There is no Social Security Office in Thailand. The U.S. Embasy in Bangkok does have a person who provides limited assistance in Social Security issues. Your Service Officer at a local VFW Post can provide assistance on your behalf. The following topic provides answers to an important topic of interest to Veterans married to Thai Wives:
“What rights to Social Security payments exist for a non-US-citizen spouse or the vet’s dependents?”
Here is the criteria:
A. Thai Citizenship: If your wife, a Thai citizen, and is to be paid S/S benefits, she must have lived in the USA for a minimum of 5 years as a part of the family. A Thai wife would not be eligible if her 5 years included 2 years as a student and 3 years marriage to a vet. The 5 years does not have to be consecutive. It can be a few months at a time as long as you are with your husband and it adds up to five years. Ensure you keep all your old passports.
A Thai citizen and resident who while residing in the U.S. contributed to the SSA system by FICA taxes for forty periods (ten years) can claim and be paid SSA benefits while residing in Thailand. Taxed at 30%.
An exception would be if the American citizen husband died while in active duty with the U.S. military or as a result of a service-connected disease/injury or a citizen or resident of a Social Security “agreement country.” His spouse and minor children (under 18) may be eligible for benefits.
B. Surviving Spouse: An eligible person for SSA benefits is the surviving spouse of a Number Holder entitled for age to SSA benefits at least age 60 and duration of marriage for not less than nine months, unless the number holder died in an accident before the end of the nine months.
C. Surviving Children: Children adopted outside the US, are not generally eligible for payments; natural-born children likely are. IN any case you'll need proof of support and proof the child lived with you. Registering such children at the Embassy is one way of establishing residence. These are general guidelines. Each case needs to be evaluated on its own.
D. S/S Payments to Non –Citizens living in the USA. Public Law 104-193, the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996, permits payment of Social Security benefits to non- citizens living in the United States (U.S.) only if they are lawfully present in this country. The law requires that anyone living in the U.S. who applies for Social Security benefits on or after September 1, 1996, must provide evidence that he or she is a U.S. citizen or U.S. national, or an alien lawfully present in the U.S. as determined by the Attorney General.
This law does not affect:
- Social Security benefits for people residing outside the U.S.;
- Social Security benefits for people who applied before September 1, 1996; or
- Entitlement to Medicare hospital insurance by Social Security beneficiary.
For more information, you may call this toll-free number, 1-800-772-1213. Representatives there will be glad to help you, If you live outside the U.S.
E. Service-Connected Death: To use your service-connected death, have the DVA award document and the doctor’s statement on the cause of death being due to or attributable to the death.
F. Lump Sum Payment: This law does not affect:
- Social Security benefits for people residing outside the U.S.;
- Social Security benefits for people who applied before September 1, 1996; or
- Entitlement to Medicare hospital insurance by Social Security beneficiary.
For more information, you may call this toll-free number, 1-800-772-1213. Representatives there will be glad to help you, If you live outside the U.S.
G. Useful links
http: www.ssa.gov
http: www.Saa.gov.foreign/phones.html
U.S. Embassy: http://bangkok.usembassy.gov
Medicare links: www.medicare.gov