Under What Circumstances May an Alien Be Eligible for SSI?An alien may be eligible for supplemental security income (SSI) if he or she meets the requirements of the laws for non–citizens that went into effect on August 22, 1996. In general, beginning August 22, 1996, most aliens must meet two requirements to be potentially eligible for SSI:
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Who is a Qualified Alien?There are seven categories of qualified aliens. You are a qualified alien if the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) says you are in one of these categories:
In addition, you can be a “deemed qualified alien” if, under certain circumstances, you, your child or parent were subjected to battery or extreme cruelty by a family member while in the United States. |
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Under What Conditions May a "Qualified Alien" be Eligible for SSI Benefits?If you are in one of the seven "qualified alien" categories listed above, you may be eligible for SSI if you also meet one of the following conditions:
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Additional Eligible Alien CategoriesVictims of Severe Forms of Human trafficking: You may be eligible for SSI under certain circumstances if the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Refugee Resettlement (http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/orr/) and the Department of Homeland Security determines that you meet the requirements of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000. Special eligibility for nationals of Iraq or Afghanistan: If you are an Iraqi or Afghani national who was admitted to the U.S. as a special immigrant, you may qualify for seven years of SSI benefits if you served as a translator/interpreter for the U.S. Armed Forces in Iraq or Afghanistan or if you worked for the U.S. government in Iraq. |
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We Need Proof of Your Immigration StatusIf you apply for SSI benefits, you must give us proof of your immigration status, such as a current DHS admission/departure Form I-94, Form I-551 or an order from an immigration judge showing withholding of removal or granting asylum. If you have served in the U.S. Armed Forces, you may also need to give us proof of military service such as U.S. military discharge papers (DD Form 214) showing an honorable discharge. Your local Social Security office can tell you what other types of evidence you can submit to prove your alien status. |
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What if You Have a Sponsor?When you entered the U.S., you may have had someone sign an agreement with DHS to provide support for you. We call this agreement an affidavit of support, and we call the person who signs it your sponsor. If you have a sponsor, we generally will count his or her (and his or her spouse's) income and resources as your income and resources. Your local Social Security office can give you more information about these rules and how they apply in your case. |
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Becoming a U.S. CitizenYou can get more information about becoming a citizen by writing or visiting the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services website at www.uscis.gov or calling 1-800-870-3676 to get an application package for naturalization (DHS Form N-400). |
THIS INFORMATION IS GENERAL.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, CALL 1–800–772–1213 (TTY 1–800–325–0778),
VISIT OUR WEBSITE
(www.socialsecurity.gov) ON THE INTERNET,
OR CONTACT YOUR LOCAL SOCIAL SECURITY OFFICE.