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West Virginia Income Maintenance Manual Chapter 15

West Virginia Income Maintenance Manual Page 35 Chapter 15 Noncitizens, Refugees, and Citizenship

15.4 SYSTEMATIC ALIEN VERIFICATION FOR ENTITLEMENT (SAVE) AND 40 QUALIFYING QUARTERS OF COVERAGE 15.4.1 SYSTEMATIC ALIEN VERIFICATION FOR ENTITLEMENT (SAVE) At the time of application, all individuals who apply for benefits are required to declare in writing whether they are citizens or nationals of the United States (U.S) or noncitizens. This is accomplished by the completion of the Declaration of Citizenship/Noncitizen. All noncitizen clients are required to have status determined by inquiry submission to the SAVE system. Eligibility workers are required to verify status eligibility at initial application or redetermination. Status may only be verified during a certification period if a change is reported. If the applicant is a noncitizen, he must present original documentation of noncitizen registration. Noncitizens without documentation must be referred to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Office in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. 15.4.1.A Determining Noncitizen Eligibility The Worker should make every attempt to determine the client’s benefit eligibility prior to a request for noncitizen status verification. NOTE: If the applicant satisfies the eligibility requirements for the benefits requested, and if the applicant provides documentation of his status as a qualified noncitizen and completes the written declaration—under penalty of perjury—that he is a qualified noncitizen, the applicant’s eligibility for benefits must not be delayed, denied, reduced, or terminated under the program on the basis of the applicant's immigration status during the period of time it takes to verify his immigration status through the SAVE verification request to the Division of Family Assistance (DFA). NOTE: Acceptable verification may consist of the applicant or DFA submitting a request to a federal agency for verification of information, which bears on the status of the noncitizen. The individual must be certified pending the results of the investigation for up to six months from the date of the original request for verification.