Noncitizen Introduction - SNAP

Overview

A noncitizen is defined as an individual who has immigrated from another country to the United States for the purpose of residing in the U.S. An eligible noncitizen is someone who was lawfully admitted for permanent residence or lawfully residing in an eligible noncitizen status. The criteria for an eligible noncitizen differs between TAFDC, EAEDC and SNAP. Be sure to confirm the noncitizen’s eligibility with the specific program’s regulations on noncitizens.

An individual who is a visitor, diplomat or student from another country has not been admitted for permanent residence and is a nonimmigrant. This individual is ineligible for TAFDC, EAEDC or SNAP benefits.

An individual who is a non-legally residing noncitizen who presents a Final Order of Deportation is ineligible.

Noncitizen Opt-Out

When a noncitizen applying for SNAP benefits indicates an inability or unwillingness to provide information or acceptable verification of an eligible noncitizen status that person will be ineligible. In such cases you must not continue efforts to obtain documentation. Likewise, if a noncitizen applying for SNAP benefits indicates an inability or unwillingness to provide, or apply for, a Social Security Number due to immigration status that person is ineligible. You are not to continue efforts to obtain documentation or run a SAVE request. SNAP eligibility will be determined for the remaining members of the household who verify an eligible noncitizen status. For more information on how to process noncitizens opting out of SNAP benefits please refer to the Noncitizen Opt-Out OLG page.

Note: When conducting a face-to-face interview with a noncitizen applicant it is important to provide them with the What Noncitizen Need to Know and the Noncitizen Resource Brochures.

SNAP Eligible Qualified Noncitizen Status

A noncitizen’s eligibility for SNAP benefits depends on the noncitizen being a qualified noncitizen and meeting certain conditions related to the qualified noncitizen status.

A qualified noncitizen means a noncitizen who at the time the noncitizen applies for or receives SNAP benefits is in one of the following categories as determined by the United States Citizen and Immigration Service (USCIS):

Cuban/Haitian Entrants (as defined in section 501(e) of the Refugee Education Assistance Act of 1980)
Legal Permanent Residents
Citizens from Compacts of Free Association (COFA) Nations

A Desk Guide has been created to assist staff in accurately identifying eligible noncitizens for all DTA programs. The desk guide includes information on the noncitizen groups that retain eligibility after the passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. It also includes eligibility information for all other noncitizen designations.

Verification of Noncitizen Status

A noncitizen applying for SNAP benefits and claiming an eligible noncitizen status must verify that they are present in the United States (U.S.) under one of the noncitizen statuses. The noncitizen must submit verification of noncitizen eligibility in accordance with Department procedures for the applicable noncitizen status and the date the status was granted for each member of the household. This must be done at application, at recertification and when the status of the noncitizen changes or is questionable. A client’s noncitizen status must be determined before a determination of SNAP eligibility is made.

At application the applicant must provide documentation of immigration status only for household members applying for benefits. Once provided the information must be verified through the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE). This is done by accessing the SAVE system, selecting the Create New Case button in the SAVE system and completing the request form. Once submitted the system will verify the information or, in certain circumstances, prompt the user to institute a secondary verification. In addition to the applicant’s immigration status, SAVE will provide the following information (if available) in order to determine the applicant’s eligibility: Grant Date and Sponsors/Household Members.

Sponsor Deeming

Certain non-categorically eligible noncitizen households are subject to sponsor deeming. Sponsor Deeming is the counting of the income and assets of the sponsor(s) based on the amount on the affidavit of support or current verification of the sponsor(s) circumstances whether or not monies are actually given to the sponsored noncitizen.

Ineligible Legal Noncitizen Status

An individual present in the U.S. under conditions or sections of the INA not described above, notwithstanding a legal noncitizen, is ineligible for SNAP benefits. Their income or assets shall be considered for the remaining household members The following legal noncitizen designations are not eligible for SNAP:

Asylees
Refugees
Noncitizens with an order granting withholding of deportation
Parolees (with the exception of individuals paroled from Cuba or Haiti)
Special Humanitarian Parolees (e.g. Ukrainian Humanitarian parolees, Iraqi and Afghan special immigrants, Afghan non-SI Parolees, etc.)
Victims of Severe Forms of Trafficking
Members of Hmong, Highland Laotian tribes
Nonimmigrants
PRUCOLs

Important: Some of the noncitizen designations outlined above (such as Asylees, Refugees, Parolees, Victims of Trafficking, Members of Hmong, Highland Laotian tribes, Special Humanitarian Parolees, Deportation Withheld , etc.) that no longer meet SNAP eligibility requirements, may have been applied to noncitizens who have already adjusted to LPR status. For this reason, it is important that staff ensure that noncitizens who have adjusted to LPR status from a prior status be coded as Legal Permanent Resident on the Noncitizen Designation page of BEACON.