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SSA logo: link to Social Security Online home  INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENTS

Purpose of Agreement

SEC. 233. [42 U.S.C. 433] (a) The President is authorized (subject to the succeeding provisions of this section) to enter into agreements establishing totalization arrangements between the social security system established by this title and the social security system of any foreign country, for the purposes of establishing entitlement to and the amount of old-age, survivors, disability, or derivative benefits based on a combination of an individual's periods of coverage under the social security system established by this title and the social security system of such foreign country.

Definitions

(b) For the purposes of this section—

(1) the term “social security system” means, with respect to a foreign country, a social insurance or pension system which is of general application in the country and under which periodic benefits, or the actuarial equivalent thereof, are paid on account of old age, death, or disability; and
(2) the term “period of coverage” means a period of payment of contributions or a period of earnings based on wages for employment or on self-employment income, or any similar period recognized as equivalent thereto under this title or under the social security system of a country which is a party to an agreement entered into under this section.

Crediting Periods of Coverage; Conditions of Payment of Benefits

(c)(1) Any agreement establishing a totalization arrangement pursuant to this section shall provide—

(A) that in the case of an individual who has at least 6 quarters of coverage as defined in section 213 of this Act and periods of coverage under the social security system of a foreign country which is a party to such agreement, periods of coverage of such individual under such social security system of such foreign country may be combined with periods of coverage under this title and otherwise considered for the purposes of establishing entitlement to and the amount of old-age, survivors, and disability insurance benefits under this title;
(B)(i) that employment or self-employment, or any service which is recognized as equivalent to employment or self-employment under this title or the social security system of a foreign country which is a party to such agreement, shall, on or after the effective date of such agreement, result in a period of coverage under the system established under this title or under the system established under the laws of such foreign country, but not under both, and (ii) the methods and conditions for determining under which system employment, self-employment, or other service shall result in a period of coverage; and
(C) that where an individual's periods of coverage are combined, the benefit amount payable under this title shall be based on the proportion of such individual's periods of coverage which was completed under this title.
(2) Any such agreement may provide that an individual who is entitled to cash benefits under this title shall, notwithstanding the provisions of section 202(t), receive such benefits while he resides in a foreign country which is a party to such agreement.
(3) Section 226 shall not apply in the case of any individual to whom it would not be applicable but for this section or any agreement or regulation under this section.
(4) Any such agreement may contain other provisions which are not inconsistent with the other provisions of this title and which the President deems appropriate to carry out the purposes of this section.

Regulations

(d) The Commissioner of Social Security shall make rules and regulations and establish procedures which are reasonable and necessary to implement and administer any agreement which has been entered into in accordance with this section.

Reports to Congress; Effective Date of Agreements

(e)(1) Any agreement to establish a totalization arrangement entered into pursuant to this section shall be transmitted by the President to the Congress together with a report on the estimated number of individuals who will be affected by the agreement and the effect of the agreement on the estimated income and expenditures of the programs established by this Act.

(2) Such an agreement shall become effective on any date, provided in the agreement, which occurs after the expiration of the period (following the date on which the agreement is transmitted in accordance with paragraph (1)) during which at least one House of the Congress has been in session on each of 60 days; except that such agreement shall not become effective if, during such period, either House of the Congress adopts a resolution of disapproval of the agreement.