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

4 Section 227 Change #1-2026 February 1, 2026 SAVE Verification Requirement: County agencies must verify eligible immigration status of all non-citizen household members applying for FNS. Households are required to submit U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) documentation for each noncitizen applying for FNS benefits as a condition of eligibility. County agencies must then verify the validity of these documents through the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) program. See FNS 227.07 for acceptable documentation and SAVE verification procedures.

Non-Applicant Household Members: County agencies cannot request verification or attempt to verify citizenship or immigration status for household members not seeking FNS benefits—for example, non-citizen parents submitting an application for their children. 2. At Recertification Effective February 1, 2026, for households already receiving FNS, review household circumstances and apply H.R. 1 eligibility criteria at the household’s next recertification. SAVE Verification: County agencies must initiate SAVE verification at every recertification for non-citizen FNS unit members who are seeking benefits for themselves, regardless of whether a change in immigration status has been reported. Document SAVE results in NC FAST using the appropriate evidence type. 3. Households in Active Certification Period.

For households currently certified as of the effective date of the H.R. 1 changes: • Do not send Requests for Contact or take adverse action regarding immigration status mid-certification due to prior NCFAST certification status. • Apply H.R. 1 non-citizen eligibility rules at the household's next scheduled recertification. • If a household voluntarily reports a change in immigration status, act on the reported change and initiate SAVE verification. IMPORTANT: Immigration status is not a required reporting item. Households are not required to report changes in immigration status during a certification period.