The California Department of Social Services has issued guidance regarding providing CalFresh households with a copy of their application. If the application was completed and signed with a telephonic or gestured signature then the county is required to promptly supply a copy of the application and instructions on how to fix any mistakes or omissions.

The applications completed on paper or electronically include any submitted in-person, online, by mail, by fax or other electronic transmission. Telephonic applications require the verbal assent of the household to be audio recorded in order to be valid. These may be completed over the phone. Gestured signatures include the use of signs and expressions communicating assent or agreement in American Sign Language (ASL), Manually Coded English (MCE), or another similar language or method during an interview in person or over video call. The requirement to provide copies of the application applies to both the original application and to recertifications.

For electronically signed applications, households have 10 days from the time of the completion of the electronic signature to review the information on the application and make any necessary changes. This can be done by crossing out incorrect information and writing in correct details. They may also call the county and submit the corrections online or visit the county office to submit corrections. This must be completed within that 10-day period but the applications do not need to be signed again.

Corrections made within the ten days following the completion of the signature are not considered mid-period reports and must be treated in accordance with application processing rules. Corrections are submitted after 10 days are considered mid-period reports. If incorrect benefits were given to the household because of late corrections, the CWD may make a claim for the amount over- or under- issued.  (ACL 25-83, November 19, 2025.)

HR1 caused substantial changes to noncitizen eligibility for CalFresh.  The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) will implement these changes effective April 1, 2026.  Counties cannot implement these changes prior to April 1, 2026. Counties cannot implement these changes by manual processes or system workarounds.

Under HR 1, individuals are eligible for CalFresh only if they reside in the United States and are either:

• United States citizens
• Noncitizen nationals

People born in American Samoa and Swain’s Island after December 21, 1952, or residents of the Northern Mariana Islands who choose not to become United States citizens

• Lawful Permanent Residents
• Individuals who reside in the United States in accordance with a Compact of Free Association, or
• Cuban and Haitian Entrants.

Certain categories are no longer eligible for CalFresh, but continue to qualify for an exemption from the five year waiting period, and therefore are eligible immediately when they become Lawful Permanent Residents.  Those categories are: noncitizens admitted to the U.S. as refugees  ,Noncitizens granted asylum, noncitizens whose deportations were withheld, Cuban and Haitian entrants, Compact of Free Association Citizens, Iraqis and Afghans with Special Immigrant Visas, certain Afghan Nationals Granted Parole Between July 31, 2021, and September 30, 2023, certain Ukrainian Nationals Granted Parole Between February 24, 2022, and September 30, 2024 noncitizens admitted to the United States as Amerasian immigrants, and victims of trafficking.

Categories of noncitizens who are no longer eligible for CalFresh are: asylees, refugees, parolees (unless they are Cuban or Haitian Entrents), individuals with deportation or removal withheld,  conditional entrants, victims of trafficking, battered noncitizens, certain Afghan Nationals granted parole between July 31, 2021, and September 30, 2023, and certain Ukrainian Nationals granted parole between February 24, 2022, and September 30, 2024.

Effective April 1, 2026, counties must apply these new rules for new applications, and for recertifications.  Effective April 1, 2026, counties must ask about where there has been a change in immigration status.  Immigration statues must be verified through the federal Systematic Alien Verification System.

Households are not required to report a change in immigrations status midperiod.

A SAVE match is considered Verified Upon Receipt. If a household disagrees with SAVE

An ineligible noncitizen household member’s resources must be included in the budget calculation to determine the benefit amount.  (ACL 25-92, December 31, 2025.)