If you are not a citizen, do you still have to get SSI benefits? Supplemental Security Income payments may be available to certain noncitizens. However, the Social Security Administration (SSA) maintains that the criteria for receiving Supplemental Security Income benefits differ from those for receiving Social Security benefits.
The SSA states that in order to be eligible for Supplemental Security Income benefits, a noncitizen must be a qualifying alien or fit into one of the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) alien classifications.
Who can get SSI as a noncitizen?
The Department of Homeland Security* has established the following classifications:
- Admitted as a Ukrainian humanitarian Parolee.
- Admitted as Afghan Non-Special Immigrant Parolee.
- Admitted as an Afghan humanitarian parolee.
- Admitted as an Iraqi or Afghan Special Immigrant.
- Admitted as an Amerasian Immigrant.
- A Haitian or Cuban Entrant.
- An alien whose removal is being withheld.
- Non-citizen: granted asylum.
- Admitted as a refugee.
- Paroled in the USA.
- Granted conditional entry.
- Lawfully admitted for permanent residence.
*Meeting one of the requirements listed above is also necessary; candidates must be in one of the aforementioned classifications: https://www.ssa.gov/pubs/EN-05-11051.pdf
Social Security has different rules from the SSI program
Lawfully present noncitizens of the United States of America who fulfill all qualifying requirements are eligible to receive Social Security benefits, according to the Social Security Administration.
Therefore, noncitizens who were allowed to work in the United States and who acquired a Social Security Number (SSN) after December 2003 are likewise subject to this SSA rule. You were given your Social Security number up till 21 years ago.
What happens, though, if I want to keep getting benefits outside of the US? Social Security states that in order to get benefits outside of the US, you must fulfill specific requirements.
See also: Social Security payments following Cyber Monday 2024: Find out when you’ll receive your income each month.
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