Age and Identity
All GA applicants/recipients must be 18 to 64 years of age. If 62 or older, the applicant must apply for Social Security benefits (RSDI) and be ineligible for these benefits. If 65 years old or older, the applicant must be pending SSI or ineligible for SSI.
Age must be verified by birth certificate or other identification, such as driver's license, DMV Identification (ID), baptismal certificates, school records, or other documentation.
No aid shall be provided under the GA Program to any person without acceptable proof of ID, nor will any funds be issued to secure such ID. It is the applicant's responsibility to provide acceptable proof of identity.
An acceptable picture ID or two other forms of ID are required. The following documents will be considered acceptable proof of ID, unless there are obvious discrepancies that cannot be clarified by the applicant/recipient. Generally, these forms of ID must include both a photograph and a physical description of the applicant/recipient.
- California Driver's License.
- California DMV Identification Card (with photograph).
- U.S. Passport.
- INS documents such as I-551 (formally the I-151).
- A letter from the State Parole Board which includes the name, birthdate, picture of applicant, parole agent's name and telephone number.
- Identification card issued by the Mexican Consulate, titled “Matricula Consular de Alta Seguridad” (MCAS).
- Identification card issued by other countries to its citizens or nationals as a valid form of identification, as long as it meets ALL of the following criteria:
- The issuing country authorizes the use of the card as an alternative to a passport for re-entry into the issuing country, and
- The card has a photograph of the person and the person’s date of birth, and
- The card holder was required to provide reliable identifying information in order to obtain the card, and
- The card has features reasonably designed to protect against fraud and counterfeit reproduction, including the use of bonded paper, lamination, a hologram, an imbedded signature of the issuing officer and serialization.
Documents Without a Photograph or Without a Physical Description:
Any two (2) of the following documents are considered acceptable proof of ID, provided they include some evidence of ID, either a signature or physical description.
- Transit cards
- Social Security cards
- School records
- Employment records
- Draft card (Selective Service System registration certificate)
- Military ID card (Uniformed services ID and privilege card)
- Temporary California driver's license
- Out-of-state driver's license
- Other government-issued ID cards, licenses, or certificates
- Court documents
- Medical records
- Welfare ID records from other counties or states
When the applicant/recipient does not have acceptable proof as described above, other evidence may be acceptable upon approval by the Eligibility Supervisor. This includes, but is not limited to:
- Contact or documents from law enforcement officials, including probation and parole officer.
- Information contained in a prior case record with our Agency which would either tend to identify the applicant or indicate that the applicant is thoroughly familiar with the details of the prior case. (EXAMPLES: applicant can identify prior address, AKA's, birth place, Social Security Number, parents, etc., which is consistent with current statements.)
- A preponderance of other identifying documents and information.
Unacceptable ID Documents
The following documents are not acceptable in any combination with the above proof of ID. Generally these documents lack reliability because they provide no means of identifying the holder of such items (they lack a physical description or photograph):
- Birth certificate
- Baptismal certificate
- Marriage/divorce records
- Check cashing cards
- Credit cards
- Student ID cards
- Membership cards
- Voting stubs
- Library cards
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