Cash Assistance Program for Immigrants (CAPI)
CAPI is a 100 percent state-funded program designed to provide monthly cash benefits to aged, blind, and disabled non-citizens who are ineligible for Supplemental Security Income/State Supplementary Payment (SSI/SSP) solely due to their immigration status. The Welfare Reform Act of 1996 (P.L. 104-193) eliminated SSI/SSP eligibility for most non-citizens. As a result, most immigrants who were not receiving SSI/SSP in August 1996 are no longer eligible for SSI/SSP. The amount of CAPI benefits is equivalent to the amount of SSI/SSP benefits.
CAPI recipients may be eligible for Medi-Cal, CalFresh and In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS), but they must file for each benefit separately. There is no automatic eligibility link between CAPI and these other programs.
An individual may be eligible for CAPI if they meet all of the following conditions:
- Are a non-citizen and meet the immigration status criteria in effect for SSI/SSP as of 8/21/96.
- Are 65 or over, blind or disabled.
- Are ineligible for SSI/SSP solely due to their immigration status. (This means they must either apply for SSI/SSP and have a notice of denial based on their immigration status alone, or submit other proof of ineligibility from the Social Security Administration.)
- Must reside in California.
- Their income must be less than the CAPI standards.
- Their resources must be below the allowable limits of $2,000 for an individual or $3,000 for a couple.
- They must successfully complete the application process.
Notice
Applicants or recipients who were applying for the indigence exception for CAPI but were denied because a sponsor did not provide income and resource information on the SOC 860 may now be eligible due to the reversal in policy in All County Letters 17-33E and 17-70EII. Please contact your county staff for more information.
Translations: Spanish, Armenian and Chinese
Guiding Authority
- Statute: Welfare and Institutions Code, Div. 9, Part 6, Chap. 10.3, Section 18937 et seq.
- Regulations: Manual of Policies and Procedures, Division 49
- ACIN I-61-24 (November 18, 2024)
New Payment Standards For The Cash Assistance Program For Immigrants Effective January 2025
- ACL 24-57 (August 23, 2024)
How To Evaluate Guaranteed Income In The Cash Assistance Program For Immigrants
- ACL 24-41 (June 14, 2024)
Electronic Signature Policy For The Cash Assistance Program For Immigrants
- ACL 24-11 (March 11, 2024)
Undue Hardship Exception To The Period Of Ineligibility Penalty In Cases Of Resource Transfer For Less Than Fair Market Value In The Cash Assistance Program For Immigrants (CAPI)
- ACIN I-66-23 (November 9, 2023)
New Payment Standards For The Cash Assistance Program For Immigrants Effective January 2024
- ACL 23-44 (May 5, 2023)
End Of The Temporary COVID-19 Pandemic Emergency Procedures For The Cash Assistance Program For Immigrants
- ACIN I-71-22 (November 8, 2022)
New Payment Standards For The Cash Assistance Program For Immigrants (CAPI) Effective January 2023
- ACL 22-12E (August 17, 2022)
Errata To All County Letter No. 22-12 Cash Assistance Program For Immigrants
- ACIN I-33-22 (April 8, 2022)
Safe Server Migration For Cash Assistance Program For Immigrants (CAPI) Reports Including Report Analysis
- ACL 22-12 (February 16, 2022)
Revision Of Form Soc 453 For The Cash Assistance Program For Immigrants
- ACIN I-92-21 (November 16, 2021)
New Payment Standards For The Cash Assistance Program For Immigrants (CAPI) Effective January 2022
- ACL 21-120 (October 1, 2021)
Authorized Representatives In The Cash Assistance Program For Immigrants (CAPI)
- ACL 21-57E (August 11, 2021)
Errata To All County Letter (ACL) No. 21-57 Treatment Of Grant Payments Received By Cash Assistance Program For Immigrants Recipients From The Golden State Grant Program Pursuant To Senate Bill (SB) 88 (Chapter 8, Statutes Of 2021) And Assembly Bill (AB) 88 (Chapter 12, Statutes Of 2021)
- ACL 21-57 (May 21, 2021)
Treatment Of Grant Payments Received By Cash Assistance Program For Immigrants (CAPI) Recipients From The Golden State Grant Program Pursuant To Senate Bill (SB) 88 (Chapter 8, Statutes Of 2021) And Assembly Bill (AB) 88 (Chapter 12, Statutes Of 2021).
- ACL 21-41 (April 22, 2021)
Change To Temporary Covid-19 Pandemic Emergency Procedures For The Cash Assistance Program For Immigrants (CAPI) Related To Verification Of Supplemental Security Income/State Supplementary Payment (SSI/SSP) Ineligibility.
- ACIN I-84-20E (February 23, 2021)
Errata To All County Information Notice (ACIN) No. I-84-20 Intake Process For Cash Assistance Program For Immigrants (CAPI)
- ACL 20-143 (December 18, 2020)
Temporary COVID-19 Pandemic Emergency Procedures For The Cash Assistance Program For Immigrants (CAPI) Remaining In Force Through The End Of The State Of Emergency In California
- ACL 20-141 (December 16, 2020)
Release Of Nonmedical Out-Of-Home Care Payment Standard Eligibility Determination Forms SOC 887 And SOC 887A
- ACIN I-98-20 (December 16, 2020)
Revisions To The Statement Of Facts (SOC 814) For The Cash Assistance Program For Immigrants (CAPI)
- ACIN I-84-20 (November 16, 2020)
Intake Process For Cash Assistance Program For Immigrants (CAPI)
- ACIN I-81-20 (November 17, 2020)
Eddin V. Bolton Settlement Reminder - Cash Assistance Program For Immigrants (CAPI)
- ACIN I-78-20E (December 31, 2020)
Errata To All County Information Notice No. I-78-20 Cash Assistance Program For Immigrants (CAPI)
- ACIN-I-78-20 (November 17, 2020)
New Payment Standards For The Cash Assistance Program For Immigrants (CAPI) Effective January 2021
- ACIN I-66-20 (September 10, 2020)
Cash Assistance Program For Immigrants Clarification Of Couples’ Benefit Calculations
- ACIN I-61-20 (August 13, 2020)
Revision Of CAPI Indigence Exception Determination Form SOC 813 (8/20)
- ACL 20-88 (August 5, 2020)
Change In Policy For Acceptance Of Expired Lawful Permanent Resident (LPR) Cards
- ACL 20-79 (July 7, 2020)
Discontinuance Of Counting Housing Subsidies And Food Stamps As Income When Determining Eligibility For The Indigence Exception To Sponsor Deeming
- ACL 20-77 (July 3, 2020)
Emergency Procedures Following Expiration of Governor’s Executive Order N-29-20
- ACL 20-64 (June 4, 2020)
General Assistance/General Relief (GA/GR) Temporary Covid-19 Emergency Procedures For Acceptance Of Voice Signatures On SSP 14 For Interim Assistance Reimbursement (IAR)
- CAPI Program Managers Letter (March 20, 2020)
Temporary Changes to Cash Assistance Program for Immigrants (CAPI) Procedures Due to Covid-19 Emergency
- ACIN I-39-20 (May 13, 2020)
Revision of Spanish Language Form SOC 860 for the Cash Assistance Program for Immigrants (CAPI)
- ACL 20-46 (April 22, 2020)
Clarifications Regarding Temporary Changes to Cash Assistance Program for Immigrants (CAPI) Procedures Due to COVID-19 Emergency
- ACL No. 00-27 (April 10, 2020)
The Foster Care Independence Act of 1999 and its Impact on the Cash Assistance Program for Immigrants (CAPI);
- ACIN I-20-20 (March 3, 2020)
Revision Of Chinese Version Of Form SOC 804 For The Cash Assistance Program For Immigrants (CAPI)
- ACIN I-76-19 (December 20, 2019)
Cash Assistance Program for Immigrants (CAPI) Instructions for Completing Revised SOC 452 Worksheet (Income Eligible - Adult)
- ACIN I-71-19 (December 2, 2019)
New Payment Standards For The Cash Assistance Program For Immigrants (CAPI) Effective January 2020
- ACL 17-70E III (June 25, 2019)
Errata to ACL No. 17-70 Re: Sponsor Verifications in Indigence Exception Cases
- ACL19-54 (June 3, 2019)
Cash Assistance Program For Immigrants (CAPI) Implementation Of Assembly Bill No. 1957
- ACIN I-35-19 (May 16, 2019)
Transmission Of 5/19 Revision Of CAPI Statement Of Facts (SOC 814)
- ACIN I-34-19 (May 16, 2019)
Revision Of Forms SOC 804 And SOC 813 For The Cash Assistance Program For Immigrants (CAPI)
- ACIN I-25-19 (April 17, 2019)
Treatment Of In-Kind Support And Maintenance In The Cash Assistance Program For Immigrants (CAPI)
- ACIN I-24-19 (April 8, 2019)
Cash Assistance Program For Immigrants (CAPI) Clarifying Instructions For The Use Of SOC 455 - State Interim Assistance Reimbursement Authorization
- ACIN I-23-19 (April 8, 2019)
New Payment Standards for the Cash Assistance Programs for Immigrants (CAPI) Effective June 1, 2019
- ACIN I-81-18 (November 27, 2018)
New Payment Standards For The Cash Assistance Program For Immigrants (CAPI) Effective January 2019
- ACL18-87 (July 16, 2018)
Cash Assistance Program For Immigrants (CAPI) Notice Of Denial (NA 691) Revision
- ACL17-33E (June 08, 2018)
Errata To All County Letter No. 17-33 Re: SOC 860 In CAPI Indigence Exception Cases; Revision To SOC 860 - Sponsor’s Statement Of Facts: Income And Resources
- ACL17-70E II (June 08, 2018)
Errata To All County Letter No. 17-70 Re: SOC 860 In CAPI Indigence Exception Cases
- ACL 18-46 (April 24, 2018) Cash Assistance Program For Immigrants (CAPI) Form Revisions (SOC 453, SOC 804, SOC 814)
- ACL 18-07 (January 19, 2018)
Suspension, Reinstatement and Termination of, and Reapplication for, Cash Assistance Program for Immigrants (CAPI) Benefits; Transmission of Updated CAPI Notice of Change (NA 692)
- ACL 17-70E (December 21, 2017)
Errata To All County Letter No. 17-70 (Indigence Exception Expiration Policy)
- ACL 17-100 (September 20. 2017)
CAPI Indigence Exception Determination Form SOC 813 Update (7/16)
- ACL 17-70 (July 21, 2017)
Cash Assistance Program for Immigrants (CAPI) Clarification of the Indigence Exception Expiration Policy for Sponsored Immigrants - Revision to SOC 809 Indigence Exception Statement
- ACL17-31 (May 18, 2017)
Application Procedures for the Cash Assistance Program for Immigrants (CAPI)
- ACL 17-33 (April 17, 2017)
Transmission of Updated Cash Assistance Program for Immigrants (CAPI) SOC 860 and Clarification of Policy (Sponsor's Statement of Facts: Income and Resources)
- ACL 00-73 (October 17, 2000)
Overpayments/Underpayments In The Cash Assistance Program For Immigrants (CAPI)
- ACL 99-87 (October 7, 1999)
Inter-County Transfer Procedures For The Cash Assistance Program For Immigrants
Forms
The following are CAPI forms, to maintain statewide consistency, please do not alter the wording of any of the CAPI forms.