(NewsNation) — Social Security payments will continue to stream in for most Americans planning an overseas retirement. 

As more and more of the population retires, a large number are considering life in a foreign country.

In 2000, less than 400,000 received Social Security payments abroad, according to Forbes. That number boomed to more than 700,000 by 2022.

Many of these retirees will need to rely on Social Security payments, but luckily, receiving payments won’t be an issue under most circumstances. 

Can I live anywhere and get Social Security payments? 

If you are a United States citizen, you may continue to receive payments while outside the U.S. as long as you are eligible for payment and you are in a country where the agency can send payments, according to the Social Security Administration. 

While most countries are okay, there are some exceptions. 

The Department of the Treasury prohibits payments to those living in Azerbaijan, Belarus, Cuba, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, North Korea, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. 

U.S. citizens living in Cuba or North Korea will get payments they were eligible to receive while living in these countries retroactively once they move to the U.S. or another foreign country where Social Security payments are allowed.

Noncitizens forgo payments made during the time they lived in Cuba or North Korea under agency rules.

Does it matter how long you live abroad? 

There is no cap on the time someone can live abroad and still receive monthly Social Security payments as long as they are completing all the required paperwork. 

The Social Security Administration will send those living overseas a questionnaire every 1 to 2 years, which will determine eligibility for benefits, according to the agency. 

Part of this includes proof of life and a form inquiring about changes to residency and marital status, among other things. 

Benefit payments run the risk of stopping if the paperwork isn’t completed.   

What if you’re not a U.S. citizen?

Non-U.S. citizens cannot receive Social Security payments after their sixth calendar month outside the United States. 

Once this happens, the agency cannot restart payments again until the person returns to the U.S. and stays for a full calendar month. 

However, there are some exceptions to this policy. 

These include those eligible for monthly Social Security benefits for December 1956, those receiving benefits on behalf of someone who died while in the U.S. military service or as a result of a service-connected disability and those who earned at least 40 credits under the U.S. Social Security system or lived at least 10 years in the U.S., among other exceptions.