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Can Noncitizens Receive Supplemental Security Income? Yes, if They Qualify

Supplemental Security Income isn't just for US citizens. In some cases, a noncitizen can qualify. Here's what you should know.

Headshot of Blake Stimac
Headshot of Blake Stimac
Blake Stimac Writer
Blake has over a decade of experience writing for the web, with a focus on mobile phones, where he covered the smartphone boom of the 2010s and the broader tech scene. When he's not in front of a keyboard, you'll most likely find him playing video games, watching horror flicks, or hunting down a good churro.
Blake Stimac
3 min read
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Here's how to determine if you qualify for Supplemental Security Income as a non US citizen. 

Supplemental Security Income is offered for individuals who have low income, low resources or both. The maximum amount a qualified individual can receive in 2025 is $967 a month, but several factors are involved in determining your monthly benefit amount. 

Funded by the US Treasury and paid out through the Social Security Administration, SSI is typically thought to be reserved for US citizens only, but noncitizens can also qualify. Factors such as how long you've lived in the US, your immigration status and how long you've been working all contribute to determining your eligibility. 

Below, we'll go over noncitizen eligibility requirements and how to apply for SSI. 

For more, check out the SSI payment schedule. 

What circumstances make a noncitizen eligible for SSI?

Noncitizens must meet two requirements in order to be eligible for SSI. 

First, you'll need to be in a set of qualifying classifications. Second, you'll have to meet a condition that allows qualified noncitizens to receive SSI. 

What are the qualifying categories for noncitizens?

There are multiple qualifying categories for noncitizens, sometimes referred to as "qualified aliens." If you fall into one of the groups below with supporting documentation, you are considered qualified. 

1. Lawfully admitted for permanent residence (LAPR).
2. Granted conditional entry.
3. Paroled into the United States.
4. Admitted as a refugee.
5. Granted asylum.
6. A noncitizen whose removal is being withheld.
7. A Cuban or Haitian entrant.
8. Admitted as an Amerasian immigrant.
9. Admitted as an Afghan or Iraqi special immigrant.
10. Admitted as an Afghan humanitarian parolee or Afghan non-special immigrant parolee.
11. Admitted as a Ukrainian humanitarian parolee.

A "deemed qualified noncitizen" status can also be granted in certain circumstances if you, your child or your parent were subjected to battery or extreme cruelty by a family member while living in the US. 

What conditions must a qualified noncitizen meet for SSI eligibility?

If you're in one of the above categories, you could be eligible for SSI if you meet one of the following conditions:

  • You were already receiving SSI and lawfully residing in the US on or before Aug. 22, 1996.
  • You were lawfully residing in the US by Aug. 22, 1996 and you are blind or have a qualifying disability.
  • You are LAPR with 40 qualifying quarters of work. (In some cases, work by your parents or spouse could also count towards the 40 quarters of work for SSI.) Noncitizens who entered the United States on or after Aug. 22, 1996, may not be eligible for SSI for the first five years as a LAPR even if they have the 40 qualifying quarters of work. 
  • You are currently on active duty with US Armed Forces or are an "honorably discharged veteran." Or you are the spouse, widow or child of this person.
  • You're a refugee, an asylee, a noncitizen whose deportation was withheld or whose removal was or is withheld, a Cuban or Haitian entrant or an Amerasian immigrant.
  • An exemption to the Aug. 22, 1996 law includes Indigenous persons born in Canada or a noncitizen member of a federally recognized Indigenous tribe.

How long can noncitizens receive SSI? 

People with certain noncitizen statuses are limited to seven years of SSI payments, where others are not. The limit can also be lifted in certain circumstances if your status changes. 

If the seven-year limit is imposed on your particular noncitizen status, you will receive a letter telling you the end date of the period. Another letter will explain your right to appeal before payments stop being sent out.

Can I still receive SSI benefits if I'm out of the country?

The SSA will stop payments for any noncitizen who no longer meets the requirements above and is out of the country for six calendar months in a row. Benefits will continue after you return to the US and remain there for one full calendar month.

How do I apply for SSI?

You can apply for Supplemental Security Income by going to the Social Security Administration website. We have a helpful guide on it, too. 

You'll need to provide proof of your noncitizen status, so ready any supporting documents for when you apply for SSI. If you served in the military, you should provide US military documentation showing honorable discharge not based on your noncitizen status. 

For more, don't miss how to apply for Social Security benefits. 

About the Author

Headshot of Blake Stimac
Writer
Writer

Blake has over a decade of experience writing for the web, with a focus on mobile phones, where he covered the smartphone boom of the 2010s and the broader tech scene. When he's not in front of a keyboard, you'll most likely find him playing video games, watching horror flicks, or hunting down a good churro.