421-6 DOCUMENTATION OF U.S. CITIZENSHIP AND ELIGIBLE ALIEN STATUS

U.S. United States citizenship is verified only when questionable. Every household must declare that all household members have U.S. United States citizenship or satisfactory immigration status. The adult household member or authorized representative fulfills this condition of eligibility by signing the application (GEN 50B Application for Services) or recertification application (GEN 72 Eligibility Review Form).

A. Verification of U.S. citizenship is not required for:

A current Supplemental Security Income (SSI Supplemental Security Income) recipient;

A current Medicare recipient;

An individual receiving Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI Social Security Disability Insurance) benefits;

Children in state foster care or Title IV-E adoption assistance; or

A newborn that is eligible for and receives Medicaid in their birth month. This includes a newborn whose mother is a non-qualified alien and is determined eligible under Emergency Treatment for Aliens. These newborns are considered to have provided satisfactory documentation of citizenship and identity, and no further documentation will be necessary in the future.

Note:

In most cases, APA Adult Public Assistance recipients are automatically eligible for Medicaid. However, before Medicaid coverage can begin, Medicaid rules require that most applicants and recipients verify their citizenship status (Refer to ADLTC manual section 520 B.)

B. Acceptable Documentation

Sources of verification include birth certificates, certificates of citizenship or naturalization provided by the U.S. United States Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS), U.S. United States passports, and official identification cards showing U.S. citizenship. U.S. United States National status may be verified with a U.S. United States passport stamped ”U.S. United States National.”

C. Proof of Qualified Alien Status

An alien must provide proof of his or her qualified alien status. The following documents are acceptable for determining alien status and whether the alien is subject to the five year waiting period.

Certain USCIS documents can be viewed online at

http://www.ncosc.net/Foreign_Nationals/Travel_Doc_Identification.pdf.

IMMIGRATION STATUS	VERIFICATION DOCUMENT ( USCIS FORMS)
Legal Permanent Resident	I-551 (referred to as green card), or I-94 annotated with a temporary I-551 stamp (for recent arrivals or aliens who have applied for a replacement I-551)
Refugee	I-94 stamped showing admission under section 207 of the INA Immigration & Nationality Act and date of entry to the US, or I-688B annotated 274a.12(a)(3), or I-766 annotated A3, or, I-571 (Refugees usually adjust to LPR Lawful Permanent Resident status after 12 months in the US, However, they are still considered refugee for eligibility purposes when they have a I-551 with a code of RE-6, RE-7, RE-8, or RE-9)
Special Immigrants	I-94 or passport stamped with an "S" category
Asylee	I-94 stamped showing grant of asylum under section 208 and date of entry, or A grant letter from the Asylum Office of the USCIS ; or I-688B annotated 274a.12(a)(5), or I-766 annotated A5, or Court order of an immigration judge showing asylum granted under section 208.
Parolee	I-94 annotated with stamp showing grant of parole under 212(d)(5) and a date showing granting of parole for at least 1 year.
Deportation Withheld	Order of an immigration judge showing deportation withheld under section 243(h) and date of grant; or I-688B annotated 274a.12(a)(10), or I-766 annotated A10
Conditional Entrant	I-94 with stamp showing admission under 203(a)(7), refugee-conditional entry, or I-688B annotated 274a.12(a)(3) I-766 annotated A3
Battered Spouse or Child of U.S. United States Citizen or Permanent Legal Resident	Approved or pending I-130 or I-360 petition showing a prima facie case that he or she is protected under the Violence Against Women Act, and Verification that the individual responsible for the battery or cruelty is no longer living in the household of the victim.
Cuban Or Haitian Entrant	I-94 with stamp showing parole as Cuban/Haitian Entrant under section 212(d)(5) of the INA Immigration & Nationality Act Form I-551 with code CU6, CU7, or CH6 Foreign passport containing an unexpired temporary I-551 stamp with the code CU6 or CU7
U.S. United States Military Veteran, Active Duty Military (includes spouse and unmarried dependent children under 21)	Green Form DD-2 marked ACTIVE, or A current order showing the individual is on full-time duty in the US Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, or Coast Guard (Reserves are not considered active duty). DD-214 indicating honorable discharge, or Discharge papers indicating honorable discharge
Victims Of Trafficking (includes certain eligible immediate family members holding a derivative T-Visa)	Letter of certification from the Office of Refugee Resettlement ( ORR Office of Refugee Resettlement ). The caseworker must verify the validity of this letter and notify ORR Office of Refugee Resettlement of the benefits for which the individual has applied by calling the toll-free trafficking verification line at 1-866-401-5510. Form I-797a indicating Class T-1 Visa. Form I-797a indicating T-2 (spouse), T-3 (child), T-4 (parent) or T-5 (unmarried sibling under age18 years on the date such alien’s T visa application was filed), known as a Derivative Visa. Note: T status is valid for 3 years from date of approval and is not renewable. However, the individual may adjust to lawful permanent resident status within the 90-day period immediately preceding the expiration of T status.
American Indian Born In Canada	Birth or baptismal certificate issued on a reservation; Tribal records; Letter from the Canadian Department of Indian Affairs, or School records

Note:

If an applicant presents a receipt indicating that he or she has applied to USCIS for a replacement document for one of the documents identified above, contact the USCIS to verify status by filing a G-845 with the local USCIS district office and attach a copy of the receipt.

D. SYSTEMATIC ALIEN VERIFICATION FOR ENTITLEMENTS (SAVE ) PROGRAM

The Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) is a program run by the U.S. United States Citizenship and Immigration Services which provides both an online system and a paper-based process to verify the immigration status of aliens.

The Verification Information System (VIS Verification Information System) is the online verification system. The paper-based process makes use of the G-845, Document Verification Request.

The documents provided by each alien as verification of immigration status must be authenticated by using the SAVE program. The VIS Verification Information System system will identify whether or not the alien has been lawfully admitted into the U.S. United States However, it may not provide enough information to determine whether or not the individual is a "qualified alien." The date of entry indicated on the VIS Verification Information System database may not accurately reflect the date an immigrant physically arrived in the U.S. United States

Secondary verification may be needed if no records are found or if there are discrepancies between the alien’s documents and VIS Verification Information System. Written consent from the household is required to contact USCIS to obtain documentation or information to verify the alien's status.

If the alien does not want the caseworker to contact USCIS, the household can withdraw its application or participate without that member.

Written consent is not required to:

- Contact USCIS to verify the validity of documentation provided by the alien.

- Use the SAVE inquiry process.

Verification of each alien’s status through the SAVE program is required whenever an application is processed. All such contacts must be clearly documented in the case record.

See Administrative Procedures Manual Section 105-14 for instructions on how to use the SAVE program.

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