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SNAP CERTIFICATION MANUAL – SECTION 1000 1600 Determining Household Composition 1621 Citizenship Status

• Statement provided by a U.S. consular officer certifying that the individual is a U.S. citizen; • American Indian Card with a classification code “KIC”; or • Adoption Finalization Papers that show the child’s name and place of birth in the United States or one (1) of its territories. If none of these documents is available, the alien may provide secondary evidence such as religious records, school records, or census records that indicate birth in the United States. If the household cannot obtain any of the forms listed above to verify citizenship and the household can provide a reasonable explanation as to why verification is not available, the eligibility worker will accept a signed statement, under penalty of perjury, from a third party indicating a personal knowledge that the member in question is a U.S. citizen or non-citizen national. The signed statement must contain a warning of the penalties for helping someone commit fraud. In the absence of verification or third-party attestation of U.S. citizenship or non-citizen national status, the household member whose citizenship status is in question will be treated as an ineligible alien (see SNAP 1621.6) until the issue is resolved. A legal immigrant who has lived in the United States as a qualified alien for a period of five (5) years or longer may participate in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program if otherwise eligible. See SNAP 1621.1. Not all aliens who are residing in the United States are allowed to participate in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. With some exceptions, aliens will be allowed to receive SNAP benefits only if: 1. The alien meets the criteria to be classified as a “qualified alien”; and 2. The alien meets or is exempt from meeting one (1) of the conditions under which a “qualified alien” may receive SNAP benefits. See SNAP 1621.1 for an explanation of a qualified alien. An alien who will be allowed to participate in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program is referred to as an “eligible alien.” However, “eligible aliens” must also meet Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program requirements such as income and resource limits. Ineligible aliens for SNAP include, but are not limited to, the following categories of individuals: • Visitors and tourists; • Students; • Diplomats; • Aliens admitted under color of law; • Aliens who have applied for eligible status but have not yet been approved; • Aliens who have questionable or unverified status; • Aliens who have their deportation withheld; • COFA citizens residing in American Samoa, Puerto Rico, or the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI)