How's a non-resident citizen to get a COVID shot?
March 12, 2021 3:38 PM Subscribe
I'm a US citizen living in Canada, but visiting my folks in New York. New York seems to require residence (contrary, I read somewhere, to CDC guidance). What's a fellow to do? Canada, unfortunately, is vaccinating at a snail's pace compared to the US.
Are you staying with your parents in New York? If so, is there a reason you can't actually, legitimately, establish temporary residency in New York? Start by getting a getting a utility or insurance bill that is addressed to your parent's address (monthly renter's insurance or a cheap mobile phone bill might be good choice). Using your U.S. Passport and the bill apply for a NY ID card. Use the NY ID card to demonstrate residency for NY vaccination (the documentation required seems within your reach).
posted by RichardP at 4:00 PM on March 12, 2021
posted by RichardP at 4:00 PM on March 12, 2021
I found this link: https://covid19vaccine.health.ny.gov/frequently-asked-questions.
According to this, they must prove Residence. This is what they say:
"To prove New York residence, an individual must show:
one of the following: State or government-issued ID; consulate ID (if New York address is displayed); Statement from a landlord; current rent receipt or lease; mortgage records;
or two of the following: Statement from another person; current mail; school records."
Technically, could your parents act as your 'landlord' and write a statement? Could you also pay them 'rent', and they write you a rent receipt? Or even a fake lease? There's lease templates found all over the Internet; print one out, and fill it out.
That + some mail mailed to you might work for the residency requirement.
posted by spinifex23 at 5:23 PM on March 12, 2021
According to this, they must prove Residence. This is what they say:
"To prove New York residence, an individual must show:
one of the following: State or government-issued ID; consulate ID (if New York address is displayed); Statement from a landlord; current rent receipt or lease; mortgage records;
or two of the following: Statement from another person; current mail; school records."
Technically, could your parents act as your 'landlord' and write a statement? Could you also pay them 'rent', and they write you a rent receipt? Or even a fake lease? There's lease templates found all over the Internet; print one out, and fill it out.
That + some mail mailed to you might work for the residency requirement.
posted by spinifex23 at 5:23 PM on March 12, 2021
Some states allow anyone to get a shot, notably Florida.
posted by kschang at 5:55 PM on March 12, 2021
posted by kschang at 5:55 PM on March 12, 2021
Arizona does, too.
Please do not defy guidance designed to prioritize state and local resources for state residents during a time when demand still exceeds supply. You've cast your lot, and your taxes, with Canada.
posted by praemunire at 8:51 PM on March 12, 2021 [9 favorites]
Please do not defy guidance designed to prioritize state and local resources for state residents during a time when demand still exceeds supply. You've cast your lot, and your taxes, with Canada.
posted by praemunire at 8:51 PM on March 12, 2021 [9 favorites]
Yeah, I'm really surprised to see some of these answers on metafilter. You should get vaccinated as soon as you are eligible - committing fraud to appear eligible doesn't count (I'm reacting to the answers - I understand the OP did not ask how to commit fraud, just how to qualify, which, sounds like they cannot ethically do in NY but potentially could in other states).
I don't mean to be dogmatic - access to vaccines is strikingly unequal globally, and the calculus might be trickier if somebody were resident in a country ravaged by COVID but with vastly lower per capita GDP and thus ability to procure a significant number of vaccines. This is not the situation described in the question.
posted by exutima at 10:23 PM on March 12, 2021 [4 favorites]
I don't mean to be dogmatic - access to vaccines is strikingly unequal globally, and the calculus might be trickier if somebody were resident in a country ravaged by COVID but with vastly lower per capita GDP and thus ability to procure a significant number of vaccines. This is not the situation described in the question.
posted by exutima at 10:23 PM on March 12, 2021 [4 favorites]
Praemunire, some expats pay state and federal taxes for various reasons.
posted by never.was.and.never.will.be. at 10:26 PM on March 12, 2021 [4 favorites]
posted by never.was.and.never.will.be. at 10:26 PM on March 12, 2021 [4 favorites]
If OP is staying for an extended period of time, it may not be fraud to claim residency for vaccine purposes - his parents' place is a temporary residence. It's a public health benefit to have people vaccinated, and to nobody's benefit if a person staying somewhere on a long visit can't get vaccinated at all because of their citizenship. Vaccination signup at a public health-run site in my state explicitly stated that no one would be turned away due to immigration or citizenship status.
posted by augustimagination at 11:07 PM on March 12, 2021 [2 favorites]
posted by augustimagination at 11:07 PM on March 12, 2021 [2 favorites]
If OP had retained tax residency in NY, he would know it (because he'd be paying taxes). He said he was non-resident.
If demand did not exceed supply at the moment, I would consider some finessing of this point acceptable. But the fact is that NY has chosen to prioritize its residents in vaccination, OP is not a resident, and any shot he takes in the regular course right now will be one taken away from a resident who wants it. I'm sure OP would not want his own parents to have to wait because some not-qualified people had zipped down from Calgary to get the shot.
posted by praemunire at 11:25 PM on March 12, 2021 [3 favorites]
If demand did not exceed supply at the moment, I would consider some finessing of this point acceptable. But the fact is that NY has chosen to prioritize its residents in vaccination, OP is not a resident, and any shot he takes in the regular course right now will be one taken away from a resident who wants it. I'm sure OP would not want his own parents to have to wait because some not-qualified people had zipped down from Calgary to get the shot.
posted by praemunire at 11:25 PM on March 12, 2021 [3 favorites]
Vaccination signup at a public health-run site in my state explicitly stated that no one would be turned away due to immigration or citizenship status.
That's not an issue of residency. There are many non-citizen residents of any state, of varying immigration statuses. It's honestly a little distasteful to me to hear a position designed not to deter undocumented immigrants, who are very often essential workers, from getting the vaccine for fear of ICE turned into a justification for a fairly privileged person to jump into line.
posted by praemunire at 11:28 PM on March 12, 2021 [5 favorites]
That's not an issue of residency. There are many non-citizen residents of any state, of varying immigration statuses. It's honestly a little distasteful to me to hear a position designed not to deter undocumented immigrants, who are very often essential workers, from getting the vaccine for fear of ICE turned into a justification for a fairly privileged person to jump into line.
posted by praemunire at 11:28 PM on March 12, 2021 [5 favorites]
I'm not stating it as something he should take advantage of unethically. If he's ineligible, then he's ineligible. I'm simply pointing out that the issue of someone getting vaccinated on a lengthy trip to another country isn't necessarily about them trying to commit fraud, and that public health interests in a given geographic area aren't necessarily in line with the idea that he's "thrown his lot in with Canada" and shouldn't even think about looking into getting vaccinated here.
posted by augustimagination at 11:49 PM on March 12, 2021
posted by augustimagination at 11:49 PM on March 12, 2021
Putting aside the issue of whether it's ethical/acceptable/moral to claim New York State residency for the purposes of the vaccine, I want to point out that currently only three groups of people in NYS are eligible anyway.
1. New York State residents aged 60 or older
2. New York State residents of any age (at least any age that the vaccine has been approved for, I assume) with certain comorbidities and conditions
3. Persons employed in New York State in certain defined employment roles (for example but not only healthcare, transit, teacher, restaurant, grocery store workers, etc.). Starting March 17 this will also include certain government employees, nonprofit workers and essential building service workers.
You can check eligibility using this tool here.
Some states allow anyone to get a shot, notably Florida.
Incidentally, this was but is no longer the case. On January 21, Florida changed the rules to require Florida residency, except for healthcare workers. (Florida residency does include snowbirds/"seasonal residency" of at least 1 month though.)
posted by andrewesque at 4:49 AM on March 13, 2021 [1 favorite]
1. New York State residents aged 60 or older
2. New York State residents of any age (at least any age that the vaccine has been approved for, I assume) with certain comorbidities and conditions
3. Persons employed in New York State in certain defined employment roles (for example but not only healthcare, transit, teacher, restaurant, grocery store workers, etc.). Starting March 17 this will also include certain government employees, nonprofit workers and essential building service workers.
You can check eligibility using this tool here.
Some states allow anyone to get a shot, notably Florida.
Incidentally, this was but is no longer the case. On January 21, Florida changed the rules to require Florida residency, except for healthcare workers. (Florida residency does include snowbirds/"seasonal residency" of at least 1 month though.)
posted by andrewesque at 4:49 AM on March 13, 2021 [1 favorite]
This thread is closed to new comments.
You can often use a library card as proof of residency. Check if you can register online and download the ID.
posted by jennstra at 3:59 PM on March 12, 2021