Citizens of the Freely Associated States Eligible for PRWORA Benefits
The Compact of Free Association Amendments Act (PDF) of 2024 (CFAA) expanded the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act of 1996 (PRWORA) definition of “qualified aliens” to include citizens of the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and the Republic of Palau. These nations are collectively known as the Freely Associated States (FAS).
With this legislative change, FAS citizens may be eligible for federal benefits when residing in the United States. Additionally, CFAA exempts FAS citizens from the five-year waiting period for federal benefit eligibility, so they may apply for benefits upon entry to the United States.
SAVE Verification
Based on information from a FAS citizen’s documentation, SAVE can provide an initial verification response of Non-immigrant Employment Authorized – Indefinitely. The initial verification response may also include employment authorization information if the FAS citizen has a Form I-766, Employment Authorization Document. If the automated SAVE response is unexpected or is not sufficient for an agency to make a benefit eligibility determination, the agency should institute additional verification.
Additional Information
The following FAS resources for SAVE user agencies are now updated to reflect this change:
- Information for SAVE Users: How to Verify Citizens of the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and the Republic of Palau
- Status of Citizens of the Freely Associated States of the Federated States of Micronesia and the Republic of the Marshall Islands Fact Sheet
- Status of Citizens of the Republic of Palau Fact Sheet