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(i) Mandatory verification. The following information shall be verified prior to certification for households initially applying:
(a) Gross non-exempt income. Gross non-exempt income shall be verified for all households prior to certification. However, where all attempts to verify the income have been unsuccessful because the person or organization providing the income has failed to cooperate with the household and the social services district, and all other sources of verification are unavailable, the eligibility worker shall determine an amount of income to be used for certification purposes based on the best available information.
(b) Alien eligibility. The social services district must verify the qualifying status of applicant aliens as outlined in section 387.9 of this Part. If an alien declines to provide the social services district with his/her consent to contact United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to verify immigration status, the household must be given the option of withdrawing its application or participating without that member.
(c) Medical expenses. For households with any members who are age 60 or older or disabled, the amount of any medical expenses (including the amount of reimbursements) deductible under section 387.12 of this Part shall be verified, prior to initial certification, before the household can receive a deduction for those expenses. Verification of other factors, such as the permissibility of services provided or the eligibility of the person incurring the cost, shall be required if questionable.
(d) Social security numbers. The social services district shall verify the SSNs reported by the household by submitting them to the Social Security Administration (SSA) for verification according to procedures established by SSA. The social services district shall not delay the certification for or issuance of benefits to an otherwise eligible household solely to verify the SSN of a household member. Once an SSN has been verified, the social services district shall make a permanent annotation to its file to prevent the unnecessary reverification of the SSN in the future. The social services district shall accept as verified an SSN which has been verified by another program participating in the Income Eligibility Verification System (IEVS). If an individual is unable to provide an SSN or does not have an SSN, the social services district shall require the individual to submit Form SS-5, Application for a Social Security number, to the SSA. A completed SSA Form 2853 shall be considered proof of application for an SSN for a newborn infant.
(e) Residency. The residency requirements of section 387.9 of this Part shall be verified except in unusual cases (such as homeless households, some migrant farm worker households, or households newly arrived in a project area) where verification of residency cannot reasonably be accomplished. Documents used to verify other factors of eligibility should normally suffice to verify residency as well. Any documents or collateral contacts which reasonably establish the applicant's residency must be accepted and no requirement for a specific type of verification may be imposed. No durational residency requirement shall be established.
(f) Identity. The identity of the person applying for SNAP shall be verified. Where an authorized representative applies on behalf of a household, the identities of both the authorized representative and the head of household shall be verified. Any documents which reasonably establish the applicant's identity must be accepted, and no requirement for a specific type of document, such as a birth certificate, may be imposed.
(g) Disability. The social services district shall verify disability, as defined in section 387.1(m) of this Part, as follows:
(1) For individuals to be considered disabled under section 387.1(m)(2), (3) and (4) of this Part, the household shall provide proof that the disabled individual is receiving benefits under titles I, II, X, XIV or XVI of the Social Security Act.
(2) For individuals to be considered disabled under section 387.1(m)(6) of this Part, the household must present a statement from the VA which clearly indicates that the disabled individual is receiving VA disability benefits for a service-connected or non-service-connected disability and that the disability is rated as total or paid at the total rate by the VA.
(3) For individuals to be considered disabled under section 387.1(m)(7) and (8) of this Part, proof by the household that the disabled individual is receiving VA disability benefits is sufficient verification of disability.
(4) For individuals to be considered disabled under section 387.1(m)(5) and (9) of this Part, the social services district shall use the SSA’s most current list of disabilities considered permanent under the Social Security Act for verifying disability. If it is readily apparent to the caseworker that the individual has one of the listed disabilities, the household shall be considered to have verified disability. If a disability is not readily apparent to the caseworker, the household shall provide a statement from a physician or licensed or certified psychologist certifying that the individual has one of the nonobvious disabilities listed as the means for verifying disability under section 387.1(m)(5) and (9) of this Part.
(5) For individuals to be considered disabled under section 387.1 of this Part, the household shall provide proof that the individual receives a Railroad Retirement disability annuity from the Railroad Retirement Board and has been determined to qualify for Medicare.
(6) For individuals to be considered disabled under section 387.1 of this Part, the household shall provide proof that the individual receives interim assistance benefits pending the receipt of SSI benefits; or disability-related medical assistance under title XIX of the Social Security Act; or disability-based State general assistance benefits. The social services district shall verify that the eligibility to receive these benefits is based upon disability or blindness criteria which are at least as stringent as those used under title XVI of the Social Security Act.
(1) For individuals to be considered disabled under section 387.1(m)(2), (3) and (4) of this Part, the household shall provide proof that the disabled individual is receiving benefits under titles I, II, X, XIV or XVI of the Social Security Act.
(2) For individuals to be considered disabled under section 387.1(m)(6) of this Part, the household must present a statement from the VA which clearly indicates that the disabled individual is receiving VA disability benefits for a service-connected or non-service-connected disability and that the disability is rated as total or paid at the total rate by the VA.
(3) For individuals to be considered disabled under section 387.1(m)(7) and (8) of this Part, proof by the household that the disabled individual is receiving VA disability benefits is sufficient verification of disability.
(4) For individuals to be considered disabled under section 387.1(m)(5) and (9) of this Part, the social services district shall use the SSA’s most current list of disabilities considered permanent under the Social Security Act for verifying disability. If it is readily apparent to the caseworker that the individual has one of the listed disabilities, the household shall be considered to have verified disability. If a disability is not readily apparent to the caseworker, the household shall provide a statement from a physician or licensed or certified psychologist certifying that the individual has one of the nonobvious disabilities listed as the means for verifying disability under section 387.1(m)(5) and (9) of this Part.
(5) For individuals to be considered disabled under section 387.1 of this Part, the household shall provide proof that the individual receives a Railroad Retirement disability annuity from the Railroad Retirement Board and has been determined to qualify for Medicare.
(6) For individuals to be considered disabled under section 387.1 of this Part, the household shall provide proof that the individual receives interim assistance benefits pending the receipt of SSI benefits; or disability-related medical assistance under title XIX of the Social Security Act; or disability-based State general assistance benefits. The social services district shall verify that the eligibility to receive these benefits is based upon disability or blindness criteria which are at least as stringent as those used under title XVI of the Social Security Act.
(h) Social services districts shall verify all factors of eligibility for households which have been terminated for refusal to cooperate with a State quality control review and reapply more than 125 days from the end of the annual review period. Social services districts shall verify all factors of eligibility for households which have been terminated for refusal to cooperate with a federal quality control review and reapply after more than nine months from the end of the annual review period.