If you live in New York City (NYC) and are on food stamps, there is a separate recertification process you must follow in order to renew your SNAP Benefits. In this post, we will show you how to complete the NYC food stamps recertification process in three easy steps. If you are on food stamps in New York but live outside NYC, click here for the recertification process for the rest of NY State.
This post will cover:
- Why You Need to Recertify Food Stamps
- NYC Food Stamps Recertification Process
Why You Need to Recertify Food Stamps
Once you are approved for food stamps, you will receive benefits for a certain period of time, usually between 3 months to 2 years depending on your situation.
This is called your “certification period.” You will have to recertify periodically to continue receiving food stamps. Your caseworker will let you know how long your certification period is and when you will need to recertify.
Approximately 60 days before the end of your certification period, the New York Department of Social Services will send you a recertification packet that you will need to complete and send back. This form will reflect the information the department has about you.
You must review the form, update any information that has changed, and fill in any blank sections. You will need to send this form, along with the proofs requested back to your the department before the due date specified on the accompanying letter.
After you submit the information, you will have to submit for an interview.
Change of Address
It is very important to let the Department of Social Services know if you move to a new address so they can send the recertification paperwork to the right address on time.
NYC Food Stamps Recertification Process
There are three important steps you must take to complete the NYC food stamps recertification process:
Step 1 – Submit the Recertification Application
The first step is to submit a Recertification application. You can submit your that by mail, online, by fax, or in person at your local department of social services as detailed below:
- You can go online via ACCESS HRA and submit your recertification.
- You can also pick up an application at a SNAP center. To find the closest SNAP center, click here.
- You can also print out this application form, fill it out and drop it off at a SNAP center.
- You can call the SNAP Infoline, Monday through Friday from 8 AM to 5 PM, at (718) 557-1399 to have an application mailed to you and recertify.
- You can Fax your recertification form here.
- Finally, you can mail it to:
SNAP
Mail Application Referral Unit
P.O. Box 29197
Brooklyn, NY 11201
How to Complete Recertification Online
To complete your NYC food stamps recertification online, you have to log in to the ACCESS HRA Site. Once there, click on the “Recertify” link as shown below.
You will be taken to the login page to log into your ACCESS HRA account.
If this is your first time logging in, you will have to enter your case number to locate your account as shown below.
If you already have an account and have successfully logged in before, click on the “Benefits” link at the top and click on SNAP to locate the recertification link to complete the process.
Step 2 – Schedule and Attend Interview
Once you have submitted your recertification form, you can have your recertification interview by calling (718) 762-7669.
To request a fair hearing, call (800) 342-3334.
Step 3 – Provide Requested Documents
After your interview, you may be asked to submit additional documents related to your income or circumstances. Be sure to submit the requested documents promptly to avoid a lapse in your food stamps benefits.
If you have any comments or need help with food stamps in New York City or the recertification process, you can ask us in the comments section below.
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