Lawful Permanent Residents and Match Grant

Lawful Permanent Residents

Definition

LPRs are noncitizens who are lawfully admitted for permanent residence by USCIS. These noncitizens may also have entered the country with an immigrant visa or adjusted their status after entering as a nonimmigrant, refugee, or asylee.

LPRs:

Have permission to live and work permanently in the U.S.
Can travel outside the U.S. and return, as long as they do not abandon their U.S. residence
Can apply for naturalization to become a U.S. citizen after 5 years (3 years if married to a U.S. citizen)
Are eligible to bring family members to reside in the country.

Rule

LPRs are eligible for federal/state public benefits.

Documents

The following documents may be acceptable documentation of lawful permanent status:

I-94 that states “Processed for I-551. Temporary evidence of lawful admission for permanent residence valid until _____________. Employment authorized”
I-551 which replaced the I-151, AR3 and AR3a
A foreign passport stamped showing unexpired temporary evidence of LPR status
I-327 “Reentry Permit” which is given to an LPR when traveling outside of the U.S. for an extended period of time.

I-551 Form/card, Front and Back (current version)I-551 Form/card, Front and Back (current version)

Previous I-551 Form, Front and BackPrevious I-551 Form, Front and Back

Older I-551 Form, Front and BackOlder I-551 Form, Front and Back

Temporary I-551, Machine Readable Immigration Visa (MRIV)Temporary I-551, Machine Readable Immigration Visa (MRIV)

Match Grant

Definition

JFS, USCC, Resettlement and Employment Programs, and the IRC provide financial aid and services to newly arrived refugees when at least one member of a refugee family is employable. This program is called the “Match Grant” program.

Rule

The applicant should come to the SSA with a “Match Grant Referral Slip” from the Match Grant Agency. If the applicant does not have this form we have no way of knowing that they are Match Grant recipients. EWs must ask refugee applicants if they are in the “Match Grant” program.

There is NO law that bars the Match Grant Refugee from receiving public assistance. If the Match Grant Refugee applies for assistance and is otherwise eligible, aid must be established. However, if Match Grant applicants receive cash assistance from the SSA, they will lose their eligibility to ALL “Match Grant” services from JFS, USCC, or IRC. The services offered include: clothing, specialized employment help, furniture, TVs, computers - many more services than this agency can provide. It is to the clients advantage to stay on Match Grant. The EW must tell the client they may lose those services by accepting cash assistance.

When the client chooses RCA over Match Grant and aid is established, the “Match Grant Notification of Application for Assistance” (SCD 1000) must be sent to USCC, JFS or IRC, as appropriate. This is to insure that these agencies are aware of who is paying what, to avoid overpayments.

Match Grant is only issued for the first four (4) months from the client’s date of entry. If the client applies for RCA anytime from month five (5) to month eight (8), they are eligible for cash assistance.
Match Grant Refugees are not sponsored.

Documents

The following documents may be acceptable documentation of refugee status for the Match Grant Program:

I-94

That states one of the following:

“Paroled as a refugee or asylee” under section 212(d)(5)
“Admitted as a refugee” under Section 207
“Granted asylum” under Section 208, 208(a)
“Admitted as a conditional” under Section 203(a)(7)
Admitted with an immigration status not listed above that entitled the individual to refugee assistance prior to enactment of the Refugee Act of 1980.

I-151 or I-551

Showing lawful permanent status attained with one of the following codes:

RE6, RE7, RE8
R86
Y-1-16, Y64.

I-688B

With the appropriate citation, 274a.12(a)(4), plus additional verification.

Lawful Permanent Residents and Match Grant