[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 51 (Thursday, March 14, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10615-10616]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-6111]



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SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION


Finding Regarding Foreign Social Insurance or Pension System--
Croatia

AGENCY: Social Security Administration.

ACTION: Notice of Finding Regarding Foreign Social Insurance or Pension 
System--Croatia.

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FINDING: Section 202(t)(1) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 
402(t)(1)) prohibits payment of monthly benefits to any individual who 
is not a United States citizen or national for any month after he or 
she has been outside the United States for 6 consecutive months, and 
prior to the first month thereafter for all of which, the individual 
has been in the U.S. This prohibition does not apply to such an 
individual where one of the exceptions described in section 202(t)(2) 
through 202(t)(5) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 402(t)(2) 
through 402(t)(5)) affects his or her case.
    Section 202(t)(2) of the Social Security Act provides that, subject 
to certain residency requirements of section 202(t)(11), the 
prohibition against payment shall not apply to any individual who is a 
citizen of a country which the Commissioner of Social Security finds 
has in effect a social insurance or pension system which is of general 
application in such country and which:
    (a) Pays periodic benefits, or the actuarial equivalent thereof, on 
account of old age, retirement, or death; and
    (b) Permits individuals who are United States citizens but not 
citizens of that country and who qualify for such benefits to receive 
those benefits, or the actuarial equivalent thereof, while outside the 
foreign country regardless of the duration of the absence.
    The Commissioner of Social Security has delegated the authority to 
make such a finding to the Director of the Office of International 
Policy. Under that authority the Director of the Office of 
International Policy has approved a finding that Croatia, beginning 
April 1, 1992, has a social insurance system of general application 
which:
    (a) Pays periodic benefits, or the actuarial equivalent thereof, on 
account of old age, retirement, or death; and
    (b) Permits United States citizens who are not citizens of Croatia 
and who qualify for the relevant benefits to receive such benefits, or 
their actuarial equivalent, while outside of Croatia, regardless of the 
duration of the absence of these individuals from Croatia.
    Accordingly, it is hereby determined and found that Croatia has in 
effect, beginning April 1, 1992, a social insurance system which meets 
the requirements of section 202(t)(2) of the Social Security Act (42 
U.S.C. 402(t)(2)).
    This is our first finding under section 202(t) of the Social 
Security Act for Croatia. Before April 1992, the United States did not 
recognize Croatia as an independent nation. At that time, it was 
considered part of the former Yugoslavia which, on March 25, 1959, had 
been found to have a system that

[[Page 10616]]
met section 202(t)(2) of the Social Security Act. Thus, prior April 
1992 Croatian citizens were afforded the social insurance exception to 
the alien nonpayment provision based on the determination which was 
then in effect for Yugoslavia.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Donna Powers, Room 1104, West High 
Rise Building, P.O. Box 17741, 6401 Security Boulevard, Baltimore, MD 
21235, (410) 965-3568.

(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance: Program Nos. 96.001 Social 
Security--Disability Insurance; 96.002 Social Security--Retirement 
Insurance; 96.004 Social Security--Survivors Insurance)

    Dated: February 6, 1996.
James A. Kissko,
Director, Office of International Policy.
[FR Doc. 96-6111 Filed 3-13-96; 8:45 am]
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