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ENERGY PROGRAMS UNITED STATES CITIZENSHIP

1 Section 175 Change #1-2011 December 1, 2011 EP – 175 UNITED STATES CITIZENSHIP Change #1-2011 December 1, 2011

175.01 WHAT IS THE CITIZENSHIP REQUIREMENT?

A. A household must include at least one:

1. U. S. citizen, or

2. Eligible alien.

B. At application the applicant must state the names of all aliens in the household.

C. The applicant must also provide original documentation from the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) for each alien.

D. Illegal aliens are not eligible.

175.02 WHO IS A UNITED STATES CITIZEN?

A. Any person born in the continental U. S., Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Guam, U. S. Virgin Islands, Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa, Swains Islands, or

B. Any person who is a naturalized citizen of the U. S.

175.03 HOW DO YOU VERIFY AND DOCUMENT UNITED STATES CITIZENSHIP?

A. Applicant's statement - Unless the applicant's statement is questionable, accept his statement as verification.

The applicant's statement is questionable when:

1. The claim of citizenship is inconsistent with statements made by the applicant or with other information on the application.

2. The claim of citizenship is inconsistent with information received from another source.

3. Any household member was born outside the U. S. to a parent or parents who are U. S. citizens. In this situation, the applicant must provide verification of citizenship for the person born outside the U. S. (See 175.03 B.)

B. If the applicant's statement is questionable, verify citizenship using:

1. Birth certificates, or

2. Hospital/doctors' records established at time of birth. This includes a hospital- issued birth certificate; or

3. Birth certificates or documents verifying the U.S. citizenship of at least one parent, and that the child is the biological child of that parent.

Example: A mother applying for benefits for herself and two children was born in Texas but the children were born in Mexico, as the mother spent time in both countries. If the mother can prove that she is a U.S. citizen and that the children are her biological children, the children are U.S. citizens.