If you’re an immigrant living in California, here is what you need to know to protect yourself, your family, and your community from coronavirus. Services and public benefits are available to you, some regardless of immigration status. And special assistance for immigrant Californians who don’t qualify for other programs can be applied for starting May 18.
Testing and treatment
Don’t let fear stop you from getting necessary treatment, as the effects of avoiding health care services may be very serious. This will help keep you, your family, and your community healthy.
If you’re undocumented or don’t have insurance, you can still get COVID-19 testing and treatment through Medi-Cal. Medi-cal care for COVID-19 related testing or treatment alone DOES NOT count under the public charge rule.
If you have Medi-Cal (but are not enrolled in a Medi-Cal managed care health plan), or you don’t have insurance:
Call “Medi-Nurse,” a 24/7 nurse advice line available at 1-877-409-9052. You can speak directly with a health professional about your symptoms, get advice for further treatment in your area, or how to apply for health insurance.
Find out more about how to get testing and treatment.
Guide for Immigrant Californians
The Guide for Immigrant Californians (PDF) will help you stay safe and informed.
The guide includes:
- Stay-at-home order considerations
- Ways to protect yourself and others
- Immigration help
- Public charge information for accessing public benefits
- Testing and treatment
- Information on jobs, wages, and benefits
- Small business support
- Housing
- Food and bills
- Community safety
- Protection against scams and bad information
Learn more in the Guide for Immigrant Californians (PDF).
Immigrant guide in: Spanish, Chinese traditional, Chinese simplified, Korean, Tagalog, and Vietnamese.
Disaster Relief Assistance for Immigrants
On April 15, Governor Newsom announced one-time disaster relief assistance for undocumented Californians impacted by COVID-19, who are ineligible for most other forms of pandemic assistance, including direct assistance under the CARES Act and unemployment insurance.
Eligible Californians may receive one-time COVID-19 disaster relief assistance at a value of $500. A limit of two adults per household can receive this assistance (maximum assistance of $1,000 per household).
The CA Department of Social Services (CDSS) has selected 12 nonprofits to help individuals apply for and get this help in their region.
More information about the disaster relief assistance can be found on the Disaster Relief Assistance for Immigrants Program Information page.
Individuals may begin applying on May 18, 2020. Assistance will be available until the funding is spent or until June 30, 2020, at the latest. Applicants will be considered on a first-come, first-served basis. Applicants may only apply with the nonprofit organization(s) in their county of residency.
Please note:
- Funding is limited, and disaster relief application services and assistance are not guaranteed.
- Nonprofit organizations will not be assisting individuals before May 18. Individuals should not contact them ahead of time regarding disaster relief assistance.
Eligible individuals must be able to provide information that they:
- Are an undocumented adult (person over the age of 18)
- Are not eligible for federal COVID-19 assistance, like the CARES Act stimulus payments or pandemic unemployment benefits, and
- Have experienced hardship as a result of COVID-19.
This disaster relief assistance is not means-tested and is one-time assistance. The federal government does not list this assistance as a public benefit for a public charge consideration. However, USCIS has not issued specific guidance related to this assistance.
If you have questions about your immigration status and this program, please consult an attorney. A list of free and low-cost immigration services providers is available in the Guide for Immigrant Californians (PDF).
Your information is only used to confirm eligibility and provide the assistance. No personal information (like name or address) will be given to any government agency. Only general information like age, gender, and preferred language will be shared with the State of California.
The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) has identified non-profit where you can apply for disaster assistance. Find the nonprofit where you can apply in your area.
Apply no sooner than May 18, and only to the organization in your area. They will assist you with applying, confirm your eligibility, and deliver a payment card if you are approved. Applications will be considered on a first-come, first-served basis.
Funding is limited, and disaster relief application services and assistance are not guaranteed.
A maximum of two adults per household can qualify for this assistance, for a total of $1,000 per household. A household is defined as individuals who live, shop, and prepare meals together.
You will get a payment card either in person or through the mail. The organization in your area can give you more information.
Payments will be distributed beginning on May 18, 2020. They will continue until the $75 million in funding is spent, or until June 30, 2020 at the latest. We expect that this disaster relief assistance will run out very quickly. Apply as soon as you can, but not before May 18.
Yes. The California Immigrant Resilience Fund is raising $50 million to provide cash assistance to undocumented Californians who are ineligible for other COVID-19 programs. Visit the California Immigrant Resilience Fund website to see if you can benefit from this program.