Section 8

[Tunisian_tunisia 13]

Hi i have a question, if my wife USC qualifies for housing assistance under section 8 and she wants to apply for it but in the application they want to know the names and the incomes of the household. If she applies and get approved for section 8 housing assistance would my sponsor or me be in trouble?! I mean I’m not applying for the federal benefits but my wife is and my nameis on the documents as the spouse and a part of the household.but would my wife receiving this benefit affect me or my sponsor?!

[Pinkrlion 2,610]

If u are living in Section 8 housing you are a receipient of the benefit. Just because your spouse is the primary applicant does not mean you are not receiving a means tested benefit. Which means that you are a public charge. 

[Tunisian_tunisia 13]

13 minutes ago, Pinkrlion said:

If u are living in Section 8 housing you are a receipient of the benefit. Just because your spouse is the primary applicant does not mean you are not receiving a means tested benefit. Which means that you are a public charge. 

Can you please explain what you mean with  you live in section 8 housing?! And does low income housing count as section 8 housing?! Or do we have to apply for section 8 housing to be considered in section 8 housing?! The whole topic is confusing for me and I couldn’t really understand much on the internet. Also when she applied for food stanps last year,the people who work there told her that as long as she she is the applicant there’s no need to worry about my sponsorship restrictions because I’m not the applicant,I’m just a part of the household that they should know about. Ps:she was receiving food stamps before my arrival to the states. Thanks you

Edited January 4, 2019 by Tunisian_tunisia

[azblk 338]

14 minutes ago, Tunisian_tunisia said:

Can you please explain what you mean with  you live in section 8 housing?! And does low income housing count as section 8 housing?! Or do we have to apply for section 8 housing to be considered in section 8 housing?! The whole topic is confusing for me and I couldn’t really understand much on the internet. Also when she applied for food stanps last year,the people who work there told her that as long as she she is the applicant there’s no need to worry about my sponsorship restrictions because I’m not the applicant,I’m just a part of the household that they should know about. Ps:she was receiving food stamps before my arrival to the states. Thanks you

The Trump administration has redefined what it is to be a public charge to apply to beneficiary even they did not directly use the benefits. So yes - all means tasted benefits used by your American citizen wife can be used to deny you on the public charge basis.

[Alabamak1 688]

if it is a federal program....you are possibly not qualifying under the Trump administration and are taking benefits. Section 8, low income or income based, all means the same, just different name. They rely on that benefit from the government. You, being a beneficiary of immigration benefits, are directly affecting your application, since that is what the Trump administration changed towards the requirements. 

[Cyberfx1024 7,978]

50 minutes ago, Tunisian_tunisia said:

Hi i have a question, if my wife USC qualifies for housing assistance under section 8 and she wants to apply for it but in the application they want to know the names and the incomes of the household. If she applies and get approved for section 8 housing assistance would my sponsor or me be in trouble?! I mean I’m not applying for the federal benefits but my wife is and my nameis on the documents as the spouse and a part of the household.but would my wife receiving this benefit affect me or my sponsor?!

The question I have is if she qualifies for section 8 or a housing benefit then how she did she qualify to sponsor you to bring you to the USA?

[payxibka 10,044]

2 minutes ago, Cyberfx1024 said:

The question I have is if she qualifies for section 8 or a housing benefit then how she did she qualify to sponsor you to bring you to the USA?

Joint sponsor?

Edited January 4, 2019 by payxibka

[Cyberfx1024 7,978]

3 minutes ago, payxibka said:

Joint sponsor?

My idea as well but you never know. If they do qualify for a housing stipend in a state like Kentucky then they must make a really low income to say the least. 

[Villanelle 4,121]

1 hour ago, Tunisian_tunisia said:

Hi i have a question, if my wife USC qualifies for housing assistance under section 8 and she wants to apply for it but in the application they want to know the names and the incomes of the household. If she applies and get approved for section 8 housing assistance would my sponsor or me be in trouble?! I mean I’m not applying for the federal benefits but my wife is and my nameis on the documents as the spouse and a part of the household.but would my wife receiving this benefit affect me or my sponsor?!

Please disregard the above answers you already got.

 

***Currently there has been NO CHANGE under Trump. Yes, there is a proposed rule change -open for comment- but it has not taken effect nor is it known if it will ever take effect. There is a mega thread on VJ about the topic. Most immigration advocates recommend not taking any assistance unless you absolutely need to, because if the change does take effect there is expected to be a grace period of sorts where previous assistance is not held against you- but you will have a short time frame to get off the assistance before it is held against you*****

 

So currently---

Certain things are considered public charge and certain things are not. HOUSING assistance is NOT considered public charge.

FYI- for the food stamps, yes they want to know everyones income in the household but benefits are only given to the USC. Housing assistance is a bit more complicated. They can include you in the household and give you a benefit OR they can include you in the household but exclude you from getting a benefit. If you are excluded the subsidy amount your wife gets will be less then if you were included (because then it would be giving you both housing assistance rather then just her) Does that make sense? (also with the proposed rule change public charge concerns would include assistance the USC gets and hold it against the immigrant- so as posted above it is recommended neither of you use any assistance programs unless needed and have a plan in place in case the rule change takes effect)

[Tunisian_tunisia 13]

1 hour ago, Cyberfx1024 said:

The question I have is if she qualifies for section 8 or a housing benefit then how she did she qualify to sponsor you to bring you to the USA?

Her dad sponsored me

[Tunisian_tunisia 13]

1 hour ago, Damara said:

Please disregard the above answers you already got.

 

***Currently there has been NO CHANGE under Trump. Yes, there is a proposed rule change -open for comment- but it has not taken effect nor is it known if it will ever take effect. There is a mega thread on VJ about the topic. Most immigration advocates recommend not taking any assistance unless you absolutely need to, because if the change does take effect there is expected to be a grace period of sorts where previous assistance is not held against you- but you will have a short time frame to get off the assistance before it is held against you*****

 

So currently---

Certain things are considered public charge and certain things are not. HOUSING assistance is NOT considered public charge.

FYI- for the food stamps, yes they want to know everyones income in the household but benefits are only given to the USC. Housing assistance is a bit more complicated. They can include you in the household and give you a benefit OR they can include you in the household but exclude you from getting a benefit. If you are excluded the subsidy amount your wife gets will be less then if you were included (because then it would be giving you both housing assistance rather then just her) Does that make sense? (also with the proposed rule change public charge concerns would include assistance the USC gets and hold it against the immigrant- so as posted above it is recommended neither of you use any assistance programs unless needed and have a plan in place in case the rule change takes effect)

She is only receiving food stamps and WIC (another food benefit only for the kids),other than these two my name has never been on any benefit application form. I have no idea about the trump law that everyone is discussing. All i wanted to know is if it would hurt me or my sponsor if my wife applies for section 8. One more thing ,we are moving next month and we applied in low income housing but we are paying full rent amount with no gov assistance,i think this would have nothing to do with being a public charge ,?! 

[Villanelle 4,121]

Okay so since you do not know I will provide you a few USCIS links to read over.

 

Bottom line is currently Section 8/housing assistance can be used by an LPR and does not have any impact on public charge concerns /sponsor be liable for repayment. Are you currently an LPR? Your profile shows you entered as a K1. Did you get the greencard yet? If so you are currently eligible to get section 8 housing assistance along with your spouse providing you guys qualify for it.

 

Currently there is a proposed rule change (by Trump admin). Proposed means just what it sounds like- Trump admin wrote up new guidelines and it is open for public comment. Once the comment period is closed, after additional internal gov discussion either the exact proposed rule will take effect or a modified version of the rule - or no change will be made to the current rule. 

 

IF there is a change it can very well include part or all of Trumps proposal. His proposal is VERY harsh. It states that ANY public assistance received by ANY MEMBER of the immigrants household (including USC spouses and children) CAN be held against the immigrant. Please read the links and check out the mega thread. 

 

If you do NOT have a GC yet and the proposed rule takes effect AS IS and before you get a GC- you will be considered a public charge and not able to get a GC based on your spouse and the children using assistance programs. If you do have a GC then its not as big of a worry because there is no public charge determination during ROC or naturalization. 

 

https://www.uscis.gov/legal-resources/proposed-change-public-charge-ground-inadmissibility

 

https://www.uscis.gov/greencard/public-charge

[NYCruiser 423]

14 hours ago, payxibka said:

Joint sponsor?

Joint sponsor is another loophole President Trump needs to remove. Abuse of our laws and public charge. How on earth can people go abroad to find find someone, sponsor, apply for paperwork and be on welfare is just beyond me. 

[NYCruiser 423]

11 hours ago, Damara said:

Okay so since you do not know I will provide you a few USCIS links to read over.

 

Bottom line is currently Section 8/housing assistance can be used by an LPR and does not have any impact on public charge concerns /sponsor be liable for repayment. Are you currently an LPR? Your profile shows you entered as a K1. Did you get the greencard yet? If so you are currently eligible to get section 8 housing assistance along with your spouse providing you guys qualify for it.

 

Currently there is a proposed rule change (by Trump admin). Proposed means just what it sounds like- Trump admin wrote up new guidelines and it is open for public comment. Once the comment period is closed, after additional internal gov discussion either the exact proposed rule will take effect or a modified version of the rule - or no change will be made to the current rule. 

 

IF there is a change it can very well include part or all of Trumps proposal. His proposal is VERY harsh. It states that ANY public assistance received by ANY MEMBER of the immigrants household (including USC spouses and children) CAN be held against the immigrant. Please read the links and check out the mega thread. 

 

If you do NOT have a GC yet and the proposed rule takes effect AS IS and before you get a GC- you will be considered a public charge and not able to get a GC based on your spouse and the children using assistance programs. If you do have a GC then its not as big of a worry because there is no public charge determination during ROC or naturalization. 

 

https://www.uscis.gov/legal-resources/proposed-change-public-charge-ground-inadmissibility

 

https://www.uscis.gov/greencard/public-charge

It is NOT harsh. The USC who sponsors the spouse should be in a position to know their finances. If not, then don't bring someone from abroad and live within your means. Why expect us the taxpayer to finance you??? I gave a comment in support of this regulation already

[Nitas_man 3,100]

15 hours ago, Tunisian_tunisia said:

Hi i have a question, if my wife USC qualifies for housing assistance under section 8 and she wants to apply for it but in the application they want to know the names and the incomes of the household. If she applies and get approved for section 8 housing assistance would my sponsor or me be in trouble?! I mean I’m not applying for the federal benefits but my wife is and my nameis on the documents as the spouse and a part of the household.but would my wife receiving this benefit affect me or my sponsor?!

Correct answer:

 

Non-cash or special purpose cash benefits that are not considered for public charge purposes include:

 

Medicaid and other health insurance and health services (including public assistance for immunizations and for testing and treatment of symptoms of communicable diseases; use of health clinics, short-term rehabilitation services, and emergency medical services) other than support for long-term institutional care

Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP)

Nutrition programs, including Food Stamps, the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC), the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Program, and other supplementary and emergency food assistance programs

Housing benefits

Child care services

Energy assistance, such as the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)

Emergency disaster relief

Foster care and adoption assistance

Educational assistance (such as attending public school), including benefits under the Head Start Act and aid for elementary, secondary, or higher education

Job training programs

In-kind, community-based programs, services, or assistance (such as soup kitchens, crisis counseling and intervention, and short-term shelter)