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ESA SNAP Policy Manual 109 8.6.6.1 Methods of Determining Date of Entry Several types of documentation can demonstrate that an individual entered the country on or before August 22, 1996:  Immigration documents  Date of entry in the SAVE system  Additional documentation provided by the noncitizen − Cancelled checks or bank statements from a period before August 22, 1996 − A rent receipt, lease, mortgage or other document showing that the individual maintained a residence in the US on or before August 22, 1996 − A written statement from an employer, landlord or social service agency describing the relationship the customer had with the statement writer on or before August 22, 1996 − Driver’s license issued on or before August 22, 1996 − Written documentation (including a letter from the principal, report card and so on) from a school showing that a member of the family attended the school on or before August 22, 1996 − Other reasonable evidence that shows the immigrant lived in the US on or before August 22, 1996 8.6.6.2 Determining Continuous Presence Some people, such as those on tourist visas, may have entered the country on or before August 22, 1996, but they were not continuously present in the US. A qualified noncitizen who did not obtain their qualified status on or before August 22, 1996, and traveled to and from the US but did not establish a continuous presence until after August 22, 1996, is not eligible for benefits on the basis of having entered the US on or before August 22, 1996. To determine whether an individual was continuously present in the US on or before August 22, 1996, ESA will follow these steps: 1. Determine the latest date the person entered the country on or before August 22, 1996. 2. Determine whether the noncitizen had a single absence from the US of more than 30 days between the date of latest entry on or before August 22, 1996, and the date the individual became a qualified noncitizen. If there is any absence of more than 30 days, ESA does not consider the individual as having entered the US on or before August 22, 1996, when determining eligibility. 3. Determine whether the noncitizen’s combined absences from the US total more than 90 days between the last date of entry before 1996 and the date they became a qualified noncitizen. If there were more than 90 days of absence in this period, they are usually not considered to have entered the US on or before August 22, 1996. Return