US Releases Names of 2 Countries Under Social Security Payment Restrictions

• The US Social Security Administration officially listed 2 countries where residents cannot receive Social Security payments due to Treasury Department restrictions
• The restriction applies differently depending on whether the affected person holds US citizenship or not, with significant consequences either way
• The SSA publication outlines specific conditions under which withheld payments may eventually be recovered by eligible recipients

The US Social Security Administration (SSA) has confirmed that residents of two countries are barred from receiving Social Security payments, citing restrictions imposed by the US Department of the Treasury.

According to an official SSA publication, the Treasury Department prohibits the agency from sending payments to individuals living in either nation, regardless of their eligibility under standard Social Security rules.

Countries banned from US Social Security payments

According to the federal government, the two banned countries are:

1. Cuba

2. North Korea

The rules differ depending on citizenship status. For US citizens residing in Cuba or North Korea, payments are not permanently forfeited. Once such a person relocates to a country where the SSA is permitted to send funds, all previously withheld payments become accessible to them.

Non-US citizens face a stricter outcome. Under the Social Security Act, any months spent living in Cuba or North Korea result in a permanent loss of benefits for those periods. This remains the case even if the individual later moves to another country and meets all other requirements to receive Social Security payments. There is no mechanism for recovering those withheld amounts.

A US citizen who has retired to either country, for instance, would find their monthly payments suspended for as long as they remain there.

The SSA publication makes clear that these are not administrative decisions made by the agency itself but rather the result of sanctions enforced by the Treasury Department, placing them outside the SSA's discretion to waive or override.

In a similar report, Legit.ng published that the US announced an entry programme that bars foreigners from changing their status.

US: Countries subject to 2-year residency rule

Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that the US mentioned the 44 countries whose exchange visitors may have to spend two years back home after completing a US programme.

The rule does not apply to everyone from those countries: it depends on both the visitor’s country and field of expertise appearing on the US Skills List. For Nigerians and other affected nationals, that detail could shape their path to certain US immigration benefits.