American Indians Born Abroad – SNAP
Important: American Indians Born Abroad are immediately eligible for SNAP benefits. When an American Indians Born Abroad adjust to LPR status, they are not subject to a 5-year waiting period, provided they meet all other SNAP financial and non-financial eligibility requirements.
Eligibility Requirements
An American Indian born in Canada to whom the provisions of Section 289 of the Immigration and Nationality Act apply or who are members of a tribe as defined in Section 4(e) of the Indian Self Determination and Education Assistance Act.
A person with at least 50 percent of Indian blood born in Canada, with treaty rights to cross the United States borders with Canada, and who has maintained residence in the United States since his or her entry must be regarded as having been lawfully admitted for permanent residence.
Note: Members of the Texas Band of Kickapoo who did not apply for US Citizenship are not eligible as American Indians Born Abroad, they would be held to regular noncitizen eligibility rules.
Verification
This status must be verified. An American Indian born in Canada status is verified by one of the following:
- A ”band card” issued by the band council of a Canadian Indian reserve
- Birth or baptism records
- A provincial Union of Indians card issued by the tribal nation (such as a Union of Nova Scotia Indians card); or
- An affidavit from a tribal official or other person knowledgeable about the applicant’s or recipient’s family ancestry.
Note: Individuals who meet Legal Permanent Resident status as an American Indian born Abroad as outlined above, must be coded as a Legal Permanent Resident in the Noncitizen Designation page of BEACON. The Other section reference must be updated with client’s current Class of Admission (COA) code, as this indicates the category under which the client was admitted into the United States.
Related Topics
Entering Citizenship Data
Entering Noncitizen Designation
Entering Noncitizen Data
Eligible Qualified Noncitizens Policy and Procedures
Verification of Immigration Status