Due to armed conflict in Ukraine, the U.S. has several provisions that allow certain Ukrainian individuals and families, or non-Ukrainians who lived in Ukraine (all referred to as Ukrainians), to meet immigration-related eligibility requirements to enroll in federally funded benefits such as Temporary Assistance (TA), Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Here we will focus on SNAP eligibility for Ukrainians.
OTDA informed SNAP offices of the following immigration statuses being granted to Ukrainians, along with SNAP eligibility rules for each status:
- Humanitarian Parole granted May 21, 2022, under the Ukraine Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2022
- Humanitarian Parole granted April 21, 2022, under the Uniting for Ukraine program
For more information on the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) documents that verify if a Ukrainian has been granted humanitarian parole see 22 TA/DC059.
SNAP Eligibility for Ukrainians Granted Humanitarian Parole
Under provisions in the Additional Ukraine Supplemental Appropriations Act signed into law on May 21, 2022, people listed below meet the non-citizen eligibility requirements to enroll in SNAP without being subject to a five-year waiting period, and continue to meet the non-citizen requirements to participate in SNAP for as long as they are granted parole and meet all other SNAP eligibility criteria:
- Citizens or nationals of Ukraine granted parole status between February 24, 2022, and September 30, 2023
- Spouses or children of such Ukrainian citizens or nationals granted parole status after September 30, 2023
- The parents, legal guardians, or primary caregivers of a Ukrainian citizen or national determined to be an unaccompanied child and are granted parole status after September 30, 2023
Ukrainians who meet the above criteria are:
- Not subject to a waiting period (five-year ban) in order to receive SNAP
- Exempt from sponsor-deeming requirements. Sponsor income, resources and contributions are not to be considered when determining eligibility for SNAP.
Previously, under the Uniting for Ukraine program signed into law in April 2022, Ukrainians and their family members who had a supporter/sponsor in the U.S. were considered for humanitarian parole on a case-by-case basis, for a period of up to two years.
Ukrainian parolees who previously applied and were denied SNAP under the regular rules for parolees may now reapply for SNAP under the provisions of the Additional Ukraine Supplemental Appropriations Act.
Ukrainian individuals paroled into the U.S. prior to February 24, 2022, must meet the regular SNAP non-citizen eligibility rules. See our SNAP Prescreening Guide for more details.
