Effective Dates: 09/22/2022 - Present Previous | Next

TN 12 (09-22)

GN 01701.125 Crediting Foreign Coverage in Totalization Claims

A. Policy

To determine whether U.S. insured status is met based on combined U.S. and foreign coverage, the worker’s foreign coverage must be converted to quarterly increments (if the foreign system does not credit on a quarterly basis) and allocated to the worker's U.S. earnings record. However, no credit may be given for any periods of foreign coverage credited prior to January 1, 1937 or which coincide with a calendar quarter that has already been credited as a U.S. quarter of coverage (QC).

B. Process

1. General

QCs will be credited for foreign coverage without regard to the usual earnings criteria for earning QCs. QCs will generally be credited as follows:

If the Foreign Country Credits Coverage on a: The Worker Will Be Credited With:
Yearly basis 4 QCs for every year of foreign coverage
Monthly basis 1 QC for every 3 months (or fraction thereof) of foreign coverage
Weekly basis 1 QC for every 13 weeks (or fraction thereof) of foreign coverage
Daily basis varies depending on agreement

2. Allocating foreign QCs

Foreign coverage is allocated to calendar quarters that are not already U.S. QCs. When the foreign country’s records show the foreign coverage was earned within a specific time period, the foreign coverage is allocated only to calendar quarters wholly or partly within the beginning and ending dates of that time period. Any foreign coverage which cannot be assigned because it would coincide with a U.S. QC is ignored.

3. Responsibility for crediting foreign coverage

The Office of International Operations is responsible for crediting foreign coverage to the U.S. earnings record and adjudicating claims based on combined U.S. and foreign coverage.

EXCEPTION: Designated Canadian border field offices are responsible for crediting Canadian coverage to the U.S. earnings record and adjudicating claims based on combined U.S. and Canadian coverage.

To Link to this section - Use this URL:
http://policy.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0201701125
GN 01701.125 - Crediting Foreign Coverage in Totalization Claims - 09/22/2022
Batch run: 09/22/2022
Rev:09/22/2022