(a) Suspension effective date. A recipient is not eligible for SSI benefits if he is outside the United States for a full calendar month. For purposes of this paragraph—

(1) United States means the 50 States, the District of Columbia, and the Northern Mariana Islands:

(2) Day means a full 24-hour day; and

(3) In determining whether a recipient has been outside the United States for a full calendar month, it must be established whether the recipient is outside the United States for 30 consecutive days or more. If yes, he or she will be treated as remaining outside the United States until he or she has returned to and remained in the United States for a period of 30 consecutive days. When a recipient has been outside the United States, the first period of 30 consecutive days of absence is counted beginning with the day after the day the recipient departs from the United States and ending with the day before the day on which he or she returns to the United States. When a recipient has returned to the United States, the second period of 30 consecutive days starts on the day the individual returned and ends on the 30th day of continuous presence in the United States. Benefits will be suspended effective with the first full calendar month in which a recipient is outside the United States.

(b) Resumption of payments after absence from the United States. If benefits are otherwise payable they will be resumed—

(1) Effective with the day following the 30th day of continuous presence in the United States after the recipient's return if the absence was for 30 consecutive days or more.

(2) Effective with the day the recipient returned to the United States, if the absence from the United States was for a full calendar month, but for less than 30 consecutive days (this can occur only for the calendar month of February).

[51 FR 13494, Apr. 21, 1986; 51 FR 17332, May 12, 1986]