Only an individual who is age 18 or older and has not attained age 65 is eligible for a ticket.

Also, the individual must be either:

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  a title II disability beneficiary (i.e., a disabled worker, a disabled widow(er), a disabled surviving divorced spouse, or a childhood disability beneficiary); or

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  a title XVI recipient eligible for SSI benefits based on disability or blindness.

An individual must be receiving a Federal cash disability/blindness-based benefit from SSA to be eligible for a ticket. If no Federal cash disability/blindness-based benefits from SSA are payable (e.g., benefits are in suspense or deferred status; individual receives only a State supplementation), then the individual who meets all other criteria will not get a ticket until these Federal cash disability/blindness-based benefits resume.

An individual who has medically recovered while participating in a VR program and receives section 301 payments is not eligible for a ticket.

An individual receiving benefit continuation payments during an appeal of a medical cessation determination is not eligible for a ticket. However, the individual will get a ticket later, if disability continues based on a successful appeal and all other criteria are met.

An individual who attains age 18 on or after August 22, 1996, and receives SSI benefits based on the childhood standard (see DI 23570.006) is not eligible for a ticket. However, the individual will get a ticket later, if SSA finds the individual disabled based on the adult standard after conducting an age-18 disability redetermination and all other criteria are met.

An individual who receives provisional (temporary) cash benefits under the EXR provisions (see DI 13050.001) is not eligible for a ticket. However, the individual will get a ticket later, if entitlement to or eligibility for benefits is reinstated after SSA makes a favorable medical determination with regard to an EXR request and all other criteria are met.

An individual who receives presumptive disability/blindness payments (see DI 11055.230) is not eligible for a ticket. However, the individual will get a ticket later, if SSA makes a favorable determination of disability or blindness and all other criteria are met.

SSA is distributing tickets to eligible beneficiaries/recipients in three phases, based on available residence or mailing address information (see DI 55001.001A.1.). During the phase-in period only eligible individuals identified as living in locations where SSA has phased-in the Ticket to Work program will get tickets. The chart below gives these locations, by phase. Note that individuals residing in foreign countries will not get tickets. Also note that DI 55002.045B.1. provides guidance on what to do should a title II beneficiary live in a ticket location but the mail goes to a non-ticket location (e.g., the beneficiary and his/her representative payee or legal guardian live in different States).

Tickets are issued under each beneficiary's/recipient's own SSN (see DI 55002.020B.1.a.). Thus, if the record of a disabled widow(er), disabled surviving divorced spouse, or a childhood beneficiary does not reflect the beneficiary's own account number (BOAN), the system will not select the title II record.