Eligibility Requirements
A noncitizen present in the U.S., as a legal permanent resident, is an eligible qualified noncitizen when he or she:
prior to adjustment to legal permanent resident, was:
a Refugee under section 207 of the INA, including a victim of severe forms of trafficking
an Asylee under section 208 of the INA
a noncitizen whose deportation is Withheld under section 243(h) or 241(b)(3) of the INA
a Cuban/Haitian Entrant (as defined in section 501(e) of the Refugee Education Assistance Act of 1980), or
an Amerasian immigrant (as defined in section 584 of the Foreign operations, Export Financing and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 1988)
has resided as a qualified noncitizen in the U.S. for five years
is an elderly noncitizen born on or before 8/22/31 and who was lawfully residing In the U.S. on 8/22/96
is a child under 18 years of age
is a Disabled Noncitizen
has worked a minimum of 40 Qualifying Quarters under Title II of the Social Security Act including qualifying quarters of work not covered by Title II
can be credited with a total of 40 qualifying quarters under Title II of the Social Security Act as worked by a combination of:
the noncitizen
the parent(s) of the noncitizen while the noncitizen was under age 18 including quarters worked before the noncitizen was born or adopted; and/or
the spouse of the noncitizen during their marriage if the noncitizen remains married to the spouse or is widowed
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Federal Means-Tested Program
The following are federal means-tested programs for purposes of determining qualifying quarters:
SNAP
Transitional Assistance to Families with Dependent Children (TAFDC)
SSI
Medicaid
State Child Health Insurance Program (SCHIP)
Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)
Nutrition Assistance Program (NAP) in Puerto Rico, American Samoa and the Northern Marianas (CNMI)
Verification of Legal Permanent Resident
Permanent Resident Card (a.k.a. Green Card) (form I-551; earlier versions are the I-151, AR-2 and AR-3)
The redesigned Green Card (above) no longer displays the individual’s signature on the front or an optical stripe on the back like the old-style card (below).
*Card images credited to the USCIS website*
Reentry Permit (I-327)
foreign passport stamped to show temporary evidence of LPR or I551 status
Memorandum of Creation of Lawful Permanent Residence with approval stamp (I-181)
order issued by the INS, an Immigration judge, the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA), or a federal court granting registry, suspension of deportation, cancellation of removal, or adjustment of status, or
any verification from INS or other authoritative document
Verification of Immigration Status
At application, the applicant must provide documentation of immigration status only for household members applying for benefits. Once provided the information must be verified through the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE). This is done by accessing the SAVE system, selecting the Initial Verification Button in the SAVE system and completing the request form. Once submitted the system will verify the information, or, in certain circumstances, prompt the user to institute a secondary verification.
Sponsor Deeming (Noncategorically Eligible Households Only)
Sponsor Deeming is the counting of the income and assets of the sponsor(s) based on the amount on the affidavit of support or current verification of the sponsor(s)' circumstances whether or not monies are actually given to the sponsored noncitizen. Sponsor deeming information may be requested on the request additional verification window of SAVE.
Entering Legal Permanent Resident Data
Legal Permanent Resident Policy and Procedures