Ops Memo 2013-14A: SNAP, TAFDC and EAEDC - Verifying Noncitizen Status: Mandatory SAVE Documentation

Overview
Department policies and procedures require verification of citizenship status prior to issuing benefits. A recent report by the Massachusetts Office of the Inspector General highlights the importance of confirming a noncitizen’s status and documenting this status in the case record. The Department is required to use the federal Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) program to validate the immigration status of any noncitizen to determine whether the individual meets noncitizen requirements for benefit eligibility purposes.

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) updated the SAVE program document selection screens for validating noncitizen immigration status and provides guidance for increasing the chances of successful initial noncitizen status verification. This Operations Memo is being reissued to clarify who can call the Systems Support Help Desk to have passwords reset.

Purpose of Memo
This Operations Memo is being issued to:

• remind TAO staff how to obtain passwords to log in to SAVE;
• remind TAO staff how to verify noncitizen status;
• provide TAO staff with updated information from USCIS regarding SAVE document selections; and
• remind TAO staff about the USCIS fact sheet clients can use to correct erroneous status information; and
• always filing documentation of noncitizen status in the case record.

Obsolete Memo
This memo obsoletes Operations Memo 2013-14.