En esta noticia
Retirees and pensioners who receive benefits from the Social Security Administration (SSA) while residing outside the United States must meet a fundamental requirement to keep receiving their payments: periodically present a certificate of survival, officially known as the Foreign Compliance Questionnaire (FEQ).
The measure is part of the SSA’s Foreign Verification Program, whose objective is to confirm that the beneficiary remains alive and continues to meet the conditions to receive the benefit. If the person does not respond in time, payments may be suspended.
The SSA requires a certificate of survival from everyone who collects from abroad
The Social Security Administration periodically sends a questionnaire to beneficiaries who live outside the United States. This form serves as a certificate of survival and allows verification of:
- That the beneficiary remains alive
- That they are still eligible to collect
- Whether there were changes in their marital status
- Whether they changed citizenship
- Whether they changed their address
- Whether there is any fact that could affect the right to receive benefits
How often must it be submitted?
The frequency depends on each case. The SSA carries out these checks annually or every two years, depending on the country of residence and the beneficiary’s situation. The agency determines which people must complete the procedure within the Foreign Verification Program.
Payments to all retirees and pensioners who delay this procedure are suspended
The SSA warns that those who do not respond within the established deadline may suffer a suspension of their payments. Before taking that measure, the agency carries out a follow-up procedure to try to obtain the pending information. If the beneficiary still does not respond, benefits may stop being paid until their situation is regularized.