Is it permissible to financially assist the poor outside the country in which we reside, and will we be rewarded for that?

The Lawgiver (Allah) encouraged helping relatives and promised rewards for it, based on the Almighty's saying: "Say, 'Whatever you spend of good is for parents and relatives and orphans and the needy and the traveler. And whatever you do of good - indeed, Allah is Knowing of it'" (Al-Baqarah: 215), and His (peace be upon him) saying: "Charity given to a poor person is charity, while charity given to a relative is two: charity and upholding ties of kinship." This encouragement includes relatives living with you or outside your country. The Lawgiver also encouraged helping all the poor and needy wherever they may be, but the close neighbor and the neighbor who is not a relative are more deserving than others, based on the Almighty's saying: "Worship Allah and associate nothing with Him, and to parents do good, and to relatives, orphans, the needy, the near neighbor, the far neighbor, the companion by your side, and the traveler, and those whom your right hands possess" (An-Nisa': 36). This applies to voluntary charity. As for obligatory Zakat, the ruling on transferring it outside the country has been previously explained.