Immigrants and non-citizens may be eligible for disability benefits under certain conditions. Here's what you need to know about eligibility.
In this article, we'll cover:
- SSI eligibility for non-citizens
- SSDI eligibility for non-citizens
- Qualified alien categories
- Work credit considerations
1. SSI Eligibility for Non-Citizens
Basic rule:
- Must be "qualified alien"
- AND meet additional requirements
- Citizenship not required
- But more restrictive than for citizens
Categories that may qualify:
- Lawful Permanent Residents (green card)
- Refugees
- Asylees
- Certain parolees
- Trafficking victims
- Some others
Additional requirements:
- Many qualified aliens need 40 work credits
- Or 5 years of qualified alien status
- Or military connection
- Depends on entry date and status
Date of entry matters:
- Before 8/22/1996: Different rules
- After 8/22/1996: More restrictive
- 1996 welfare reform changed rules
- Know your entry date
2. SSDI Eligibility for Non-Citizens
More accessible:
- Based on work history
- Must have enough work credits
- Immigration status less restrictive
- Work authorization needed to earn credits
Requirements:
- Enough work credits (usually 40)
- 20 credits in last 10 years
- Must be legally working to earn credits
- Disability requirements same as citizens
Work authorization:
- Need work authorization to earn legal credits
- Credits earned while authorized count
- Unauthorized work may not count
- Check your specific situation
Key difference from SSI:
- SSDI is earned benefit
- Based on your contributions
- Less about immigration status
- More about work history
Important: SSDI is generally more accessible to non-citizens than SSI because it's based on work history, not alien status.
3. Qualified Alien Categories
Lawful Permanent Residents:
- Green card holders
- May need 40 work credits for SSI
- Or other qualifying factors
- Most common category
Refugees:
- Can receive SSI for 7 years
- From date of admission
- No work credit requirement initially
- After 7 years, need other basis
Asylees:
- Can receive SSI for 7 years
- From date of asylum grant
- Similar to refugees
- After 7 years, need other basis
Other categories:
- Cuban/Haitian entrants
- Amerasian immigrants
- Afghan and Iraqi special immigrants
- Certain domestic violence survivors
- Trafficking victims
40 quarters rule:
- Many LPRs need 40 quarters of work
- About 10 years of work
- Can include spouse's or parent's quarters in some cases
- Complex rules
4. Work Credit Considerations
Earning work credits:
- Must have work authorization
- Legal employment only
- 4 credits per year maximum
- Same rules as citizens
Using others' credits:
- For SSI 40-quarter rule:
- May count spouse's credits while married
- May count parent's credits if minor
- Helps meet requirement faster
Recent work:
- SSDI requires recent work
- 20 credits in last 10 years
- Must maintain continuous work
- Gaps can affect eligibility
Special Situations
Sponsored immigrants:
- Sponsor's income may be deemed
- Until citizenship or 40 quarters
- Can reduce or eliminate SSI
- Important to understand
Undocumented immigrants:
- Generally not eligible for SSI
- Generally not eligible for SSDI
- Some very limited exceptions
- Consult immigration attorney
PRUCOL (Permanently Residing Under Color of Law):
- Historical category
- May still apply in some cases
- Limited applicability now
- Complex rules
Getting Help
Where to get assistance:
- Immigration attorneys
- Legal aid organizations
- Community organizations
- SSA (for benefits questions)
What to bring:
- Immigration documents
- Work authorization history
- Entry date documentation
- All relevant papers
How Purple Helps
Purple serves all eligible beneficiaries:
- Track benefit deposits
- SSI resource monitoring
- Simple banking
- Early access to deposits
- Support for all