The Social Security Administration has provided instructions for processing Supplemental Security Income (SSI) claims for citizens of Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela who are paroled into the United States by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
Individuals under the “Cuban Haitian Nicaraguan and Venezuelan parole process” can potentially receive SSI. To determine eligibility for SSI, the Social Security Administration must evaluate and verify the parole states and determine if the parolee meets one of the listed conditions for their country.
For Cuba and Haiti Nationals, documents that qualify as evidence of parole status are Employment Authorized Document (EAD) with a C11 category, unexpired passport, or an unexpired Form I-94 with a code of CHP for Cuban Humanitarian parolee or HHP for Haitian Humanitarian Parolee.
A Cuban or Haitian parolee might also be a Cuban/Haitian entrant (CHE) which is a distinct status that is separate from the January authorization. If the parolee has the CHE status they are eligible for SSI up to seven years.
If the parolee is not a CHE then SSI eligibility ends on the expiration date of parole status.
For Nicaraguan Nationals, documents that qualify for evidence of parolee status are an Employment Authorization Document with a C11 category, unexpired passport, or unexpired Form I-94 with a Class of Admission of Nicaraguan Humanitarian Parolee.
A Nicaraguan parolee is eligible for SSI if they one of the exceptions that allows for immigrant eligibility for SSI. If they do not meet one of the exceptions, their SSI eligibility expires at the end of the parole status.
For Venezuelan Nationals, documents that qualify for evidence of parolee status are an Employment Authorization Document with a C11 category, unexpired passport, or unexpired Form I-94 with a Class of Admission for Venezuelan Humanitarian Parolee. They may also have an expired passport, the expired passport is valid for five years after the expiration date listed on the passport.
A Venezuelan parolee is eligible for SSI if they meet one of the exceptions that allows for immigrant eligibility for SSI. If they do not meet one of the exceptions, their SSI eligibility expires at the end of the parole status. (Social Security EM-23020.)