The Social Security agreement between the United States and Austria:

• •

  eliminates dual Social Security coverage and taxation of the same work; and

• •

  permits workers (and their dependents and survivors) to qualify for partial U.S. or Austrian benefits, even if they do not meet the normal insured status requirements.

The agreement with Austria became effective November 1, 1991. A supplementary agreement, which revises several provisions of the original agreement, became effective January 1, 1997.

We can use periods of U.S. and Austrian social security coverage a worker earned prior to November 1, 1991 to establish entitlement to U.S. or Austrian Totalization benefits. However, the earliest possible month of entitlement to such benefits is November 1991.

For more information on the Austrian social security system, visit the Social Security Programs Throughout the World website.

To find out how the agreement eliminates dual coverage, see sections RS 02001.650 through RS 02001.690.