Citizenship and Alien Status Requirements for the Medicaid Program

Date:  October 26, 2004 

 

23 

Trans. No.  04 OMM/ADM-7 

 

Page No. 

 

 

Category 3:   Persons who are Permanently Residing Under Color of Law (PRUCOL)* 

 

 

 

 

 

Category 

 

Documentation 

 

WMS ACI 

code 

e.  Persons on whose 

behalf an immediate 

relative petition has 

been approved and 

her/his families 

covered by the 

petition

 

      (Non-citizens 

who are immediate 

relatives (spouse, 

father, mother, or 

unmarried child 

under 21) of a U.S. 

citizen/LPR who has 

filed an I-130 on 

their behalf.)

 

►I-94 and/or I-210 indicating departure on a specified 

   date, however, the USCIS expects the non-citizen’s 

   visa will be available within this time 

►I-797 indicating I-130 petition has been approved  

►Also see documentation listed under category “l” 

 

 

O 

 

 

b. Immigrants granted a “K,” “V,” “S” or “U” visa: 

 

There have been several new visa categories issued by the 

United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) 

over the past several years. 

 

Some categories of “special” nonimmigrant statuses allow 

the status (visa) holder to work and eventually adjust to 

lawful permanent residence. These categories allow the 

individual to apply for adjustment to LPR status after he 

or she has had the non-immigrant status for a period of 

time. These statuses are included in the category defined 

as: “Other persons living in the U.S. with the knowledge 

and permission or acquiescence of USCIS and whose departure 

USCIS does not contemplate enforcing.” 

 

Such statuses include, for example: 

K status: 

For the spouse, child, or fiancé(e) of a U.S. 

citizen. 

S status: 

For informants providing evidence for a 

criminal investigation.  Also known as the 

“Snitch Visa”. 

U status: 

For victims or witnesses of specified crimes 

(who have suffered substantial physical or 

mental abuse and agrees to cooperate with the 

government). 

V status: 

For spouses and children of LPR’s whose visa 

petitions (Form I-130) have been pending for at 

least three years. 

 

NOTE:  THE ABOVE USCIS VISA CATERGORIES ARE NOT TO BE 

CONFUSED WITH WMS ALIEN CITIZENSHIP INDICATOR CODES (ACI 

CODES). 

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Date:  October 26, 2004 

 

24 

Trans. No.  04 OMM/ADM-7 

 

Page No. 

 

 

If otherwise eligible, an individual with a visa category 

of K or V or S or U should be authorized for Medicaid, 

FHPlus and CHPlus A as PRUCOL.  These visa categories are 

discussed further, below: 

 

The K and V Visa Status 

 

Nonimmigrant visas V (Visa codes V-1, V-2 and V-3) and K (Visa 

codes K-3 and K-4) are two new categories of “special” 

nonimmigrant visas that were created by the Legal Immigration and 

Family Equity Act (LIFE Act) and are issued to persons intending 

to live permanently in the United States.  The V visa may be 

issued to alien spouses and minor children of lawful permanent 

residents whose family petitions (the I-130) have been pending 

for some time.  The V visa is intended to permit family 

reunification while the immigration cases of the lawful permanent 

resident’s spouse and children are pending.  The K visa allows 

alien spouses and minor children of United States citizens to 

enter the United States legally and obtain work authorization.  

Individuals issued any of these visas may enter the United States 

as nonimmigrants to complete the immigration process. 

 

The S and U Visa Status 

 

Holders of the S (Visa codes S-5, S-6 and S-7) or U visas (Visa 

codes U-1, U-2, U-3, and U-4) are considered PRUCOL and, if 

otherwise eligible, may receive Medicaid, FHPlus or CHPlus A. 

 

The S visa status is given to aliens who assist U.S. law 

enforcement to investigate and prosecute crimes and terrorist 

activities.  S visa holders are allowed to adjust status to 

permanent resident under Section 245(j) of the Immigration and 

Nationality Act. 

 

The U visa status is given to aliens who are victims and/or 

witnesses of certain crimes who are assisting an investigation or 

prosecution.  This status allows the nonimmigrant to remain in 

the U.S. and to work.  After three years in this status, a U 

status holder can apply to adjust their status.  

 

With respect to the U visa status, the USCIS has directed that 

individuals who satisfactorily demonstrate to USCIS that they are 

eligible for a U visa are to be granted Deferred Action status.  

As such, holders of U visas are to be considered PRUCOL and, if 

otherwise eligible, may receive Medicaid, FHPlus or CHPlus A. 

 

c. Immigrants granted temporary protected status: 

 

•

 

These immigrants are treated as PRUCOL for purposes of their 

eligibility for Medicaid, FHP or CHPlus A.  “Temporary protected 

status” is a temporary immigration status granted under federal 

law at 8 U.S.C. 1254a to immigrants who are physically present in 

the United States and who are from certain countries designated 

by the U.S. Attorney General as unsafe to accept their return 

because of ongoing environmental disasters or other extraordinary 

and temporary conditions. Currently,

 

the following countries have 

TPS designation Angola, Burundi, El Salvador, Honduras, Liberia, 

Montserrat, Nicaragua, Sierra Leone, Somalia, and Sudan.  [A list 

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