SSI For Noncitizens

SSI is a federal program from the Social Security Administration that gives monthly benefits to low-income people. NOTE: SSI is different from Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI. You can only get SSDI if you have worked a certain amount of time and earned a certain amount of money.

To get SSI, you have to be 65 or older or so disabled you can’t work. There are more rules and limits if you are a noncitizen. Even if you are in the U.S. permanently and legally and you are at least 65 or disabled, you may not be able to get SSI. 

...you can get SSI as a noncitizen, but only if you fit into one of these 3 immigration categories:

1. You are an American Indian born in Canada
2. You filed your application for SSI before January 1, 1979 
   OR
3. You are a “qualified” noncitizen

You are a “qualified” noncitizen if you: 

• have a green card and were lawfully admitted for permanent residence under the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA).
   
• have been granted asylum.
   
• have been paroled into the U.S. for at least a year.
   
• have been granted withholding of deportation or cancellation of removal.
   
• have been granted a T-visa as a victim of severe trafficking.
   
• have been given battered immigrant status.
   
• are a refugee or treated as if you are a refugee. This means you are:
  • An “Amerasian” immigrant whose father was a US citizen in Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War years.
  • A Cuban or Haitian entrant
  • An Afghan or Iraqi Special Immigrant
  • An evacuee from Afghanistan by the US military between 7/31/21 and 9/30/22 (until your parole ends)
  • The immediate relative of an evacuee from Afghanistan described above who was paroled after 9/30/22
  • Paroled from Ukraine between 2/24/22 and 9/30/23
  • A citizen of the “Compacts of Free Association.” This means you are from Palau, Micronesia, or the Marshall Islands.

...you can get SSI only if you are in of these 4 categories:

• You worked 40 work quarters at Social Security-covered work.
• You are a U.S. veteran, an active-duty member of the U.S. armed forces, or the spouse, minor child, or unremarried widow(er) of a U.S. veteran or active-duty member.
• You are from COFA (Palau, the Marshall Islands, or Micronesia).
• You were granted refugee, asylee, or withholding status. In this category you can only get benefits for 7 years after the date you were granted that status.

If you have questions about SSI and noncitizens, call your local legal aid office at 1(877) 696-6529 (877-MY-MN-LAW).

Or look for help from other programs at www.lawhelpmn.org/providers-and-clinics.