so the FEIE cannot be used to exclude it
The Foreign Tax Credit may help: if your country of residence also taxes your Social Security benefits, the FTC can offset the U.S. tax to prevent double taxation
Some tax treaties exempt Social Security: certain treaties provide that Social Security is taxable only in your country of residence, not the U.S.

For detailed guidance on minimizing taxes on your benefits, see our expat retirement planning guide.

Can you collect Social Security if you move to another country?

Yes, if you are a U.S. citizen with 40 Social Security credits (10 years of work), you can collect retirement benefits while living in nearly any country. Set up direct deposit to a U.S. or foreign bank account, and payments arrive on the same schedule as domestic recipients.

Do expats get Social Security?

Yes, expats who have earned 40 credits through qualifying U.S. employment receive Social Security retirement benefits regardless of where they live. The 2026 average monthly benefit is $2,071, with a maximum of $4,152 at full retirement age (67).

Can non-citizens receive Social Security while living abroad?

Non-citizens face stricter rules. The SSA stops payments after six consecutive calendar months outside the U.S. unless you are a citizen of a totalization agreement country or meet other specific exceptions. Benefits restart when you return to the U.S. for a full calendar month.

Is Social Security taxed if you live abroad?

Yes, up to 85% of your Social Security benefits may be taxable on your U.S. return. The FEIE does not apply to Social Security income. However, the Foreign Tax Credit can prevent double taxation, and some tax treaties exempt Social Security from U.S. tax entirely.

Does a foreign pension reduce your Social Security benefits?

No, not anymore. The Social Security Fairness Act (signed January 2025) eliminated the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and Government Pension Offset (GPO). Foreign pensions from work not covered by U.S. Social Security no longer reduce your benefits.

How do you apply for Social Security from outside the U.S.?

Apply online at ssa.gov up to four months before you want benefits to start. You will need proof of age, citizenship, recent W-2s or self-employment returns, and banking information for direct deposit.

Get Your Benefits and Your Tax Filing Coordinated

Social Security benefits are just one piece of your expat tax picture. Whether you need help reporting your benefits on your U.S. return, claiming the Foreign Tax Credit, or coordinating Social Security with a foreign pension, our team handles these filings regularly.

Ready to Get Your Retirement Tax Picture Clear?

Greenback helps you file with confidence so your Social Security benefits and U.S. compliance work together.

This article is for informational purposes only. The content does not constitute tax, legal, or financial advice. Tax rules and regulations change frequently, and your individual circumstances may affect how they apply to you. For personalized guidance, consult a qualified tax professional.