TN 64 (09-09)

A. Policy

A noncitizen (alien) filing for SSI disability may or may not require a medical determination. The field office (FO) must determine whether a medical determination is required. If the FO determines:

• A medical determination is not required - the FO does not send the claim to the Disability Determination Services (DDS).

• A medical determination is required - the FO sends the claim to the DDS.

B. Procedure when the FO does NOT send the noncitizen claim to DDS

A thorough review and understanding of the SSI alien requirements is essential in determining whether the noncitizen claim requires a disability determination.

Classify a noncitizen alleging a disability as an aged individual subject to SSI deemed income and resource provisions if the individual:

• Is aged (65 years old or older);

• Was lawfully residing in the U.S. on, or prior to, 08/22/96;

AND

At the time of application, the individual meets one of the following:

• Is a qualified alien (for information about who is a qualified alien, see SI 00502.100A.2.);

• Meets an exception condition for qualified aliens (for information about when a qualified alien can be eligible for SSI, see SI 00502.100A.3.); or

• Is in one of five designated alien status classifications, and the status was granted within 7 years of the date the individual filed for SSI (see SI 00502.106).

If the claimant meets these conditions, do not forward the claim to the DDS, as SSA does not need a medical determination. The FO adjudicates the claim as an SSI-aged claim.

References:

• SI 00603.001, Processing Disability/Blindness Initial Claims – Overview

• MSOM MSSICS 008.016, Alien Data (AALN), if transmitting the appropriate alien screens in Modernized Supplemental Security Income Claims System (MSSICS) claims.

• SM 01005.630, Citizenship/Alien Status, for input instructions if transmitting the alien data using Form SSA-450SI (SSI Data Input and Determination) for non-MSSICS claims.

C. Procedure when the FO does send the noncitizen claim to DDS

The FO transmits the SSI claim to the DDS for a disability/blindness determination if an aged noncitizen individual:

• Meets 1619(b) eligibility,

• Elects to change the type of claim category (multi-category case), or

• Is subject to alien-sponsor deeming.

NOTE: Alert the DDS of the special case handling in these situations.

• MSSICS claim – Add the Aged Non-Citizen Case flag in the Electronic Disability Collect System (EDCS). See DI 81010.080B, Flags, Electronic Folder Flags List in EDCS.

• Non-MSSICS claim – Add “Title XVI Aged Non-Citizen Case – blindness/disability alleged – systems limitation” in Item 11 – Remarks. See DI 11055.130B.2.r for procedures for completing Item 11 – Remarks.

References:

• SI 00501.300, Multicategory Eligibility - General Information

• SI 02302.010, 1619 Policy Principles

• SI 01320.900, Aliens Subject to Sponsor-to-Alien Income Deeming