Can green card holder get social security benefits

When a family member wins a Green Card, the rest of the family profits too. Which family members can come with you to the USA? If you win a Green Card, your spouse and all your children who are unmarried and under the age of 21 automatically get one too. This is also the case for people in same-sex marriages.

Furthermore, Green Card holders can, under certain circumstances, apply for special visas for other family members so that they may join them in the USA. In these cases, you must be prepared for long waiting periods. 

It does not matter if you are dreaming of a large house and garden for your whole family or if would prefer to live in the hustle and bustle of the big city in the USA: The Green Card comes with many benefits for you and your family. Also, the importance of English is growing in a globalizing world. In the USA, your children will grow up speaking English and getting a good education. The doors to the future job market will stand wide open for those who master these skills.

Green Card Holder

US Citizen

Spouse

A spouse automatically gets a Green Card if they attend the interview appointment.

There are waiting times for a Green Card if the Green Card holder applies for a visa after the interview appointment.

Just like United States citizens, green card holders or permanent residents need to earn forty work credits, or the equivalent of ten years of work, to be eligible for Social Security benefits (retirement and disability). You can earn up to four work credits per year, and each credit equals $1,410 in earned income in 2020. In order to earn the credit, you must pay Social Security taxes out of your wages; work that does not pay into Social Security is not qualifying. The amount of income that amounts to one work credit changes each year.

In addition to earning the requisite number of work credits, you also need to present a valid green card at the time of your application for benefits. And, depending on the type of benefits you are applying for, you may be required to live in the United States for a designated period of time before you can apply. For example, permanent residents cannot apply for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits until they have lived in the United States for five years.

For retirement benefits, green card holders must be at least sixty-five years old to begin collecting. If you are applying for disability benefits, you will also need to prove your qualifying disability through the same process that United States citizens do. If you are a younger worker, you may be able to qualify for disability benefits through Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) with fewer than forty work credits.

To apply for either retirement or disability benefits, you will need to complete the relevant Social Security application and prove your immigration status, your work history, your relationship to another individual (if you are applying for survivor’s benefits for a spouse or parent who qualified for benefits), and your disability (if you are applying for disability benefits).

As a general rule, the forty work credits that you earn to qualify for Social Security benefits need to have been earned in the United States. The exception to this rule is if you are a citizen of a country with whom the United States has a totalization agreement.

A totalization agreement is an arrangement between the United States and another country with a similar Social Security program that ensures its workers and their employers do not pay Social Security taxes in two different countries on the same earnings. The flip side of that is that individuals will be prevented from double-dipping from both countries when it is time for them to claim benefits. If you fall into this category, you can combine work credits earned in your country of citizenship with work credits earned in the United States to total your required forty work credits.

A U.S. green card allows a person to live and work in the United States and start the process to become a naturalized U.S. citizen. This card makes the holder a permanent resident of the United States, entitled to many of the same benefits as a citizen, but not all.

Every year, the U.S. government issues more than one million green cards. In 2019, an estimated 13.9 million green card holders lived in the United States with lawful permanent resident status, of which 9.1 million were eligible to become citizens. Permanent resident status is usually given to three categories: those people who already have a green card and are issued a new one, relatives of U.S. citizens or permanent residents, and workers in the U.S. on employment visas.

This guide looks at both the benefits of getting a green card, as well as a few things to consider.

In this guide, you will learn about:

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What Are the Benefits of a Green Card?


A green card provides many advantages, primarily that it allows the green card holder to permanently live and work in the United States, and after a number of years, become a U.S. citizen.

Benefits of a green card

You can apply for U.S. citizenship after three years if you are married to a U.S. citizen, or five years if not. (If you recently married a U.S. citizen and apply for a green card, you may have conditional permanent resident status.)

You cannot be deported to your country of origin. Green card holders maintain status as a permanent resident no matter what future changes may be made to U.S. immigration laws. A green card is not temporary, and can not be revoked with potential changes to immigration laws. A green card holder, however, can lose their residency by committing a crime, violating a law or doing something that can potentially result in deportation.

You do not have to renounce citizenship of your country of origin.

You are legally protected by the laws of the United States, your state of residence and your local jurisdiction. The same protections under the law that apply to U.S. citizens apply to those granted permanent residence.

You can sponsor other family members for a green card. Family members of permanent residents are given priority, but not as great a priority as family members of U.S. citizens. Eligible family members include spouses, children, parents, and siblings (as well as the spouses and children of those spouses, adult children, and siblings).

You can renew your green card every 10 years.

You can travel to and from the United States more easily than other visa holders or new arrivals. Permanent residents can travel abroad and re-enter the United States with a valid green card, as long as they return within 12 months.

You can travel or live anywhere within the United States. State borders are no limitation, and there is no need to check in with civil or state government agencies.

You are eligible to receive federal benefits such as social security or education assistance. Permanent residents may apply for government-sponsored financial aid for education. Additionally, green card holders are entitled to in-state or resident tuition rates at certain colleges and universities. If a green card holder resides in the United States long enough, they may receive social security benefits.

You may apply for a wide variety of jobs. Green card holders experience greater job opportunities than those on a work visa. For instance, permanent residents can apply for jobs that involve security clearances and/or work for the government.

You can engage in the political process. Politics at all levels, from the local councilperson to the president, can influence life in the United States. Green card holders are eligible to make financial contributions or volunteer for the candidate of their choice in U.S. elections.

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Responsibilities of Having a Green Card


Once you are a green card holder, you hold certain responsibilities as a legal permanent resident of the United States.

  • Green card holders, like U.S. citizens, must file income tax returns and report income to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) as well as state tax authorities.
  • Green card holders are obligated to obey the laws of the United States, their state of residence, and their local jurisdictions.
  • Male green card holders, between the ages of 18-25, must register for the Selective Service. (Note the United States has not had a draft since 1973).
  • Green card holders must carry a valid green card at all times. Not having a green card on you can lead to up to 30 days in jail.
  • Green card holders, like U.S. citizens, may not engage in any attempts to change the form of government through illegal means.

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Other Things to Know


While green card holders can live and work in the United States, and enjoy most of the same benefits as a U.S. citizen, permanent residents are not U.S. citizens and because of this do not have the full rights of a citizen. Limitations include:

What benefits can a green card holder get?

You are eligible to receive federal benefits such as social security or education assistance. Permanent residents may apply for government-sponsored financial aid for education. Additionally, green card holders are entitled to in-state or resident tuition rates at certain colleges and universities.

Can green card holder apply for SSN?

If lawfully present in the United States and applying for work authorization or permanent resident status from DHS, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), you can apply for your SSN or replacement card.

Can a non US citizen get Social Security benefits?

For Social Security benefits, you can earn a maximum of 4 credits per year. A noncitizen also can receive additional credits per year based on the work of a spouse or parent. Work credits remain on your work record indefinitely.