Receiving U.S. retirement benefits in Türkiye

U.S. Social Security benefits are paid to U.S. citizens even when they live abroad. For noncitizens, there is an "Alien Nonpayment Provision." Turkish citizens benefit from an exception to this rule. This page explains how to receive benefits in Türkiye, the additional requirement for spouses and children, the effect of working abroad, taxation, and which office to contact from Türkiye.

• If a non-U.S. citizen remains outside the United States for 6 full calendar months in a row, benefits are suspended beginning in the seventh month.
• Suspended benefits resume after the person returns to the United States and remains there for 1 full calendar month.
• U.S. citizens, including naturalized citizens, are not subject to this rule.
• Foreign nationals who meet an exception are also not affected by this rule. The exception for Turkish citizens is explained below.
• People residing in Cuba and North Korea cannot benefit from any exception.

• Türkiye is among the countries on SSA's list that meet the "social insurance exception".
• This exception applies to citizens of countries that pay old-age or survivor benefits in full and without restriction to U.S. citizens living abroad.
• Result: a Turkish citizen who qualifies for U.S. retirement benefits based on their own work may continue receiving them while living in Türkiye.

• If you are younger than full retirement age and work outside the United States in a job not covered by U.S. Social Security contributions for more than 45 hours per month, benefits are not paid for that month. The amount of your earnings does not matter.
  • Both paid employment and self-employment count as work.
  • Even if you do not physically work because of illness or vacation, you are considered to be working if your employment agreement remains in effect.
  • If you own or are a partner in a business, you are considered to be working even if you do not work there or receive income.
  • Therefore, if your benefits are stopped, payments are also not made to other people receiving benefits on your record for that same month.
• If your work is covered by U.S. contributions, the annual earnings test used in the United States applies (see 17.1).
• Address: If you will remain outside the United States for more than 3 months, you must change your address to a foreign address. Form SSA-21 is completed when moving abroad from the United States.
• Annual questionnaire: Depending on the country, SSA sends benefit recipients abroad a questionnaire (Foreign Enforcement Questionnaire) every year or every two years. If it is not returned on time, payments are suspended in February.
• Death notification: If a beneficiary dies, report it immediately. Payments made after the month of death must be returned to SSA. Payments to eligible survivors may become available.

• The U.S. Treasury requires retirement benefits to be deposited into a bank account.
• If you have a bank account in the United States, you can have your benefits deposited into that account by emailing the bank's routing number, your account number, and the account type (checking or savings) to the FBU.
• Ask the FBU about payment options to a bank in Türkiye.
• If a payment does not arrive:
  • for direct deposits, ask your bank first; if it has not arrived by the 10th of the month, write to the FBU
  • for paper checks, notifications made before the 25th of the month will not be processed
  • state in your notification the date on which the payment was expected to arrive

• If you are not a U.S. citizen or a U.S. tax resident (nonresident alien), 85% of your benefits is taxed at 30%. This equals approximately 25.5% of the total benefit. A tax treaty may eliminate or reduce this rate.
• Türkiye is not on the list of treaty countries in IRS Publication 915 that exempt U.S. benefits from tax.
• SSA sends Form SSA-1042S showing the tax withheld during the year.
• SSA does not withhold tax from U.S. citizens' benefits. However, U.S. citizens and green card holders living abroad must continue filing tax returns with the United States (see 15.3 Tax Return).
• For the Türkiye–U.S. tax treaty, see 15.5.

• For Social Security questions and transactions of people residing in Türkiye, U.S. diplomatic missions in Türkiye, including the U.S. Embassy in Ankara, direct you to the Federal Benefits Unit (FBU) in Athens, Greece.
• Federal Benefits Unit – U.S. Embassy Athens
  • Email: FBU.Athens@ssa.gov (the unit's primary communication channel)
  • Mail: Federal Benefits Unit, American Embassy, Vas. Sofias Ave 91, 10160 Athens, Greece
  • Role: Information and assistance with matters involving SSA, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), the Department of Labor (DOL), and the Railroad Retirement Board (RRB).
  • Routine services are not provided at the consulate without prior correspondence with the FBU.
• People turning 62 who wish to apply from Türkiye should also write to the FBU.
• my Social Security: People without a U.S. address can also open an account using ID.me identity verification. On ID.me's "Verify Your Identity" screen, select the "I don't live in the United States" link.
  • You can: view your earnings record, get a benefit estimate, track the status of applications and appeals, obtain a benefit verification letter, obtain copies of SSA-1099/1042S, and replace a Medicare card.
  • You cannot do from abroad: change your address, change bank information, or request a new Social Security card. Write to the FBU for these matters.

1. Use SSA's Payments Abroad Screening Tool to check whether your benefits will continue abroad.
2. Check whether your spouse and children meet the 5-year U.S. residence requirement.
3. Open your my Social Security account; remember that you will use ID.me to sign in from abroad.
4. Complete Form SSA-21, submit it to SSA, and report your new address.
5. Determine the account into which the benefits will be deposited.
6. Decide whether to enroll in Medicare Part B. Part B cannot be used outside the United States (see 17.6).
7. Review tax withholding and the Türkiye–U.S. tax treaty.
8. Add the annual questionnaire deadline to your calendar.

• Going to the Embassy in Ankara for Social Security matters. The office to contact from Türkiye is the FBU in Athens.
• Assuming that a Turkish spouse's benefits will automatically continue and failing to check the 5-year requirement.
• Failing to report starting work for more than 45 hours per month in Türkiye.
• Failing to return the annual questionnaire and causing payments to stop.
• Assuming that SSI will also be sent to Türkiye (see 16.4).
• Failing to report that a deceased relative's benefits continue to be deposited.

• I have a green card and returned to Türkiye. Will my benefits stop? If you are a Turkish citizen, your benefits may continue under the social insurance exception. The status of your green card is a separate matter; see 3.12 Loss of a Green Card.
• My spouse is a Turkish citizen and has never lived in the United States. Can my spouse receive spousal benefits? Because the 5-year U.S. residence requirement is not met, payments stop after 6 months outside the United States.
• I started working in Türkiye. Will my benefits be affected? If you are younger than full retirement age and the work is not covered by U.S. contributions, benefits are not paid for months in which you exceed 45 hours.
• I am a U.S. citizen. Will living in Türkiye cause a problem? U.S. citizens are not subject to the Alien Nonpayment Provision. Benefits are paid, but you must continue filing a U.S. tax return.
• How much tax will be withheld from my benefits? If you are a nonresident alien for tax purposes, 85% of the benefit is taxed at 30%; this is approximately 25.5%.
• Can I go to the U.S. Embassy in Ankara? For Social Security questions, the Embassy will direct you to the FBU in Athens. Write to FBU.Athens@ssa.gov.

• Payments Abroad Screening Tool (SSA)
• Your Payments While You Are Outside the United States – guide to payments abroad (PDF, SSA)
• Form SSA-21 – supplemental form for people moving abroad (PDF)
• my Social Security account
• SSA – services for people abroad
• U.S. Embassy Athens – Federal Benefits Unit page
• IRS Publication 915 (PDF)