Can you buy life insurance without a green card?

The United States is built on immigration. Many are creating a life here and have the need for financial planning and protection. So a question we get a lot is “Can I buy life insurance without a green card?”. The short answer to that question is yes, you can.

In this post, we would outline what you need to know, what are your options, possible scenarios, and what you need to do to get the coverage in place.

Prior to diving deeper into the topic, we want to point out that we specialize in providing foreign nationals with options to secure life insurance. We strive to make the process fast, simple and easy. If you have any questions or would like us to take a look at your circumstances, simply reach out to us. You can call us, fill out the quote form on the page or send us a message.

Let’s get straight to it:

If you are in the US and looking to buy life insurance without a green card, you fall into one of these 2 categories:

• You are here on a visa
• Your visa had expired or don’t have one
  

Regardless of which category applies to you, we have options. Just click on the category that best describes you to take right to the information for you.

Also, we want to mention that a green card is also known as a permanent resident card. Therefore, people who currently don’t have that status are called non-permanent residents. Many insurance companies have a special category for when offering life insurance to non-US citizens and/or permanent residents. 

You are here on a visa

If you are looking to secure life insurance and you don’t have a green card, or haven’t been a permanent resident for some time, please read below. On top of your health and lifestyle, companies will ask about your immigration status. Some of the additional information they would need to review is:

What type of visa do you currently have – they would want to know if you have the intention to live in the US or you are just visiting here temporarily.

For example:

• you are visiting for a short period of time with visas such as B1/B2,
• you are an international student or,
• are currently living here with a visa such as H1B
• you are a DACA recipient.

What financial ties do you have to the US? Why life insurance in the US makes financial sense to you? You can’t come to the US for the single purpose of purchasing life insurance. Here is an example of some of the financial ties that may qualify you for coverage:

• Married to a US citizen
• Owns a real estate in the US
• Owns/be a part of a business with a significant US presence and etc.

When will your visa expire – this is another question they would need to ask. Please keep in mind that if your visa is expiring within a few months and you won’t be renewing it, this could reduce your chances of getting a policy in place.

Country of origin – some countries will flat out deny their citizens of purchasing life insurance in another country. Another reason we would ask you about your home country is that companies would not approve life insurance to residents of countries they seem too dangerous.

Occupation – this one more thing companies would be asking as a part of the underwriting. They will deny life insurance applications for the sole reason of your occupation if they consider it poses a higher risk. Some examples are people active in foreign military, police, government, or judicial services within their resident country.

Due to the complexity of the topic and the different options, we dedicated an entire post about life insurance for non-permanent residents.

Your visa had expired or don’t have one

Now, if you are in the US and are searching for life insurance without a green card or a valid visa, the following information pertains to you.

We will get straight to the point. If you are in the US, but you don’t have a valid visa, you have 3 options for securing life insurance.

Option 1:

Applying for coverage with the right company. This is the crucial part. Many carriers will deny your application before even reading through it, simply because you are an undocumented immigrant. Luckily, we specialize in life insurance for immigrants and we have an option. Here are the requirements you need to meed in order to qualify:

• Be in the US for a minimum of 5 years. There absolutely no expectation for this. The longer you are in the country, the better.

• Have some sort of income in the US

• What is your country of origin

• Have an SSN or ITIN*

*- If you are not sure what ITIN is, it stands for an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number. It is a nine-digit number that is issued by the IRS and it serves as a tax processing number. You can apply online to get one.

For more detailed information on the requirements and how much life insurance you can get, you can review our life insurance for undocumented immigrants’ guide.

Option 2:

Option to 2 is similar to the first option in regards to that you need to have an SSN or an ITIN. However, option 2 does not require a 5-year residency in the US. This policy is designed to cover any final expense/burial insurance. In other words, it offers a lower coverage amount (up to $30,000).

We want you to keep in mind that you would NOT have to complete a medical exam and you can secure the insurance over the phone, should you qualify. It is a straightforward insurance plan, designed to ensure your family would have the means to cover the cost of a funeral or shipment of your body abroad if those are your wishes.

For more detailed information on the requirements and how much life insurance you can get, you can review our final expense for foreign nationals or life insurance on undocumented parents.

Option 3:

If for some reason, you don’t meet any of the requirements above, rest assured, we have an alternative for you.

It is called Guaranteed Issue Life Insurance. This product will provide coverage for up to $50,000 should you pass away. There are zero questions you need to answer. You don’t need a social or a tax number. In a nutshell, as long as you are between the ages of 18-75 and reside in their approved states, you could be covered.

To learn more about this product and get sample prices, visit our guide on Guaranteed issue life insurance. 

In Conclusion,

Regardless of which category you fall into, life insurance without a green card is possible. Your options will depend on your situation. Simply reach out to us and one of our agents will advise of the best carrier, prices, and next steps.