(a) Payment by electronic funds transfer is not required in the following cases:
(1) Where an individual:
(i) Is receiving a Federal payment by check prior to May 1, 2011. In such cases, the individual may continue to receive those payments by check through February 28, 2013;
(ii) Files a claim for a Federal payment prior to May 1, 2011, and requests payment by check at the time he or she files the claim. In such cases, the individual may receive those payments by check through February 28, 2013;
(iii) Was born prior to May 1, 1921, and is receiving payment by check on March 1, 2013;
(iv) Receives a type of payment that is not eligible for deposit to a Direct Express[supreg] card account. In such cases, those payments are not required to be made by electronic funds transfer, unless and until such payments become eligible for deposit to a Direct Express[supreg] card account;
(v) Is ineligible for a Direct Express[supreg] card because of suspension or cancellation of the individual's card by the Financial Agent;
(vi) Has filed a waiver request with Treasury certifying that payment by electronic funds transfer would impose a hardship because of the individual's inability to manage an account at a financial institution or a Direct Express[supreg] card account due to a mental impairment, and Treasury has not rejected the request; or
(vii) Has filed a waiver request with Treasury certifying that payment by electronic funds transfer would impose a hardship because of the individual's inability to manage an account at a financial institution or a Direct Express[supreg] card account due to the individual living in a remote geographic location lacking the infrastructure to support electronic financial transactions, and Treasury has not rejected the request.
(2) Where the political, financial, or communications infrastructure in a foreign country does not support payment by electronic funds transfer;
(3) Where the payment is to a recipient within an area designated by the President or an authorized agency administrator as a disaster area. This waiver is limited to payments made within 120 days after the disaster is declared;
(4) Where either:
(i) A military operation is designated by the Secretary of Defense in which uniformed services undertake military actions against an enemy, or
(ii) A call or order to, or retention on, active duty of members of the uniformed services is made during a war or national emergency declared by the President or Congress;
(5) Where a threat may be posed to national security, the life or physical safety of any individual may be endangered, or a law enforcement action may be compromised;
(6) Where the agency does not expect to make payments to the same recipient within a one-year period on a regular, recurring basis and remittance data explaining the purpose of the payment is not readily available from the recipient's financial institution receiving the payment by electronic funds transfer; and
(7) Where an agency's need for goods and services is of such unusual and compelling urgency that the Government would be seriously injured unless payment is made by a method other than electronic funds transfer; or, where there is only one source for goods or services and the Government would be seriously injured unless payment is made by a method other than electronic funds transfer.
(b) An individual who requests a waiver under paragraphs (a)(1)(vi) and (vii) of this section shall provide, in writing, to Treasury a certification supporting that request, in such form that Treasury may prescribe. The individual shall attest to the certification before a notary public, or otherwise file the certification in such form that Treasury may prescribe. [63 FR 51502, Sept. 25, 1998, as amended at 75 FR 80334, Dec. 22, 2010]