[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 24 (Wednesday, February 5, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5503-5504]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-2754]


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SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION


Finding Regarding Foreign Social Insurance or Pension System--
Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia

AGENCY: Social Security Administration.

ACTION: Notice of finding regarding foreign social insurance or pension 
system--former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.
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 United States. This prohibition does not apply to such 
an individual where one of the exceptions described in sections 
202(t)(2) through 202(t)(5) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 
402(t)(2)-(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 Associate Commissioner for International 
Policy. Under that authority, the Associate Commissioner for 
International Policy has approved a finding that the Former Yugoslav 
Republic of Macedonia, as of February 1, 1994, 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 the 
Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and who qualify for the relevant 
benefits to receive those benefits, or their actuarial equivalent, 
while outside of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, regardless 
of the duration of the absence of these individuals from the Former 
Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.
    Accordingly, it is hereby determined and found that the Former 
Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia has in effect, as of February 1, 1994, 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)).

[[Page 5504]]

    This is our first finding under section 202(t) of the Social 
Security Act for the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. Before 
February 1994, the United States did not recognize the Former Yugoslav 
Republic of Macedonia 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 met section 202(t)(2) of the Social 
Security Act. Thus, prior to February 1994, Former Yugoslav Republic of 
Macedonia 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: January 28, 1997.
James A. Kissko,
Associate Commissioner for International Policy.
[FR Doc. 97-2754 Filed 2-4-97; 8:45 am]
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