Overview: Important information

How your citizenship or immigration information is used

When you apply for Health Connector coverage, you will need to give us information about your citizenship or immigration status. The Health Connector will only use this information for lawful purposes, including to see if you qualify for Health Connector Programs and to support our operations. We will not share this information with immigration enforcement agencies directly. However, the Health Connector is required to send enrollee information to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services as part of its work providing health insurance and federal premium tax credits to members. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has indicated that it may share information it has, including information about Health Connector enrollees, with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

Families with more than one immigration status

If you have family members with different immigration and citizenship statuses, the members in your household could end up qualifying for different types of coverage.

If you think someone in your household could qualify for health coverage but other family members do not want to apply because of their immigration status, you can choose to apply just for some members of your family. You don’t have to give us immigration information for the household members who are not applying for health coverage for themselves. However, you should still include them on your application as part of your household so that we can be sure we have the right information about the number of people in your household and your household income.

Health Connector Coverage and Immigration Status

One of the requirements for qualifying for health coverage through the Massachusetts Health Connector is the need to be either a U.S. citizen, U.S. national, or a have “lawfully present” immigration status.

Immigrants with categories of immigration status that are not eligible for the Health Connector may still be eligible for other kinds of health coverage in some circumstances. The best way to see what you qualify for is to fill out an application online. In some cases, you may need to send us documents as proof of your status after you apply.

Which statuses can qualify for Health Connector coverage?

U.S. Citizen

A U.S. citizen is someone who was born in the United States or its territories (including Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and Guam). A person could also be a U.S. citizen if they were born outside the United States but meets one of the following requirements:

  • Was naturalized as a U.S. citizen
  • Derived citizenship through the naturalization of his or her parent(s)
  • Derived citizenship through adoption by U.S. citizen parents, provided certain conditions are met
  • Acquired citizenship at birth because he or she was born to U.S. citizen parent(s)
  • Became a U.S. citizen

U.S. National

A U.S. national is someone who is a U.S. citizen or owes permanent allegiance to the U.S. With extremely limited exception, all non-citizen U.S. nationals are people born in American Samoa or Swains Island or people born abroad with one or more American Samoan parents under certain conditions.

People with a “Lawfully Present” Immigration Status

The following immigration statuses are considered “lawfully present.” If you have one of these immigration statuses and meet other requirements, you may be able to qualify for Health Connector coverage:

  • Lawful permanent resident (“LPR”/Green Card holder)
  • Asylee (granted asylum)
  • Refugee
  • Person granted withholding of deportation or withholding of removal under Immigration & Nationality Act (INA) or under the Convention against Torture (CAT)
  • Veteran or active duty military and spouse, surviving spouse who has not remarried, and dependent child/ren
  • Cuban/Haitian entrant
  • American Indian born in Canada or other member of federally recognized tribe
  • Victim of trafficking and his or her spouse, child, sibling, or parent (T visa)
  • Amerasians
  • Iraqi or Afghan Special Immigrants
  • Conditional entrant granted before 1980
  • Paroled into the U.S. for more than 1 year
  • Battered spouse and child/ren, or battered child and parent
  • Individuals with valid non-immigrant status (including visitor visas (B visa), student visas (F visa), crime victim visas (U visa), specialty worker visas (H visa), religious worker visas (R visa), and other non-immigrant visas)
  • Temporary Protected Status (TPS)
  • Deferred Enforced Departure (DED)
  • Deferred Action Status (except Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA); they are considered Nonqualified Persons Residing Under Color of Law (PRUCOLs) and may qualify for MassHealth)
  • Lawful temporary resident granted under legalization program
  • Granted an administrative stay of removal by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS)

You may also be considered lawfully present if you are applying for any of the following statuses:

  • Special Immigrant Juvenile Status
  • Adjustment to lawful permanent resident status with an approved visa petition
  • Asylum who has either been granted employment authorization, OR is under 14 and has had an application for asylum pending for at least 180 days.
  • Withholding of Deportation or Withholding of Removal, under the INA or under the CAT who has either been granted employment authorization, OR is under 14 and has had an application for withholding of deportation or withholding removal under the immigration laws or under the CAT pending for at least 180 days.

You may also be considered lawfully present if you have employment authorization and one of the following statuses:

  • Registry applicants
  • Those under an order of supervision
  • Applicants for Cancellation of Removal or Suspension of Deportation
  • Applicants for Legalization under Immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA)
  • Applicants for Temporary Protected Status (TPS)
  • Persons granted legalization under the LIFE Act

Other health programs you may qualify for

If you have a lawfully present status

If you have a lawfully present status, you may be able to qualify for programs other than the Health Connector. For example, some lawfully present immigrants are eligible for health coverage through MassHealth. However, you could have a waiting period before you can access those benefits, depending on your status and how long you have had it.

In the meantime, you may be able to get health coverage through the Health Connector coverage and may qualify for financial help. If you apply through the Health Connector, we will help you find the program you qualify for and let you know how to enroll in coverage.

If you are not a U.S. Citizen or U.S. National and do not have a lawfully present status

If you do not have a lawfully present immigration status but meet other conditions, you may still be able to qualify for other health coverage programs available to Massachusetts residents, such as MassHealth, Children’s Medical Security Plan, or the Health Safety Net.

For example, you may be eligible for some health care benefits regardless of your immigration status if you meet other eligibility requirements and are:

  • Pregnant
  • Children younger than 19 years of age
  • Young adults 19 or 20 years of age
  • Adults 21 years of age or older who are parents or caretaker relatives
  • Certain other non-elderly adults, including disabled persons or those who have a pending application for lawfully present status

Please visit MassHealth’s website for more information about other programs you may qualify for.

Proof of your status

We may need to ask you for proof of your immigration or citizenship status when you apply for health coverage. The documents you need to send as proof will depend on your status.

Learn more about immigration documents you may need to send →

Need help?

If you have questions about your immigration status or sending us proof, you can call 1-877-MA ENROLL (1-877-623-6765) or TTY: 711, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

You can also get free, in-person help from an enrollment assister. Find help near you →