The Social Security Act (42 USC 405 (c)(2)(F)) requires Social Security beneficiaries to provide their SSN as a condition for receipt of benefits under Title II of the Social Security Act.

NOTE: For additional requirements to be fully or currently insured and to establish entitlement to any Title II benefit based on the alien worker's earnings, see RS 00301.102.

Medicare due to ESRD is a federally funded benefit and is a valid nonwork reason for assigning a nonwork SSN if the individual has provided documentation of entitlement to this benefit.

NOTE: An undocumented alien parent or spouse is not eligible for a nonwork SSN merely to establish insured status for purposes of a dependent's ESRD claim.  We will only assign a nonwork SSN to individuals who establish their own entitlement to benefits. 

Since Medicaid flows from SSI entitlement in most States, alien Medicaid recipients are generally work authorized, and thus eligible for SSNs. However, aliens whose eligibility for Medicaid does not derive from SSI entitlement must provide documentation that they meet Medicaid eligibility or documentation of some other valid nonwork reason (see 42 USC 1320b–7 ).

Most alien TANF recipients should be work-authorized aliens and, thus, eligible for SSNs. However, when aliens not otherwise eligible for an SSN provide documentation that they meet eligibility for TANF, consider this a valid nonwork reason (based on 42 USC 1320b–7 ).

Some aliens in the U.S. may be eligible for food stamps.

There may be other Federal laws requiring individuals to furnish their SSN to be paid the benefit or to receive the service. Check with regional office staff regarding whether the law or regulation the agency cites meets the requirements for assigning an SSN.

In some instances, a State or local government may require an SSN for an individual to receive benefits from a State public assistance program (i.e., a fully or partially State-funded program [benefit or service] based on need).

If you have any questions regarding whether the statute or regulation that the alien is relying upon meets the requirements, check with the Regional Office.