I was unaware of that. Google turned up this:
A Factsheet from Social Security
_______________________________________________________________
Social Security Administration
SSA Publication No. 05-11051
October 1996
Supplemental Security Income For Noncitizens
New laws change the way we pay Supplemental Security Income
(SSI) benefits to noncitizens. The new laws apply to people who
are already receiving SSI benefits and to people who are
applying for benefits.
What The Laws Say
Under the new laws, only United States (U.S.) citizens and
nationals and certain noncitizens can get SSI benefits.
Who may get SSI on or after August 22, 1996?
* Citizens or nationals of the U.S.
* Noncitizens who were already getting SSI on August 22, 1996,
may continue to get benefits until we review their case (see
"When Will Your Benefits Stop?" on the back of this
factsheet).
* Noncitizens who have been lawfully admitted to the U.S. for
permanent residence and have a total of 40 qualifying work
credits.
-- Work credits earned by your spouse or parent may also
count toward the 40 credits. (These work credits count
for SSI eligibility, but not for Social Security benefit
purposes.)
-- Work credits earned after December 31, 1996, CANNOT BE
COUNTED IF the noncitizen, spouse, or parent received
certain types of federally funded benefits based on
limited income and resources during that period.
* Certain noncitizens who are active duty members, or who are
honorably discharged veterans, of the U.S. Armed Forces,
their spouses, and unmarried dependent children.
* Certain other noncitizens may be eligible for five years
after:
-- the date of admission as a refugee under Section 207 of
the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA);
-- the date granted asylum under Section 208 of the INA; or
-- the date deportation is withheld under Section 243(h) of
the INA.
Your local Social Security office can tell you whether you
are eligible.
Proof Of Your Status Is Required
If you file a new application for SSI benefits, you must give
us proof of your U.S. citizenship or noncitizen status.
Noncitizens who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces may also
need to give us proof of military service. Although procedures
have not been finalized, here are some examples of the kind of
information you may need to provide:
* As proof of citizenship a U.S. birth certificate, passport,
or naturalization certificate;
* As proof of your noncitizen status an unexpired Form I-94 or
I-551 from the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS);
or
* As proof of military service U.S. military discharge papers
(DD Form 214) showing honorable discharge not based on your
noncitizen status.
If you were receiving SSI as of August 22, 1996, you may
also need to give us proof of citizenship or noncitizen status.
When Will Your Benefits Stop?
For noncitizens who are getting SSI as of August 22, 1996, the
new law requires that we look at your case within 12 months to
make sure that you are eligible under the new law. During
February and March 1997, we will send you a letter telling you
about the law and what you have to do to prove that you are in
one of the eligibility categories. If you are unable to prove
that you are in one of the eligibility categories, we will send
you a second letter telling you when your SSI benefits will
stop.
If you can receive SSI benefits for only five years because
of your particular noncitizen status, we will send you a letter
telling you when the five-year period ends. We will also send
you a letter before we stop your benefits.
When we send you a letter about stopping your benefits, we
will tell you how to appeal our decision and how to have your
benefits continued during your appeal.
Information About Medicaid
If you are getting Medicaid based on your SSI, your Medicaid
should continue as long as you are eligible for SSI. If we find
that you are not eligible for SSI under the new law, the letter
we send you about that decision will tell you more about your
Medicaid.
You Can File A New Claim
If your SSI benefits stop because you are not an eligible
noncitizen, you can apply again. Contact us right away if you
become a U.S. citizen, your immigration status changes and you
become an eligible noncitizen, or you have gained 40 qualifying
work credits (because of your work and/or that of a spouse or
parent). You will need to provide your naturalization
certificate or other documents that show your immigration
status.
If You Have A Sponsor
When you entered the U.S., you may have had someone sign an
agreement to provide support for you. This agreement is called
an affidavit of support and the person who signed it is called
your sponsor.
If you have a sponsor, we generally will count his or her
income and resources (and his/her spouse's) as your income and
resources for a certain period of years from the time you
arrive in the U.S.
Your local Social Security office can give you more
information about these rules and how they apply in your case.
Becoming A Citizen
You can get more information about becoming a citizen by
writing or visiting a local Immigration and Naturalization
Service (INS) office or call 1-800-870-3676 to get an
application for naturalization (N-400 Form).
For More Information About SSI
You can get more information 24 hours a day by calling Social
Security's toll-free telephone number 1-800-772-1213. If you
want to speak to a representative, you should call between the
hours of 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. on Monday through Friday. Our lines
are busiest early in the week and early in the month, so it's
best to call at other times. Please have your Social Security
number handy when you call. Our representatives can give you
the address and telephone number of your local Social Security
office if you would like to visit the office.
If you have a touch-tone phone, recorded information and
services are available 24 hours a day, including weekends and
holidays.
People who are deaf or hard of hearing may call our
toll-free TTY number, 1-800-325-0778 between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m.
on Monday through Friday.
The Social Security Administration treats all calls
confidentially--whether they're made to our toll-free numbers
or to one of our offices. We also want to be sure that you
receive accurate and courteous service. That is why we have a
second Social Security representative monitor some incoming
and outgoing telephone calls.
----------
Good News About SSI For Legal Immigrants
+---------------------------------------------------------------+
An Important Message From Social Security
Good News About SSI For Legal Immigrants
The SSI welfare reform law has been changed.
-------------------------------------------------------------
* Legal immigrants who were receiving SSI on August 22,
1996, will continue to receive SSI payments. A notice will
be sent to all affected recipients.
-------------------------------------------------------------
* Refugees, asylees and individuals whose deportation has
been withheld can be eligible for SSI for up to seven years.
Previously, the time limit was five years. If your immigrant
status changes, contact Social Security.
-------------------------------------------------------------
* Certain legal immigrants who were residing in the United
States on August 22, 1996, and who are blind or disabled are
eligible for SSI. This eligibility will be regardless of age
or the date their disability or blindness began.
For more information about SSI eligibility rules, call
Social Security toll-free at 1-800-772-1213, or contact your
local Social Security office.
Social Security Administration
August 1997 |
