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Module 2 of 5

Do you qualify?

Lesson 4 of 4 in this module

Lesson 6 of 140% of the course done

Lesson 6

Citizenship and immigration rules

⏱ 2 min

Key points

  • Noncitizens who can get SNAP are now mainly green card holders, Cuban and Haitian entrants, and citizens of the Compact of Free Association countries.
  • Many adults with green cards still have a waiting period; children under 18 generally don't.
  • Refugees and asylees without green cards no longer qualify, and court cases on this are ongoing.
  • U.S. citizen family members can get SNAP even if a parent can't.

To get SNAP, you have to be a U.S. citizen or meet immigration rules. The 2025 law narrowed those rules, and USDA has been updating its guidance since.

Who can qualify now

According to USDA's guidance on the change, the noncitizens who can get SNAP are mainly:

  • Lawful permanent residents (green card holders), most of whom must meet a waiting period
  • Cuban and Haitian entrants
  • Citizens of the Compact of Free Association countries (the Federated States of Micronesia, the Marshall Islands and Palau) living in the U.S.

Refugees, people granted asylum and some other groups qualified before but no longer do unless they've become green card holders. Court cases about this change are ongoing, so the rules could shift. If you were getting SNAP and your status is affected, your state should send you a notice.

The waiting period for green card holders

Many adults with green cards must have had their status for 5 years, or have about 10 years (40 quarters) of work history in the U.S., before they can get SNAP. Children under 18 with a qualifying status generally don't have to wait, and neither do some people who receive disability benefits. Your state agency can tell you which rule applies to each person.

Mixed-status families

Family members who qualify can get SNAP even if others in the household can't. A parent who isn't eligible can apply for their U.S. citizen children. The parent doesn't have to give immigration information about themselves, though the household's income still counts. Undocumented immigrants have never been eligible for SNAP.

Applying for your eligible children doesn't make you ineligible for anything. If you're worried about how a benefit could affect an immigration case, a free legal aid office can help you before you apply. Find one at LawHelp.org.

Quick check

A mother isn't eligible for SNAP because of her immigration status. Her two children are U.S. citizens. Can the children get SNAP?

Sources: SNAP noncitizen eligibility changes, USDA; SNAP eligibility, USDA.