# Who can get which benefits Source: https://www.qaravan.org/resources/money/benefits-by-status/ Which benefits people with different immigration statuses can get in New York City, as of November 2026. During 2026 the State began applying the federal law H.R. 1 (the One Big Beautiful Bill, 2025) to food help and health insurance for non-citizens. "Yes" means you may get the help if your income and household also fit; the only way to know for sure is to apply. The table is about you personally: a child who is a U.S. citizen has their own right to help, even if the parent has none. If your status is not in the table (for example Temporary Protected Status (TPS), humanitarian parole or a U visa), the rules may differ. Ask a free lawyer or write to us and we will point you to organizations. QARAVAN does not provide legal services. ## Start here - Asylum applicants and, since April 2026, people granted asylum without a green card cannot get SNAP, but can apply for a U.S.-citizen child. - New York State may pay Cash Assistance to people who only applied for asylum, even without a work permit, if income is low. - Health insurance from October 1, 2026: green card holders stay in federal Medicaid; people granted asylum may move to the Essential Plan, a low-cost State plan. ## Nine kinds of help and five situations As of November 2026. What people with different immigration statuses can get in New York City, November 2026 | | | | | | | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ## How to read the table 1. Name your situation Pick one of five columns: applied for asylum without a work permit; applied for asylum with a work permit; granted asylum; green card; no status. Until you have an asylum decision, you stay in one of the first two columns however long you wait. 2. Read your cell The cell says what you can expect if your income and household fit. 3. Check the dates The new SNAP rules apply when you apply or renew, so an open benefit does not change right away. The health insurance rules for non-citizens took effect on October 1, 2026, with more changes on January 1, 2027. 4. Apply if you are unsure Anyone has the right to apply; the agency decides. Do not give up help for a U.S.-citizen child because of your own status. ## What each benefit is, who provides it and how to apply Each kind of help in brief. - SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) Any status NYC residents Free A federal food program; in New York City, HRA takes the applications. The money goes onto an EBT card; the maximum for one person from October 1, 2026 is $306 a month. Apply on ACCESS HRA, the City's online account for benefits. A green card holder qualifies if any one is true: more than 5 years in a "qualified" status; under 18; more than 40 "qualifying quarters" of work credit; certain disability benefits; age 65 or older on August 22, 1996; or the green card came through asylum, refugee or another listed status. [nyc.gov](https://www.nyc.gov/main/services/snap-benefits) - Cash Assistance Any status NYC residents Free Monthly money for people with low income. Families get federal Family Assistance for up to 60 months; single adults and families past 60 months get the State's Safety Net Assistance. OTDA oversees both. Apply on ACCESS HRA, then call for the interview: say "Russian" and a free interpreter joins. In most cases adults must work or study. [(929) 273-1872](tel:9292731872) [nyc.gov](https://www.nyc.gov/site/hra/help/cash-assistance.page) Interview line: Mon–Fri 8:30 am–5 pm - Medicaid and the Essential Plan through NY State of Health Any status Free NY State of Health (NYSOH) is the State's online health insurance marketplace for Medicaid and the Essential Plan. If the new rules affect you, you should have received a letter, text or WhatsApp message between September 1 and 4, 2026. New coverage lasts from October 1, 2026 to September 30, 2027. Find a free enrollment assistor [on the website](https://info.nystateofhealth.ny.gov/stay-covered). [info.nystateofhealth.ny.gov](https://info.nystateofhealth.ny.gov/stay-covered) - WIC (Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children) Any status Free A New York State Department of Health program: an eWIC card for healthy food at grocery stores and pharmacies, plus nutrition and breastfeeding counseling. You can start online, in the chat with the Wanda assistant at [health.ny.gov/prevention/nutrition/wic](https://health.ny.gov/prevention/nutrition/wic): it checks whether you qualify and sends your details to a local WIC office. [access.nyc.gov](https://access.nyc.gov/programs/women-infants-and-children-wic/) - Fair Fares NYC Any status NYC residents Free A City discount of 50% on subway and local buses (not express buses) for New Yorkers aged 18 to 64. Apply on ACCESS HRA; it lasts a year, then you reapply. People who already get, or can get, full carfare from HRA or another reduced fare are not eligible. [nyc.gov](https://www.nyc.gov/site/fairfares/index.page) - HEAP (Home Energy Assistance Program) Any status NYC residents Free Help paying for heat: the payment goes straight to your energy provider. Regular applications for 2026-2027 are open from November 2, 2026 to April 16, 2027; emergency help is set to open January 4, 2027; money is first come, first served. Apply online on ACCESS HRA or in person at a HEAP office. An OTDA program. [access.nyc.gov](https://access.nyc.gov/programs/home-energy-assistance-program-heap/) Regular season: November 2, 2026 to April 16, 2027 - School breakfast and lunch Any status Free Free meals for every New York City public school student. The school does not ask about status. Ask the parent coordinator about other help. [schools.nyc.gov](https://www.schools.nyc.gov/school-life/school-meals) - Free meals at soup kitchens and pantries Any status Free The City's Food Help NYC map shows the nearest place; you can also call [311](tel:311) at any hour: say "Russian" and a free interpreter joins. [finder.nyc.gov](https://finder.nyc.gov/foodhelp/) 311: 24/7 ## What changed in 2026 and what comes next 1. April 1, 2026: SNAP OTDA, the State agency, issued guidance under H.R. 1: SNAP stays only with certain groups of non-citizens, and refugees and people with asylum but no green card lose it. This applies to new applications and renewals. 2. July 1, 2026: Essential Plan The Essential Plan again covers only people with income up to 200% of the federal poverty level; people above that need another plan. 3. September 18, 2026: public charge rule A new public charge rule took effect: for some green card applications, benefits you received are counted. 4. October 1, 2026: Medicaid and SNAP Federal Medicaid for non-citizens narrowed to permanent residents and a few other groups; for people granted asylum, coverage may move to the Essential Plan. For SNAP, a new 36-month period of work rules for ABAWD (adults 18 to 64 with no child under 14) began and the month count was reset. People who are pregnant, care for someone who cannot care for themselves or have a mental or physical barrier to work may not have to meet the rules; HRA decides case by case. If SNAP closed under these rules, reapply on ACCESS HRA. 5. November 2, 2026: HEAP Regular applications for heating help for the 2026-2027 season open. 6. January 1, 2027: Medicaid in New York Medicaid is separated from HRA's cash assistance. Some adults 19 to 64 must work or study; most adults in the expansion group renew every six months; coverage for past months shrinks. The first SNAP losses under the new work rules can come in January 2027. - HRA: ABAWD Update Any status NYC residents Free HRA's page on the work rules: who they apply to, the Medical Statement form, how to restore SNAP and reapply on ACCESS HRA. [nyc.gov](https://www.nyc.gov/site/hra/help/able-bodied-adults-without-dependents.page) ## Discounts and ID that do not depend on status - IDNYC Any status NYC residents Free A free City ID for New York residents aged 10 and up, whatever their immigration status. It gives free one-year memberships at more than 35 museums and cultural institutions and other discounts, and works as a library card at the city's public libraries. You apply in person after booking online on the IDNYC portal: [a069-idnyconlineportal.nyc.gov](https://a069-idnyconlineportal.nyc.gov). [nyc.gov](https://www.nyc.gov/site/idnyc/benefits/benefits.page) - Culture Pass Any status NYC residents Free With a Brooklyn Public Library, Queens Public Library or New York Public Library card (ages 13 and up), you can book free passes to more than 100 museums, gardens and other places. [culturepass.nyc](https://www.culturepass.nyc/) ## Glossary: definitions of special terms and abbreviations - ****: - ****: - ****: - ****: - ****: - ****: - ****: - ****: This is general information, not legal advice: QARAVAN has no lawyers. QARAVAN does not help anyone enter the US and cannot arrange visas, invitations, sponsorship or evacuation. For your own case, talk to a licensed immigration attorney or a representative accredited by the U.S. Department of Justice. [All pages: Money, food, benefits and taxes](https://www.qaravan.org/resources/money/) **Sources, checked November 2026** - [nyc.gov/site/hra/help/cash-assistance.page](https://www.nyc.gov/site/hra/help/cash-assistance.page) - [nyc.gov/main/services/snap-benefits](https://www.nyc.gov/main/services/snap-benefits) - [nyc.gov/site/hra/help/able-bodied-adults-without-dependents.page](https://www.nyc.gov/site/hra/help/able-bodied-adults-without-dependents.page) - [finder.nyc.gov/foodhelp](https://finder.nyc.gov/foodhelp/) - [access.nyc.gov/programs/women-infants-and-children-wic](https://access.nyc.gov/programs/women-infants-and-children-wic/) - [schools.nyc.gov/school-life/school-meals](https://www.schools.nyc.gov/school-life/school-meals) - [nyc.gov/site/fairfares/index.page](https://www.nyc.gov/site/fairfares/index.page) - [access.nyc.gov/programs/home-energy-assistance-program-heap](https://access.nyc.gov/programs/home-energy-assistance-program-heap/) - [info.nystateofhealth.ny.gov/stay-covered](https://info.nystateofhealth.ny.gov/stay-covered) - [nyc.gov/site/idnyc/benefits/benefits.page](https://www.nyc.gov/site/idnyc/benefits/benefits.page) - [culturepass.nyc](https://www.culturepass.nyc/)