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Social Security Benefits for Non-U.S. Citizen Spouse Living Abroad
Author: Joel Baretto, CFP®
June 02, 2025
As a U.S. citizen who meets the criteria for receiving Social Security benefits, it is possible to continue receiving such benefits even while residing outside of the United States. However, certain restrictions may apply in certain cases. If you are an American expatriate and have married a non-U.S. citizen, your foreign spouse may also qualify for spousal and survivor Social Security benefits, subject to specific conditions and supplemental requirements. With the 2023 cost-of-living adjustment (COLA), claiming Social Security benefits as a non-U.S. spouse may carry considerable significance.
This article presents a concise overview of the fundamental principles governing the handling of foreign spouses, along with the methods employed to ascertain their entitlement to Social Security benefits.
Can Non-U.S. Spouses Claim Social Security?
Typically, non-American partners can avail Social Security benefits by meeting the eligibility criteria for survivor or spousal benefits. The standard protocol for any spouse who lacks U.S. citizenship or permanent residency status dictates that their Social Security payments will be put on hold if they have resided outside the U.S. for six consecutive months. Nevertheless, there exist three notable exemptions that could facilitate the grant of benefits to non-American spouses residing overseas, based on their spouse’s Social Security history.
Requirements for Foreign Spouses to Receive Benefits
1. First, non-American citizens may be eligible to receive Social Security benefits outside the United States provided they resided in the country as a married couple for a minimum of five non-consecutive years. Furthermore, in the event of a divorce, the foreign former spouse remains eligible for spousal benefits provided they meet the aforementioned five-year prerequisite and have not remarried before reaching 60 years of age.
2. Secondly, if the spouse happens to be a citizen of a nation that has entered into a Social Security Agreement with the United States, they shall be eligible for benefits. Commonly referred to as Totalization Agreements, such pacts aid in the prevention of dual taxation of Social Security payments and establish clear guidelines for determining the eligibility of foreign spouses for benefits. Should a non-U.S. spouse be a tax resident of any of the countries listed below, the Social Security Administration shall continue to provide them with benefits.
| Countries That Qualify Foreign Spousal Benefits Based on Residency | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | Finland | Japan | Slovenia |
| Austria | France | South Korea | Spain |
| Belgium | Germany | Luxembourg | Sweden |
| Brazil | Greece | Netherlands | Switzerland |
| Canada | Hungary | Norway | United Kingdom |
| Chile | Iceland | Poland | Uruguay |
| Czech Republic | Ireland | Portugal | |
| Denmark | Italy | Slovak Republic |
- In case you hold citizenship in any of the countries enumerated below, the Social Security Administration will persist in providing benefits to your foreign spouse. Unlike the previous criterion, the condition for receiving benefits is not contingent upon residing in any of the mentioned countries; rather, it mandates that you hold citizenship from the listed nation and reside in a location where the SSA can facilitate payments.
| Countries that Qualify Foreign Spousal Benefits Based on Citizenship | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Austria | Germany | South Korea | Spain |
| Belgium | Greece | Luxembourg | Sweden |
| Canada | Hungary | The Netherlands | Switzerland |
| Chile | Ireland | Norway | United Kingdom |
| Czech Republic | Israel | Poland | |
| Finland | Italy | Portugal | |
| France | Japan | Slovakia | |
The list of countries with U.S. totalization agreements can change, so it’s important to check the most up-to-date information at ssa.gov/international/countrylist1.htm.
In most cases, a foreign spouse may qualify for Social Security survivor benefits if they meet certain residency or treaty-based requirements. If the non-U.S. spouse doesn’t meet the five-year U.S. residency rule, they may still become eligible by returning to the United States and fulfilling the requirement as a widower.
Residency Requirements and Country Exceptions
In general, American expatriates and their non-American spouses are eligible to claim Social Security benefits while residing abroad, with a few exceptions. In view of sanctions, Social Security payments cannot be dispatched to North Korea or Cuba. Nevertheless, these payments can be retrieved once the beneficiary moves to a country where the Social Security Administration can process payments.
To obtain further details, such as a complete inventory of countries exempt from the residency criterion, you may reach out to the U.S. Social Security office closest to your location or the Federal Benefits Unit at the nearest U.S. Embassy. Furthermore, you may utilize the Payments Abroad Screening Tool, accessible on the U.S. Social Security Administration’s website, to determine if you meet the qualifications for receiving payments while residing outside the United States.
Disclaimer:
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