Pension question, United States
Can I get Social Security if I live abroad?
SSA's handbook states you must file an application to become entitled to benefits. If you are not a US citizen there is a second clock: SSA generally cannot pay Retirement, Survivors and Disability Insurance benefits after your sixth calendar month outside the United States unless you fall within one of its specific exceptions, several of which turn on your exact nationality and country of residence.
- Source: ssa.gov, read 3 October 2026
- Source: ssa.gov Handbook 1513, ssa.gov international payments, and SSA POMS, read 3 October 2026
What to do next
- Find your US Social Security number on old pay stubs or tax forms.
- List each US employer and the years you worked there.
- Run our free check to see which other countries may hold a pension in your name.
Check your own working life for free
Tell us where you worked. The free check shows which countries may hold a pension for you, and which can be ruled out and why. No sign in, no charge.
Run the free checkQuestions people also ask
Is there a yearly questionnaire abroad?
A Social Security beneficiary living outside the United States who is sent form SSA-7162 must complete and return it to the Wilkes-Barre address within 60 days of receiving it.
Do you give advice on what to do?
No. We identify where a pension is likely held and the official route to it, and we name each source with the date we read it. We do not give financial, tax or legal advice.