1849. When can you receive benefits you earned while you lived in a restricted country?

If you are a U.S. citizen or national and you accrued benefits while living in either a Treasury Department or SSA restricted country, you may be paid your benefits when you leave the restricted country.

If you are not a U.S. citizen or national and lived in Cuba or North Korea, you may not receive any benefits for months after June 1968 that were withheld because of Treasury restrictions when you leave that country. Generally, if you leave a country to which payment is restricted by SSA, you cannot receive any payments for the months you lived in one of those countries even though you leave that country and satisfy all other requirements.

Last Revised: Jun. 9, 2004