Decision 3 · Week 3 · Wed Nov 18
Can my foreign spouse get my Social Security benefits?
SHORT ANSWERPossibly, but a non-citizen spouse living abroad generally has to have lived in the US for at least five years to receive spousal or survivor benefits on your record, unless an exception applies.
Exceptions depend on your spouse's citizenship and the country you live in. SSA keeps the lists in its booklet on payments outside the US.
Countries with a US Social Security agreement can change the answer. Colombia, for example, has none, so its exception does not apply there. Check your own case with SSA before you count on this income.
This matters most for survivor income. If your spouse would depend on your check after you die, the plan has to work even if it is not paid.
Week 3 builds the plan that works for both of you.
Sources
- Your Payments While You Are Outside the United States (EN-05-10137) · Social Security Administration
- U.S. International Social Security Agreements · Social Security Administration
Written and reviewed by Todd Allyn, Founding Director, Sovereo Intelligence
Facts checked Oct 6, 2026 · Next review by Apr 6, 2027
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