Page 127

VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES NONFINANCIAL ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

10/24 VOLUME V, PART VII, PAGE 1

A. NONFINANCIAL ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

Participation in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program is based on both financial and nonfinancial eligibility criteria. This chapter contains a discussion of most of the nonfinancial eligibility criteria. A household will meet the nonfinancial eligibility criteria if it:

1. Resides in the locality of application; (7 CFR 273.3) (Part VII.B.)

2. Resides in a noninstitutional setting or in an eligible institution; (7 CFR 273.1(b)(7)(vi)) (Part VII.C.)

3. Contains no persons currently on strike unless the household would have been eligible before the strike; (7 CFR 273.1(g)(1)) (Part VII.D.)

4. Contains a student enrolled in an institution of higher education who meets certain special eligibility requirements; (7 CFR 273.5) (Part VII.E.)

5. Contains citizens of the United States or eligible aliens (7 CFR 273.4) (Part VII.F.)

6. Registers for work, unless otherwise exempt (7 CFR 273.7). (Part VIII.A.)

7. Does not have a primary wage earner who voluntarily quits or reduces work without good cause (7 CFR 273.7(n)) (Part VIII.B.)

8. Provides Social Security numbers for household members (7 CFR 273.6(a)(1)). (Part VII.G.)

The presence of cooking facilities is not a criterion for determining SNAP eligibility.

B. RESIDENCY (7 CFR 273.3)

Residence is defined as physical presence in a locality with the intent to remain either temporarily or permanently.

Households do not have to live in the locality for a particular length of time to get SNAP benefits, nor do they have to have any intent of staying any length of time. Persons vacationing in an area cannot be considered as residents.

Households must reside in the locality in which they apply for SNAP benefits. Households do not have to reside in a permanent dwelling or have a fixed mailing address as a condition of eligibility. Migrant campsites, motels, or other temporary shelters meet the residency requirements. Households may live in vehicles, such as cars, buses, or trucks, etc. Other individuals may live on the street. If households maintain a physical presence in the locality, they will meet residency requirement. Households may not participate in more than one locality at a time.

Participants in the Address Confidentiality Program (ACP) must declare they reside in the locality in which they apply for SNAP benefits. The ACP authorization card will establish participation in that

TRANSMITTAL #35