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SNAP CERTIFICATION MANUAL – SECTION 8000 8100 Initial Application Process – Summary 8000 Initial Application Process

8100 Initial Application Process – Summary

SNAP Manual 05/01/2022 The following applications are initial applications: • An application from a household that has never received Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. • An application from a household whose certification period expired if the household does not reapply within thirty (30) days of the last day of the last month of certification. • An application from a household whose SNAP case closed if the household does not reapply within thirty (30) days from the last day of the month of closure. The initial application process begins the day an application is submitted to the agency in person, by mail, or electronically and ends when the application is approved or denied. The date of application is the date the application is logged as received by the agency. Eligible households that complete the application process will participate in the Program as soon as possible, but no later than thirty (30) calendar days from the application date. Applications not approved or denied by the thirtieth day must be evaluated to determine if the household or the agency was at fault for the delay in processing the application. If the agency is at fault, the application will continue to be processed. If the household is at fault, the application will be denied. See SNAP 8530. The application process consists of the following actions: 1. Registering the application using the date of application as the day the Department of Human Services (DHS) received the application. Electronic applications received after the close of business will use the following workday as the application date. 2. Providing each adult household member with assistance completing voter registration application as explained in the Voter Registration Appendix. 3. Interviewing the applicant (face-to-face, telephone, or virtual). 4. Ensuring declared household composition is correct and that all members are eligible. 5. Work registering members who are not exempt from work requirements. 6. Determining that all members have declared or applied for a Social Security number (SSN). 7. Determining if the household is eligible based on income and resources. 8. Obtaining all necessary verification and assisting the household to obtain verification when needed. 9. Completing all necessary forms, routing them as required by the agency, and scanning into the electronic case file as specified.