CMS Approved List of Citizenship Documents

As of July 1, 2006, Medicaid applicants and recipients are now required to show U.S. citizenship documentation. The original documents must be shown in-person by the applicant or an authorized representative to an employee at the Welfare Office for verification (front office staff counts). Copies are not considered acceptable anymore.

Applicants who are already enrolled in Medicare or SSI are not required to prove citizenship.

The guidance from the Department of Health and Human Services uses a hierarchical approach. This means if an applicant presents one of the documents from the primary documentation list no other documentation is required.

Primary Documentation:

  • A U.S. Passport
  • A Certificate of Naturalization
  • A Certificate of U.S. Citizenship

Secondary Documentation

If no primary documentation is available, applicant can use one of the documents below to prove citizenship. However, in addition an identity document from the approved list is required.

To Verify U.S. Citizenship:

  • U.S. Birth Certificate
  • Certification of Birth Abroad
  • Baptismal Certificate (showing date and place of birth)
  • U.S. Citizen I.D. Card
  • Adoption decree showing name and U.S. birthplace
  • Official Military Record of Service
  • American Indian Card with Classification Code “KIC”
  • Northern Mariana I.D. Card

 

To Verify Identity:

  • Current Driver’s license with photo
  • Government issued I.D. card with photo
  • School I.D. card with photo
  • U.S. military card or draft record
  • U.S. military dependent’s I.D. card
  • Tribal Enrollment Card

For Children 16 and Younger:

  • School record showing date and place of birth and parent’s name
  • Clinic, doctor or hospital record showing date of birth
  • Licensed daycare or nursery school record showing date and place of birth.