Apply And Schedule An Interview

• Once you apply, you must schedule either an in-person or telephone interview to verify information. You will need proof of identity plus your Social Security number, proof of household expenses and proof of income. Eligibility requires U.S. citizenship or qualified alien status and meeting income and financial requirements. Your benefit amount is based on your family size and income.
  
  

Approval and Certification Period

• You are approved for a specific time called a "certification period," which can be as short as two months. It is determined when your benefits are approved and is stated in your award letter. You will receive an "eligibility review notice" about six weeks before your benefits are scheduled to end. You can complete this either in person or through the Online Eligibility Review.
  
  

Eligibility Criteria

• Qualifying for food assistance in Washington state requires proving your household income and financial resources plus your citizenship or legal alien status.
  
  Household income can be up to 200 percent of the federal poverty level. The resource limit is $4,000.
  
  If you are "categorically eligible" for food assistance in Washington state, you can have income or resources over the limits and still qualify. Categorically eligible includes the elderly and disabled.
  
  Legal immigrants who do not qualify for federal food stamps due to changes in federal law may still qualify for the state's "Basic Food Program for Legal Aliens."
  
  

Ineligibility

• Fugitive felons, non-resident aliens and some students are ineligible for food assistance. Those who do not continue with the Food Stamp Employment and Training Program also are ineligible as are those living in an institution that does not qualify for food assistance.
  
  

Other Benefits

• Other benefits of qualifying for food assistance in Washington state are automatic enrollment in the federal free school lunch program, low-cost local telephone service and income verification for the Women, Infants and Children program.