Hello Rabea Kruegel

I have a question regarding the use of government benefits and its potential impact on future citizenship applications. My family and I arrived in the U.S. (California) on November 1st, and on F4 visa category we’re currently waiting for our green cards, which are in the mail.

In the meantime, we’ve applied for EBT (food stamps), Medi-Cal, benefits out of which Medi-Cal is approved and also we are thinking in future to apply for low income housing .We’re concerned about whether using these benefits might cause issues or complications in the future when we apply for U.S. citizenship.

Has anyone had a similar experience or knowledge about this? Are these benefits considered public charges that could affect our status later?

I would greatly appreciate any insights or guidance on this matter.

Thank you!