Born Outside The United States
Born Outside the United States? What You May Need to Enroll in Medicare
If you were born outside the United States, enrolling in Medicare may require a few additional pieces of information or documentation.
The documents you may need depend on how you obtained U.S. citizenship or your current immigration status.
Use this checklist to help prepare before creating your my Social Security account and applying for Medicare.
First: What You'll Need to Create a my Social Security Account
Have the following information available:
✓ Social Security number
✓ Valid email address
✓ Cell phone or telephone number
✓ Current home address
✓ Date of birth
✓ Government-issued photo ID
✓ Smartphone, tablet, or computer with a camera if identity verification is required
Social Security currently uses Login.gov or ID.me for online identity verification.
If You Are a Naturalized U.S. Citizen
A naturalized citizen is someone who was born outside the United States and later became a U.S. citizen through the naturalization process.
Have these items available:
✓ Social Security number
✓ U.S. passport, if available
✓ Certificate of Naturalization, if available
✓ Date you became a U.S. citizen
✓ Certificate of Naturalization number, if available
✓ Driver's license or state-issued ID
✓ Current address
✓ Date of birth
✓ Country of birth
Don't Know Your Naturalization Date?
Don't guess.
If Social Security asks for the date you became a U.S. citizen and you don't remember it, check your:
• Certificate of Naturalization
• U.S. passport records
• USCIS records
• Personal or family records
If necessary, you may need to request your immigration or naturalization records from USCIS.
U.S. Citizen Born Outside the United States — But Not Naturalized
Not everyone born outside the United States is a naturalized citizen.
Some people became U.S. citizens at birth or through a U.S.-citizen parent and therefore may never have gone through a naturalization ceremony.
Depending on your situation, you may have one or more of the following:
✓ U.S. passport
✓ Certificate of Citizenship
✓ Consular Report of Birth Abroad
✓ Certification of Birth issued by a U.S. consulate
✓ Social Security number
✓ Government-issued photo ID
A Helpful Question to Ask Yourself
Were you a U.S. citizen at birth, did you obtain citizenship through a parent, or did you become a citizen later through naturalization?
The answer helps determine which documents Social Security may need.
Not a U.S. Citizen?
You do not necessarily have to be a naturalized U.S. citizen to qualify for Medicare.
Certain non-citizens may qualify for Medicare depending on their lawful immigration status, residency, work history, age, disability status, and other Medicare eligibility requirements.
If you are not a U.S. citizen, have your current immigration documentation available.
This may include:
✓ Permanent Resident Card — commonly called a Green Card (Form I-551)
✓ Alien Registration Number (A-Number)
✓ Form I-94, if applicable
✓ Passport
✓ Social Security number, if one has been issued
✓ Current immigration documents
✓ Date your lawful U.S. residency began
✓ Current U.S. address
✓ Government-issued photo identification
Important: Immigration situations vary. Having a Green Card or another lawful immigration status does not automatically mean a person qualifies for Medicare. Social Security determines Medicare eligibility based on the individual's circumstances.
Medicare Appointment Checklist for Anyone Born Outside the U.S.
Before your Medicare appointment, try to have answers to these questions:
✓ What country were you born in?
✓ Are you currently a U.S. citizen?
✓ If you are a citizen, were you a U.S. citizen at birth or did you become a citizen later?
✓ If you became a citizen through naturalization, what was your naturalization date?
✓ Do you have a Certificate of Naturalization?
✓ Do you have a U.S. passport?
✓ If you are not a citizen, are you a lawful permanent resident (Green Card holder) or do you have another lawful immigration status?
✓ When did your lawful U.S. residency begin?
✓ Do you have your Green Card, A-Number or I-94?
✓ Do you have a Social Security number?
✓ Are you currently receiving Social Security benefits?
Important: Creating Your SSA Account Is Not the Same as Medicare Eligibility
Creating a my Social Security account verifies your identity and gives you access to Social Security's online services.
It does not by itself establish Medicare eligibility.
If Social Security needs additional proof of citizenship or immigration status, you may be asked to provide additional documentation or visit a Social Security office.
Social Security may require original documents or documents certified by the agency that issued them. Do not mail important original immigration or citizenship documents unless Social Security specifically instructs you to do so.
Need Help Getting Ready for Medicare?
Medicare can feel complicated — especially when Social Security, citizenship or immigration documentation is involved.
I can help you understand the Medicare enrollment process, prepare a checklist of what you'll need, and review your Medicare coverage options.
Important: I am a licensed insurance agent and am not affiliated with or endorsed by the U.S. government, Social Security Administration, Medicare, USCIS, or any other government agency. I do not provide legal or immigration advice. Medicare eligibility and citizenship or immigration status determinations are made by the appropriate government agencies.
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