Do I have to be a U.S. Citizen to be qualified for assistance?

To be considered for FEMA disaster assistance, you must be one of the following:

• U.S. citizen
• Non-citizen national
• Qualified non-citizen

A qualified non-citizen:

• Legal permanent resident (“green card” holder)
• Non-citizens granted asylum
• Refugees
• Non-citizens whose deportation status is being withheld for at least one year
• Non-citizens paroled into the U.S. for at least one year for urgent humanitarian purposes or significant public benefit
• Cuban/Haitian entrants
• Certain battered non-citizens or their spouses or children
• Certain victims of a severe form of human trafficking, including persons with a “T” or “U” visa

If you do not meet the citizenship requirements, the household may still apply for certain forms of federal assistance if:

• The parent or legal guardian of a minor child who is a U.S. citizen, non-citizen national, or qualified non-citizen applies on behalf of the minor child, so long as they live in the same household. The parent or legal guardian must apply as the co-applicant, and the minor child must be under age 18 at the time the disaster occurred.