I am a legal alien living in the USA (ie I am legally resident) and receiving SS retirement benefits. I plan to move to LOS in October. For a US citizen this presents no problems - SSA will continue paying the retirement cheques into your bank account. Does anyone know what happens in the case of a legal alien? One is supposed to tell the SSA of any change of address so even if I keep my US bank account I should tell them I am moving out of the country. Thank you.

But if you're actually moving to Thailand, you won't be a U.S. legal resident anymore. Green card status is only for those who intend to permanently reside in the U.S.

In any event, look at this publication; much depends on your citizenship. Green Card or not doesn't matter.

https://www.ssa.gov/pubs/EN-05-10137.pdf

If you're receiving the retirement benefits based on your OWN work history then you'll continue to receive them if you move to Thailand, as is plainly spelled out in that brochure. In fact, I've helped non-U.S. citizens who worked in the U.S. and later moved to Thailand apply for their SS retirement benefits. They thought that since they weren't U.S. citizens, they weren't able able to claim retirement benefits. You don't have to work a "full career" in the U.S. to be able to claim SS benefits.

^

Exactly.

This poster knows several former Green Card holders (Thai) who worked sufficient numbers of quarters in the States and who are now receiving their well-earned SS Benefit.

thank you all for having dispelled clouds on the horizon that threatened to turn grey. And thank you for the brochure.