The ABCs of Avoiding a Custody Battle

Living Abroad: What To Know About Disability Benefits

by Barry Webb

For those too affected by a medical condition to work at their job, the Social Security Administration (SSA) has a program that provides financial assistance. To qualify for SSDI (Social Security Disability Insurance), you must have had enough work experience and earned enough money in a certain amount of time.

Additionally, your medical condition must appear on the SSA list of covered ailments, and you should be ready to show that your medical condition has made it impossible for you to have worked for a certain minimum amount of time. Needless to say, it can be a long and difficult process to be approved for benefits, even if you are deserving. You might be surprised to find out that certain classes of disabled workers can receive benefits while living outside the U.S. Read on to learn more.

U.S. Citizens

As long as you are a citizen and have met all the other requirements of being approved, your resident status should not affect your ability to get benefits. You cannot, however, apply for SSDI and be approved while living in another country. Once you are approved, you are free to live wherever you wish as long as it's not in one of the following countries that appear on the government's political radar.

If you move to Cuba or North Korea, not only can you not get benefits, but they will not accrue for you to get when you do return to the US.

If you move to one of the following countries, you cannot get benefits sent to you but they will be held for you, and you can get the funds upon your return to the US:

  • Azerbaijan
  • Belarus
  • Georgia
  • Kazakhstan
  • Kyrgyzstan
  • Moldova
  • Tajikistan
  • Turkmenistan
  • Ukraine
  • Uzbekistan
  • Vietnam

Non-US Citizens

Surprisingly, US citizenship is not necessary for those who become a citizen of another country or who hold dual citizenship in these countries:

Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Chile, Czech Republic, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.

Other Situations

For certain classes of disabled people, the country of residence is not an issue at all. The following people can expect to receive SSDI payments no matter where they reside:

  1. US military soldier's family members (Army, Navy, Marines, Coast Guard, National Guard, and the Air Force)
  2. Certain foreign diplomats and other foreign service agencies (this refers to disabled family members)

If you have been denied your rightful disability benefits, speak to a social security SSI attorney at once.

Share