Mixed Insurance Banners Health Insurance for Visitors to USA

Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Are ‘Economic Impact Payments’ (Stimulus) treated as ‘Means-Tested Public Benefits’?

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • Are ‘Economic Impact Payments’ (Stimulus) treated as ‘Means-Tested Public Benefits’?

    Hello

    I came to the US and got married to a US citizen in 2019. Soon after that I filed my Adjustment of Status I-485 Form. My wife is my sponsor on Affidavit of Support (Form I-864). Because of the Coronavirus Pandemic my US citizen wife received 2 Economic Impact Payments in 2020/2021 which were based on her last Tax Return when she was still single. Because I didn’t work in the US in 2019 and wasn't here long enough, I wasn’t required to file a Tax Return for that year and thus I haven’t received any Economic Impact Payments myself.

    However both my wife and I were working in 2020, and now we want to file a joint Tax Return for 2020. We’ve read that we could technically apply for ‘Recovery Rebate Credit’ which basically means that even though I would file my very first Tax Return for year 2020, in the end I would still receive those 2 Economic Impact Payments, just at a later date.

    Now, my question is whether it’s something that I should do? Or does USCIS consider those ‘Economic Impact Payments’ as ‘Means-Tested Public Benefits’ and I’m not allowed to claim them?

    I can add that I became a Conditional Permanent Resident very recently in 2021 (few weeks ago), however my Adjustment of Status case was pending for the whole of 2020 and during that time I was working based on my Employment Authorization Card.

    Any help in this matter would be greatly appreciated.
    Thank you in advance

  • #2
    From what I read, those are tax credits, you are allowed to claim. Because you had EAD card you have SSN and you can request the recovery rebate credit.
    Nov 2018 - Package sent - EB - Texas Service Center
    Day 1 - Package received at the lockbox
    Day 999 - Card delivered to me - Aug 2021
    ---
    All my posts are based on my experience or information I read on the forums or the USCIS website. I may be wrong. Please consult a professional.

    Comment

    {{modal[0].title}}

    X

    {{modal[0].content}}

    {{promo.content}}

    Working...
    X