How to apply for Puerto Rico WIC
View the steps to apply for the Puerto Rico WIC program. The Puerto Rico Department of Health administrates WIC in the state including the application process. View the steps below to see if you qualify, and if so, what you need to do to apply. If you still have questions or issues about the application process, you can contact the Puerto Rico WIC office for assistance.
WIC Prescreening
Before you start the Puerto Rico WIC application process, you can use the online prescreening tool to see if you qualify. Please note, this tool is not considered an application. You will still need to follow the application process for this state. It takes about 15 minutes to complete the prescreening tool.
What does the WIC program offer
For qualified participants, the Puerto Rico WIC program provides:
- Supplementary foods for people who have health problems related to nutrition
- Individual education and group guidance on nutrition and lactation
- Feeding plans and other services by a licensed nutritionist and dietetics specialist
- Referrals to other health service providers or community services
Puerto Rico WIC Eligibility
The following people are eligible to apply for Puerto Rico benefits:
- Pregnant women
- Lactating women
- Women in the postpartum period
- Babies up to 12 months of age
- Children from 1 to 5 years of age
To qualify, applicants must go to a local WIC Clinic to request an appointment for certification. They must be in the categories of eligibility, meet the requirements of living or working in the service area of the WIC Clinic, the income of the family group be in the income scale and have a health problem or medical-nutritional risk.
Qualifying Categories
- Pregnant woman
- Postpartum woman up to 6 months after delivery
- Nursing woman up to one year after delivery
- Infants until their first year
- Child up to his fifth year of age
The applicant must live or work in the area covered by the WIC Clinic where he is requesting the service. The applicant's family income must be in the income guideline of the poverty maximum annually reviewed by the federal government. View the Puerto Rico WIC Income Guidelines to see if you meet the income requirements.
Pregnant woman is valid for two family members. People who participate in SNAP, Medicaid and the TANF program automatically meet with the eligibility requirement for income.
How long can I be on WIC?
Puerto Rico WIC is considered to be a short-term program. A person receiving benefits "graduates" once their certification period ends. The certification period is the length of time a person is eligible to receive PR WIC benefits. Depending on the applicant's condition, either pregnant, postpartum, breastfeeding, or an infant/child, an eligible person will usually receive these benefits for up to 6 months to a year. Once they have reached the end of that time, they must apply for Puerto Rico WIC again if they want to continue using it.
WIC waiting list
In some cases, if the state agency does not have enough money to serve everyone who needs WIC, they must keep a list called a waiting list. This contains a list of individuals who want to apply for the Puerto Rico WIC program and are likely to be served. The state agency will then use a special system, called a Priority System, that will allow them to determine who is eligible to receive PR WIC benefits next once more people can be served.
The reason for this priority system is to make sure that services and benefits are available right away to participants who need it most, which are people with serious health conditions such as anemia (low blood levels), history of pregnancy problems or being underweight.
Planning to move
Anyone currently on Puerto Rico WIC that is planning to move, including out of state, can continue receiving WIC benefits until their certification period expires. In order to do that, they must provide proof that they are receiving benefits when they move to their new location. In most cases the staff will provide you with a special card called the Verification of Certification Card (VOC).
To obtain proof, contact your current PR WIC clinic to let them know your plans. When you move, you will need to call your local WIC clinic near your new location and schedule an appointment so you can show them the proof. Make sure to take the special card with you to the appointment to show proof.
