This article covers the immigration documents and identification numbers agents and brokers need to help consumers verify their lawfully present immigration status when completing a Marketplace eligibility application.
Key Terms
Key Terms
Lawfully present: An immigration status that makes a consumer eligible to enroll in ACA Marketplace coverage. Consumers must attest to their lawfully present status on the Marketplace eligibility application.
Alien number (A-number): Also called an alien registration number or USCIS number. A unique identifier assigned to non-citizens by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). The alien number usually begins with the letter "A" followed by eight or nine digits.
Data Matching Issue (DMI): A discrepancy between the information a consumer provides on their Marketplace application and the information in federal data sources. Unresolved DMIs can result in the consumer losing coverage or financial assistance.
Enhanced Direct Enrollment (EDE): A CMS-approved process that allows agents, brokers, and web-brokers to complete Marketplace applications and enrollments directly through a partner website without sending consumers to HealthCare.gov.
Which consumers need to verify their immigration status on a Marketplace application?
Consumers who attest to having an eligible immigration status on their Marketplace eligibility application will be asked to provide specific immigration identification numbers to verify that status. Agents and brokers should review the available document types listed in the eligibility application with the consumer and help them identify which document verifies their specific immigration status.
If the consumer has more than one current immigration document, they should use the document that contains an alien number, if one is available. The alien number — also called an alien registration number or USCIS number — usually begins with the letter "A" followed by eight or nine digits.
What documents can a consumer use to verify their immigration status?
Consumers may need one or more of the following documents or identification numbers to attest to their lawfully present status on a Marketplace application:
Permanent Resident Card, "Green Card" (I-551)
Reentry Permit (I-327)
Refugee Travel Document (I-571)
Employment Authorization Document (I-766)
Machine Readable Immigrant Visa (with temporary I-551 language)
Temporary I-551 Stamp (on passport or I-94/I-94A)
Arrival/Departure Record (I-94/I-94A)
Arrival/Departure Record in foreign passport (I-94)
Foreign Passport
Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant Student Status (I-20)
Certificate of Eligibility for Exchange Visitor Status (DS-2019)
Notice of Action (I-797)
Document indicating membership in a federally recognized Indian tribe or American Indian born in Canada
Certification from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR)
ORR eligibility letter (for consumers under 18)
Document indicating withholding of removal
USCIS Acknowledgement of Receipt (I-797C)
To view sample documents consumers can use to show their immigration status, visit HealthCare.gov.
Should I still assist a consumer with their Marketplace application if they cannot provide immigration documents?
Yes. Marketplace-registered agents and brokers must assist all consumers seeking Marketplace coverage with completing a Marketplace application and reviewing their eligibility results, regardless of whether the consumer can provide immigration documents at the time of application.
If immigration status cannot be verified at the time of application, the consumer will receive a Data Matching Issue (DMI) and will be required to submit additional documentation to the Marketplace. An unresolved DMI puts the consumer at risk of losing coverage or financial assistance, and puts you at risk of losing compensation for assisting that consumer.
Additional Resources
If you have any questions please contact Producer Support. Producer Support is available by phone at (866) 568-9649, by email at [email protected], or by chat directly from your MyMFG account.