Eligibility of Humanitarian Parolees from Afghanistan

Many of your communities may be seeing immigrants from Afghanistan who are eligible for CalFresh (with no waiting period) due to their immigration status. Last week, CDSS released ACWDL on eligibility of special immigrant parolees in SQ/SI categories under the Afghan Allies Protection Act of 2009 for benefits and services.

Additional information on program eligibility for Humanitarian Parolees from Afghanistan has also been released here. Humanitarian Parolees from Afghanistan are considered qualified immigrants and must meet one other condition of eligibility in order to qualify for CalFresh:

Meet ONE of the following additional conditions:

• 5 years of residence – has lived in the U.S. as a qualified alien for 5 years from the date of entry.

• 40 qualifying work quarters – a Lawful Permanent Resident with credit for 40 qualifying work quarters.

• Children under 18 – any qualified alien under 18 years of age who lawfully resides in the U.S.

• Blind or disabled – blind or disabled individual receiving benefits or assistance for their condition regardless of entry date.

• Elderly born on or before 8-22-31 who lawfully resided in the U.S. on 8-22- 96.

• Military connection – an individual who is lawfully residing in a State and is on active duty in the military (excluding National Guard) or is an honorably All County Welfare Directors Letter Page Five discharged veteran whose discharge is not because of immigration status (includes spouse, surviving spouse if not married, and unmarried dependent children). A discharge ―Under Honorable Conditions, which is not the same as an honorable discharge, does not meet this requirement.

For any questions, please reach out to CCC directly.