Food Stamp Program

Food Stamps and Immigration

If Your Client is an Immigrant

Effective April 1, 2003, legal immigrants who have lived in the United States for at least five years are eligible to receive food stamps. As of October 1, 2003, legal immigrant children are eligible to receive food stamps regardless of when they entered the country.

Non-citizens may be eligible if they have acquired U.S. citizenship, or are non-citizens that qualify outright, qualify with no waiting period, or have 40 qualifying quarters of work history. See Food Stamp Policy on Immigrants at www.fns.usda.gov/fsp/rules/Memo/02/polimgrt.htm.

Many states have their own programs to provide benefits to immigrants who do not meet the regular Food Stamp Program eligibility requirements. For a table of those programs, visit:
www.fns.usda.gov/fsp/rules/Memo/ PRWORA/StatePrograms.htm.