Apply for Benefits

To qualify for Supplemental Security Income (SSI), you must:

• Be a U.S. citizen or qualified alien
• Have a disability or be 65 years old or older, and
• Have low resources and low income.

This article looks in detail at SSI’s rules for adults ages 18 through 64.

Learn more about the rules for children under 18 in DB101’s Benefits for Young People article.

Requirements for Noncitizens

To get SSI, you have to be a U.S. citizen or qualified alien. Examples of qualified aliens include people who are:

• Lawfully Admitted for Permanent Residence (LAPR) in the U.S.
• Refugees admitted to the U.S. under Section 207 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA)
• Granted asylum under Section 208 of the INA

To get SSI, qualified aliens must also meet certain other conditions. For more details about the rules for noncitizens, contact your local Social Security office.

How to Apply

You can apply for SSI:

• Online (which starts the application process immediately)
• By calling Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 or 1-800-325-0778 (TTY) to make an appointment to apply either:
  • Over the phone, or
  • In person at your local Social Security office.

Note: If you are approved, you will get SSI benefits for the entire time since the date you applied. That’s why you should apply as soon as you can. If you don’t have everything ready for your application, that’s OK — you can still apply and submit any missing information as quickly as possible.

Getting Your Application Ready

When you apply for SSI, you’ll need to give Social Security:

1. Basic facts, like your name, date of birth, and address

2. Documentation of your medical condition

3. Documentation of your income

4. Documentation of your resources

Social Security provides a detailed checklist of the information you need to complete the application process.

Apply for Other Benefits While Your SSI Application Is Reviewed

The SSI application can take four months or longer. While you wait for your SSI benefits to begin, apply for other benefits, such as:

• Medicaid, free health coverage for people with low to moderate income. You automatically get Medicaid coverage if you qualify for SSI, but you should apply for it separately if you don't get SSI benefits yet, so that you have coverage until SSI begins. Learn more about Medicaid in DB101’s How Health Benefits Work article.
• Food Assistance, a monthly cash benefit for people with low income that helps pay for food. If you and everybody else in your household gets either SSI or Ohio Works First (OWF) benefits, you automatically qualify for Food Assistance.
• Ohio Works First (OWF), a monthly cash benefit for families with children that also helps parents find work.
• Emergency cash assistance and housing, if you need them.

To apply for these benefits:

• Apply online, or
• Fill out the combined application form (available in other languages) and submit it to your County Department of Job and Family Services (CDJFS) office.

You should also look into:

• The Golden Buckeye Card for discounts at many businesses
• Lifeline Telephone Assistance for low-cost phone service, and
• Energy Assistance Programs for help with home heating bills and weatherization of your home.