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FOOD AND NUTRITION SERVICES CERTIFICATION ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS FNS 227 NON-CITIZEN REQUIREMENTS

28 Section 227 Change #1-2026 February 1, 2026 e. The sponsor dies. 4. Review FNS 315 Special Budgeting, § 315.02 Alien Sponsors for procedures for calculating countable deemed income from sponsors. D. Indigence Exemption Determination 1. Definition: "Unable to obtain food and shelter" means that the sum of the eligible sponsored non-citizen's household's own income, the cash contributions of the sponsor and others, and the value of any in-kind assistance the sponsor and others provide does not exceed 130% of the poverty income guideline for the non-citizen's household size. 2. Indigence Determination Process a. Pre-Determination Explanation: Prior to conducting an indigence determination, the County agency must explain the purpose of the determination to a non-citizen applying for FNS and provide the noncitizen the opportunity to refuse the indigence determination. The sponsored non-citizen must be informed of the consequences of refusing an indigence determination, i.e., the sponsor’s income and resources will be deemed to the non-citizen. i. If the sponsored non-citizen is exempt based on indigence, the names of the sponsors and sponsored non-citizen must be reported to USCIS. ii. If the sponsored non-citizen refuses the indigence determination, the sponsor’s income and resources will be deemed. b. Self-Declaration. A sponsored non-citizen may self-declare that he or she is not being supported by the sponsor. Verification from the sponsor of non-support is not needed. i. If the sponsored non-citizen self-declares nonsupport from the sponsor, all that can be estimated when determining indigence is the sponsored non-citizen household's income, the value of in-kind support, and any other income received from others. c. Compare to Gross Income Limit: Determine the amount of income (include both countable and non-countable income), cash contributions, and the value of in-kind support provided in the month of application. Use a reasonable method to assign a monetary value to in-kind assistance. Compare the total income, contributions, and value of inkind support, to the gross income limit for the non-citizen's household size. If the total is greater than the gross income limit, the non-citizen is not