Page "Supplemental Security Income" Paragraph 31

SSI benefits are not paid solely to US citizens, but may also be paid to aliens legally residing in the United States.

Conversely, citizens may find themselves ineligible because they do not currently reside within the United States ; exceptions apply for children of military parent ( s ) who were born overseas, were disabled or became blind overseas, or first applied for benefits overseas and for students studying abroad who were eligible for SSI in the month prior to leaving the US, whose absence will be for less than 1 year, and who are studying to enhance their ability to perform substantial gainful activity, sponsored by an educational institution in the US, and would not be available to the individual in the US.

Several restrictions apply to the eligibility of aliens however.

These include being in a " qualified alien " category and meeting an exception condition.