Not a citizen? Only qualifying residents can get stimulus funds

Resident aliens with a valid social security number qualify for a stimulus check. However, the Division of Revenue & Taxation of the Department of Finance clarifies that the individual should be a qualifying resident in 2020.

“A person who is a qualifying resident alien with a valid social security number is eligible for the payment. But I do have to reiterate that the person must be a qualifying resident in 2020, and could not be claimed as a dependent on somebody else’s return,” Revenue & Taxation director Tracy B. Norita stressed.

Those who have received the payment but are not qualifying residents in 2020 must return the payment. “If somebody received a check and they are no longer in the CNMI, those checks must be returned,” Norita added.

Norita also clarified that a valid social security number is one that is valid for employment issued by the Social Security Administration prior to the filing deadline of July 15. If the Social Security card states that it is not valid for employment, then it is not valid for the purpose of the issuance of stimulus checks.

“We’ve also seen Social Security cards that say ‘Valid for work only with DHS authorization,’ In that case, when we see that printed on a social security card, we will ask you for your DHS authorization that is currently valid,” she added. “If you provide an authorization that has expired,” then your social security number is no longer valid for a stimulus check. Until such time you provide a valid work authorization from the Department of Homeland Security, then you will be eligible.”

The Department of Finance released its first batch of stimulus checks, totaling $42.7 million, last week.

To those wondering where their stimulus payments are, Finance Secretary David Atalig said that there are upcoming batches, the next one of which will go out today, Friday.

“I believe we satisfied and helped out many, many, many taxpayers. But there’s still some that are waiting for their stimulus checks and they will be getting theirs.…I just want to reiterate also that the [release of the] stimulus checks is ongoing,” he said.

“There’s a lot of different issues that different taxpayers have to resolve, or we haven’t got to their filing. We have many that are zero income submission of tax returns, and so those are being entered, and hopefully, a pretty decent batch will be going out this Friday,” Atalig added.

For those who have inquiries or concerns about their stimulus payment, email the Division of Revenue & Taxation at stimulus@dof.gov.mp.