Social Security for Non-US citizens

[ric123]

Someone was mentioning last week that now all Indians who have gone back to India and are not a USC can get Social Security amount mailed to them once they reach the age criteria as prescribed by US SSA.

I always thought that SS money is only received if you are a USC.

Any thoughts.

[okonomi]

Someone was mentioning last week that now all Indians who have gone back to India and are not a USC can get Social Security amount mailed to them once they reach the age criteria as prescribed by US SSA.
I always thought that SS money is only received if you are a USC.
Any thoughts.

"someone" who ?
read posts in this thread:http://www.r2iclubforums.com/forums/showthread.php/19130-Social-Security?p=293493#post293493
you get SS benefits after you complete 40 quarters (usually 10 years) of employment in the USA and reach eligibility age. you can check how much you'd get at the website: (what you actually get will be much smaller, as you may not continue to work and pay FICA until you retire)
http://www.socialsecurity.gov/estimator/

[Ranger13]

Just curious how other social security related benefits such as disability etc. Also on the survivor side...how about a situation where a 50 year old R2I NON USC person who had 40 credits but never applied dies....can the spouse apply for SS beefits.

https://www.ssa.gov/pubs/EN-05-10137.pdf

Excerpt:

"If you aren?t a U.S. citizen or you do not meet one of the conditions for continued payments, we willstop your payments after you have been outside the United States for six full calendar months. Oncethis happens, we cannot start yourpayments again until you come backand stay in the United States for a fullcalendar month"

In the above line, the 'conditions for continued payments' are as below:
(Point 5 )
"If you are a citizen of one of thecountries listed in the chart below,we will continue to pay yourbenefits outside the United States if:a) You are receiving benefits basedon your own earnings, and youearned at least 40 credits underthe U.S. Social Security systemor lived at least 10 years in theUnited States; orb) You are receiving benefits asdependent or survivor of a workerwho earned at least 40 creditsunder the U.S. Social Securitysystem or lived in the United Statesfor at least 10 years. You mustalso meet the conditions underthe heading ?Additional residencyrequirements for dependents andsurvivors? in this publication."

And the table lists India as the beneficiary country.

So, Yes, if you have atleast 40 credits (10 years of stay in the US), and you are an Indian citizen, you are still eligible to receive social security benefits.