The Cash Assistance Program for Immigrants (CAPI) is a 100 percent state-funded program designed to provide monthly cash benefits to aged, blind, or disabled non-citizens who are ineligible for SSI/SSP solely due to their immigration status. The Welfare Reform Act of 1996 (P.L. 104-193) eliminated Supplemental Security Income/State Supplementary Payment (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.

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.

To be eligible for CAPI, you must:

1. Be ineligible for SSI/SSP solely due to immigration status,
2. Be 65 years old or older, blind, or disabled,
3. Be a resident of California,
4. Meet certain income and resource requirements, and
5. Be a non-citizen and meet the immigration status criteria (See Manual of Policies and Procedures (MPP) Section 49.020 “Immigration Status”)

How to Apply

You may apply by completing an application (SOC 814) in person, by phone, email, fax, or mail at your county social services agency. If you wish to find out more about CAPI, please contact your county social services agency. The CAPI application (SOC 814) is available in English, Spanish, Armenian and Chinese.


Web pages

• Cash Assistance Program for Immigrants (CAPI) - https://www.cdss.ca.gov/capi
• State regulations governing CAPI - Manual of Policies and Procedures, Division 49
• Supplemental Security Income (SSI) - https://www.cdss.ca.gov/inforesources/ssi-ssp
• Contact info for county social services agencies - https://www.cdss.ca.gov/county-offices