The CAO must verify through the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) Program, the immigration status of all noncitizens who receive: Pub. L. 99-603, Section 121(d)(3)
cash assistance;
food stamps; or
medical assistance.
Exception: The CAO does not need to verify immigration status for a noncitizen who receives emergency medical assistance.
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) (formerly the Immigration and Naturalization Services, or INS) provides two verification methods for SAVE: primary verification and secondary verification. Primary verification uses the noncitizen's Alien Registration Number, or A-Number, to query the automated USCIS Alien Status Verification Index (ASVI) through use of a personal computer (PC). Secondary verification, when required, is obtained by mailing a Department of Homeland Security, PA 1612 (Document Verification Request Form G-845-S) (See Appendix A).
The CAO must not delay, deny, reduce, or terminate benefits pending completion of noncitizen status verification through SAVE. Not delaying benefits means the applicant who is otherwise eligible for benefits and has a pending save verification should have benefits opened until save leads the CAO to conclude the applicant is not eligible.
NOTE: Noncitizen documentation differs from verification of noncitizen status. Noncitizen documentation consists of original INS or USCIS documents which a noncitizen must provide to the CAO as a condition of eligibility. Verification of noncitizen status is done through SAVE after the noncitizen provides the INS or USCIS documentation.
Benefits cannot be delayed, denied, or reduced pending verification of noncitizen status.
Benefits can be delayed, denied, or reduced if a noncitizen does not cooperate in providing USCIS documentation in a timely manner.
The CAO will examine the USCIS response to SAVE verification and determine if the noncitizen has lawful immigration status and if the noncitizen's immigration status allows eligibility for assistance. USCIS does not determine eligibility; USCIS only provides information regarding alien status. See the noncitizen status charts in the Citizen/Noncitizen chapters of the program handbooks for help in determining noncitizen eligibility.
This chapter provides instructions for primary and secondary verification of noncitizen status, as well as information regarding the ASVI data base and help in understanding the USCIS response.
The CAO will verify an noncitizen's immigration status only once unless:
verification obtained before is questionable;
the noncitizen's status is subject to change, or
neither the ASVI printout nor the PA 1612 (Document Verification Request Form G-845S) , G-845-S, or Form G-845 (See Appendix A) indicating lawful noncitizen status is present in the case record.
NOTE: CAO’s should use the PA 1612 for new requests.
A Memorandum of Understanding between the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Human Services was revised to grant permission to verify the status of naturalized citizens through SAVE. The CAO will need the Alien Registration Number (A#) of the naturalized citizen to verify the individual's status. However, Form G-845S, Documentation Verification Request, cannot be used as documentation of U.S. citizenship. The individual must cooperate in obtaining a copy of the Naturalization Certificate or in submitting another proof of U.S. citizenship along with identity documentation. With confirmation of the individual's naturalized citizenship status through SAVE, the individual will be authorized if otherwise eligible.
Once obtained, the CAO must retain the USCIS verification (the ASVI inquiry print-out or the G-845S form, PA 1612, or Form G-845, in the case record permanently.
NOTE: If any inconsistency exists between these procedures and the SAVE procedures in the Cash assistance Handbook, the Medical Assistance Eligibility Handbook, or the Food Stamp Handbook, these SAVE Procedures supersede those in the program handbook.
Reissued October 9, 2012, replacing March 16, 2012