Section 202(t)(11) provides, in general, that no benefit may be paid to a non-U.S.
citizen or national for any month after the 6th consecutive calendar month the non-U.S. citizen or national has been outside the
U.S. Certain non-U.S. citizen dependent and survivor beneficiaries, who are first
eligible for Social Security benefits after December 1984, must have resided in the
U.S. for at least five years. During this 5-year residence they must have been in
a family relationship with the number holder (NH) in order to receive U.S. benefits.
As explained in GN 01701.150A.2., citizens or residents of a country with which the United States has a Totalization
agreement are exempt from these requirements unless an agreement includes a limitation
on the exemption. The U.S.-Danish agreement includes such a limitation. Under the
agreement, all residents of Denmark who are dependants or survivors are exempt from
the U.S. 5-year residence requirements, but Danish citizens who are dependents or
survivors and who do not reside in the United States or Denmark are only exempt if
they reside in another country with which the United States has a Totalization agreement.
(Denmark is the second agreement country that includes such a limitation.)