I would really appreciate if veterans in this forum could answer my question. I am from India. I am now permanent resident. I already earned 40 credits. I decided to go back to my country for good. I plan to surrender my green card in the near future. Somewhere in Social Security website, I read that even non-US citizens can receive Social Security benefits at retirment age (with the exception of some countries). The only requirement is (for some countries like India) that every year one has to personally come and stay in USA for a calendar month and submit the proof of that stay to Social Security Administration). Please let me know whether it is correct. I know that laws could always be changed in future considering the uncertainity of Social Security benefits. But at least I want to know the present position.
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Is citizenship required to receive Social Security benefits?
- Thread starter asrivang
- Start date
According to the information in the website you provided, Indain nationals who are not US citizens and who earned 40 credits are eligible to receive Social Security benefits. But I have to be present in US for one calnedar mont for every six months and show proof to that effect. At the retirement age ( 62 or 67 years), I can come to US every six months on visitor visa, stay here for one month, go back and come again after 6 months. I hope I am reading between the lines properly.Please let me know what I understand is correct.
Here is the link to the specific page.
http://www.ssa.gov/international/your_ss.html
Exract from the page
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If you are not a U.S. citizen and none of these exceptions applies to you, your payments will stop after you have been outside the U.S. for six full months. Once this happens, they cannot be started again until you come back and stay in the U.S. for a whole calendar month. This means you have to be in the U.S. on the first minute of the first day of a month and stay through the last minute of the last day of that month. In addition, you may be required to establish that you have been lawfully present in the U.S. for that full calendar month period. For more information, you may contact the nearest U.S. Embassy or consulate or Social Security office
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Am I (citijen of India but not a US citizen) eligible or not? That is my question.
Here is the link to the specific page.
http://www.ssa.gov/international/your_ss.html
Exract from the page
---------------------------------
If you are not a U.S. citizen and none of these exceptions applies to you, your payments will stop after you have been outside the U.S. for six full months. Once this happens, they cannot be started again until you come back and stay in the U.S. for a whole calendar month. This means you have to be in the U.S. on the first minute of the first day of a month and stay through the last minute of the last day of that month. In addition, you may be required to establish that you have been lawfully present in the U.S. for that full calendar month period. For more information, you may contact the nearest U.S. Embassy or consulate or Social Security office
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Am I (citijen of India but not a US citizen) eligible or not? That is my question.
johnnkamala
Registered Users (C)
As an Indian, unless you can prove 10 years of US residence, you must be a US citizen to receive SS benefits outside of the US. This requirement differs from one nation of birth to another, and even depends on date of birth in some cases. I wish I could give you a different answer, but being from Nepal we fall in the same category. If you reside inside the US and otherwise qualify for SS benefits you will receive SS benefits with no problem. If you want to live in India and draw SS you will have to be a US citizen. There are certain countries where you cannot currently draw SS benefits regardless of citizenship, i.e. North Korea, Cuba etc.
Thanks. I am at a loss to undestand how come there are so many complications, exceptions for a programme whose basic aim is to provide financial support to a human being when he ir she is old and can't earn much. These rules defeat the very purpose of its ideal. The US govt should atleast make it optional (like 401K plan) for foreign workers (L1 and H1 visas who have a specific time period of 6 years) to decide them whether they wish to contribute to Social Security or not. It is almost like Govt looting our hard earned money without giving any choice.
I guess there must be billions of unclaimed dollars lying in SSA coffers of all those people like me who come, work here and want to go back to their home countries for personal reasons. What a tragedy? Is there any way to make this system (Social Security) more humane so that justice is done to people like me.?
I guess there must be billions of unclaimed dollars lying in SSA coffers of all those people like me who come, work here and want to go back to their home countries for personal reasons. What a tragedy? Is there any way to make this system (Social Security) more humane so that justice is done to people like me.?
Joef,
I am now totally confused. Now you are saying that I do get the benefits.
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Quote:
If you want to live in India and draw SS you will have to be a US citizen.
Hmm, not according to what the SSA website says. If you have earned 40 credits, i.e., worked for 10 years in the US, you can get your benefits sent to India, even if you are not a US citizen.
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The information in the website with lots of conditions and eceptions is difficult to understand. I read 3 or 4 times. Still I didn't get it. Here is the scenario which I am repeating once again. Please tell me your opinion once again.
I have a green card. I work in US for 10 years and earn 40 credits. I don't want to become a US citizen. I then surrender my GC and go back to India. At retirement age (62 or 67 years) am I (not my dependent) eligible to get the benefits? If so do I need to come to US once every 6 months and stay for one month?
I am now totally confused. Now you are saying that I do get the benefits.
--------------------------------------------------
Quote:
If you want to live in India and draw SS you will have to be a US citizen.
Hmm, not according to what the SSA website says. If you have earned 40 credits, i.e., worked for 10 years in the US, you can get your benefits sent to India, even if you are not a US citizen.
------------------------------------------------------
The information in the website with lots of conditions and eceptions is difficult to understand. I read 3 or 4 times. Still I didn't get it. Here is the scenario which I am repeating once again. Please tell me your opinion once again.
I have a green card. I work in US for 10 years and earn 40 credits. I don't want to become a US citizen. I then surrender my GC and go back to India. At retirement age (62 or 67 years) am I (not my dependent) eligible to get the benefits? If so do I need to come to US once every 6 months and stay for one month?
johnnkamala
Registered Users (C)
JoeF said:Well, 10 years in the US is the eligibility criteria for everybody (unless your home country has totalization agreements.)
Correct. I am pointing out that if you do not meet the 10 year residence you must be a US citizen to get SS benefits in India.
johnnkamala
Registered Users (C)
Thanks
Last edited by a moderator:
Thank you very much Joef. I really appreciate your patience to answer all my questions, with lucid explanation. May god bless you with happiness and proseperity. Now I can go back to my home country happily. I hope I will receive (If the present law remains in effect) the Socail Security benefits when I turn 62 or 67 years.
johnnkamala
Registered Users (C)
hi_gen123 said:Hi,
Is there a way to calcuate ( or a web site ) to tell how much a person will get when they reach 62 years, if he doesn't work ( or move out of US ) after working for 10 years in US.
Thanks,
Yes, you can Google "Social Security Calculator" and go to that site. Enter your aproximate earnings for those ten years and see what the estimate is.
asrivang said:Thank you very much Joef. I really appreciate your patience to answer all my questions, with lucid explanation. May god bless you with happiness and proseperity. Now I can go back to my home country happily. I hope I will receive (If the present law remains in effect) the Socail Security benefits when I turn 62 or 67 years.
Why not just withdraw the social security money, pay tax/penalty and take the rest of it to india, deposit and earn the interest? Or better still, check if you can move the money to some IRA here in the U.S. and avoid paying taxes/penalty.
orrorin said:Why not just withdraw the social security money, pay tax/penalty and take the rest of it to india, deposit and earn the interest? Or better still, check if you can move the money to some IRA here in the U.S. and avoid paying taxes/penalty.
There is no way to withdraw the social security money. It's NOT an investment account like IRA or 401(k) in you name.