International Programs and Resources

Introduction

Welcome to SSA’s International Programs home page. This site provides information about:

• The U.S. program of international Social Security agreements
• The payment of U.S. Social Security benefits outside the United States
• Nonresident alien tax withholding from U.S. Social Security benefits
• Social Security Programs in other countries

International Agreements

The United States has bilateral Social Security agreements with 30 countries. The agreements improve benefit protection for workers who have divided their careers between the United States and another country. They also eliminate dual Social Security coverage and taxes for multinational companies and expatriate workers.

Select the hyperlinks below for additional information about our Totalization Agreements:

• Countries with Social Security Agreements and other information
• International Agreement summary by country 
• Complete text of each International Agreement
• Detailed description of each International Agreement

Payments Outside the United States

Select Social Security Payments Outside the United States to find specific information about how your benefits could be affected while you are outside the United States.

Resource Tools

• The Payments Abroad Screening Tool will help you learn if you can receive benefits outside the United States.
• The Nonresident Alien Tax Screening Tool will help you learn if nonresident alien tax should be withheld from your benefits.
• The Windfall Elimination Provision Tool (WEP) will help you learn if your foreign pension will reduce your U.S. Social Security benefit.

Social Security in Other Countries

For information about other countries' Social Security programs, check the latest version of "Social Security Programs throughout the World".

We've also provided Links to Social Security Web Pages of other Countries and International Organizations.