Requirements for Immigrants to Be Eligible for Government Benefits
- According to the U.S. Customs and Immigration Service (USCIS) website, welcometousa.gov, eligibility for federal government benefits depends "on your immigration status, length of time in the United States and income." Each federal assistance program has its own specific requirements, and welcometousa.gov provides links to most agencies that provide it. Illegal immigrants are not generally eligible for government benefits.
- Medicare provides medical insurance coverage to persons who have reached age 65. To be eligible for Medicare, an immigrant or his or her spouse must have worked for at least 10 years in Medicare-covered employment, be 65 years or older, and he or she must also be a citizen or a legal permanent resident of the United States.
- Medicaid provides medical coverage to needy persons who are citizens. Immigrants with "legal permanent resident" status who have not yet applied for citizenship, must wait five years before becoming eligible for Medicaid. Immigrants who meet these time and citizenship requirements, must also meet additional, state-specific, requirements regarding applicant age and income. Children who are U.S. citizens are eligible for Medicaid, even if their parents are not.
- The Federal Food Stamp Program, now called the Special Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), has economic and age requirements for all beneficiaries, including immigrants. But to receive benefits, immigrants must have lived in this country for five years, or they must be disabled, or children. Certain non-citizens admitted into the United States for humanitarian reasons may also be eligible. Persons living here legally but temporarily, such as students, are not eligible for food stamps.
- Immigrants who survive domestic violence can receive benefits through the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act (FVPSA). Benefits include admission to battered women's shelters or financial housing assistance. Immigrants do not need to verify their immigration status to qualify for FVPSA programs. However, an immigrant must show that he or she has been battered or subjected to extreme cruelty by a spouse or parent, or a member of the spouse or parent's immediate family.