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ESA SNAP Policy Manual 101  Children under 18: any qualified noncitizen under 18 who lawfully resides in the US  Blind or disabled: blind or disabled individual receiving benefits or assistance for their condition, regardless of entry date  Older individual born on or before August 22, 1931, who lawfully resided in the US on August 22, 1996  Military connection: an individual who is lawfully residing in a state and is on active duty in the military (excluding National Guard) or is an honorably discharged veteran whose discharge is not because of immigration status (includes spouse, surviving spouse if not married and unmarried dependent children; a discharge of “under honorable conditions,” which is different from an honorable discharge, does not meet this requirement  Citizens of nations under Compacts of Free Association agreements: an individual who is lawfully residing in the US in accordance with section 141 of the Compacts of Free Association between the government of the United States and the governments of the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands and the Republic of Palau 8.6.2.1 Five-Year Residency Requirement Residing in the US for five years or more is one of the conditional requirements qualified noncitizens (see Table 8.6.1.a, Qualified Noncitizens by Immigration Category) may fulfill to become eligible to receive SNAP. The five years in qualified status may be either consecutive or nonconsecutive. Temporary absences of less than six months from the US with no intention of abandoning US residency do not terminate or interrupt the individual’s period of US residency. If the resident is absent for more than six months, ESA will presume that US residency was interrupted unless the noncitizen presents evidence of their intent to resume US residency. In determining whether a noncitizen with an interrupted period of US residency has resided in the US for five years, ESA will consider all months of residency in the US, including any months of residency before the interruption. Qualified noncitizens who meet at least one of the criteria listed in Section 8.6.1, Qualified Noncitizens, are eligible to receive SNAP benefits and are not subject to the requirement to be in a qualified status for five years in the US. These noncitizens are exempt from the five-year residency requirement:  Amerasians  Asylees  Cuban or Haitian entrants  Individuals with deportation (or removal) withheld  Iraqi and Afghan special immigrants  Individuals lawfully admitted for permanent residence aged 18 or older with 40 qualifying work quarters  Refugees  Trafficking victims and certain family members of trafficking victims Return