If you leave the United States

If you leave the United States
If you are a U.S. citizen, you can travel to or live in
most foreign countries without affecting your Social
Security benefits. There are, however, a few countries
where we cannot send Social Security payments. These
countries are Azerbaijan, Belarus, Cuba, Georgia,
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Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, North Korea, Tajikistan,
Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan and Vietnam.
However, exceptions can be made for certain eligible
beneficiaries in countries other than Cuba and North
Korea. For more information about these exceptions, please
contact your local Social Security office.
Let us know if you plan to go outside the United States
for a trip that lasts 30 days or more. Tell us the name of
the country or countries you plan to visit and the date you
expect to leave the United States. We will send you special
reporting instructions and tell you how to arrange for your
benefits while you are away. Be sure to notify us when you
return to the United States.
If you are not a U.S. citizen and you return to live in
the United States, you must provide evidence of your
noncitizen status in order to continue receiving benefits. If
you work outside the United States, different rules apply in
determining whether you can get your benefits.
For more information, ask for Your Payments While You
Are Outside The United States (Publication No. 05-10137).