International students
and scholars should not, under any circumstance, accept
public benefits from the federal, state, county of
local government agencies in the United States. This
includes, but is not limited to, participation in
programs such as Medicare/Medicaid, Supplemental Social
Security Income, Aid to Families with Dependent Children,
food stamps, and subsidized housing. Accepting such
benefits can cause you to lose your legal status in
the United States and create a bar to your re-entry
to this country.
Cooperation
between state social service agencies and the Bureau
of Citizenship and Immigration Services (BCIS) and
Department of State make it possible for a BCIS inspector
or U.S. Consular officer to become aware of an individual
who has accepted public benefits. The acceptance of
public benefits is interpreted as a declaration that
the individual is unable to meet his or her financial
obligations (a requirement of obtaining and maintaining
status) and thereby rendering him or herself ineligible
for F-1 or J-1 status.
Occasionally
a well-meaning social service agency, hospital or
public housing administrator may offer such assistance,
not realizing that non-immigrants are ineligible for
such benefits. Additionally, even though U.S. citizen
children of non-immigrant parents may be eligible
for pre- and post-natal public benefits, the non-immigrant
parent may be denied a visa or re-entry based on the
child’s receiving the benefits. Again this is
interpreted as the non-immigrant individual not being
able to meet his or her financial obligations.
A
condition of maintaining non-immigrant F-1 or J-1
status is that you, in addition to meeting your educational
expenses, are able to provide shelter, food, clothing
and health care for you and your dependents. Please
contact an OIS advisor if you have questions or need
assistance in meeting your financial obligations
