When to contact the SSA: Change in citizenship status

If you are a legal immigrant, you can qualify for Social Security benefits under certain conditions.

For instance, if you meet the SSA requirements for work credits or earned the equivalent credits through your work history in your previous country, then you would be eligible.

However, once you become a permanent citizen, you will have the ability to receive Social Security and disability benefits because it is your right as an American citizen.

If you are a US citizen who decides to leave the country, you might be unable to receive your benefits.

According to the SSA, generally, they cannot send payments to people in Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova.

People in Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan will also not be able to receive payments.

A US citizen can continue to receive payments outside the US, as long as the person is eligible for payment and located in an eligible country.

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