Immigration Help For New Marylanders
Are you new to the United States or do you know someone who is? 211 Maryland is a one-stop resource for immigrants and new Americans.
Get connected to community resources and support for food, housing, immigration, and more. Translation in 150+ languages.
Find help nearby by entering your ZIP code.
Uninsured? Get Health Coverage
Maryland Health Connection is the state’s official health insurance marketplace. Eligible immigrants can apply for coverage, even if other family members do not qualify.
Immigrants who do not qualify for health insurance through Maryland Health Connection may have other options, including purchasing insurance directly or receiving free or low-cost medical care.
You can still apply even if none of your family members have an immigration status that qualifies them for coverage.
You will not need a Social Security Number or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) to apply unless you are requesting financial help and filing taxes.
Find out if your status qualifies for this assistance program.
Maryland Medicaid
Medicaid is another program that provides free and low-cost medical coverage to eligible families.
Medicaid eligibility rules have changed. Some non-citizens no longer qualify for Medicaid. This includes refugees, asylees, immigrants granted parole for at least one year, and certain victims of abuse and trafficking.
Medicaid coverage is limited to:
- Legal Permanent Residents who meet or are exempt from the five-year rule
- Cuban and Haitian non-citizens, and
- Compact of Free Association (COFA) migrants
Pregnant women and children are not impacted. Maryland Healthy Babies provides coverage for pregnancy and four months postpartum, regardless of immigration status.
Learn about immigration status requirements.
In January 2027, more eligibility rules will take effect, including work requirements, and some individuals may need to redetermine benefits every six months rather than yearly.
Find out if these new rules apply to your situation with a Medicaid check-in.
Maryland Children's Health Program
Maryland Children's Health Program (MCHP) provides free health coverage (Medicaid) to eligible uninsured children. Children may qualify for MCHP and even Medicaid, even if you do not.
MCHP provides full Medicaid coverage for children. Children will access care from one of the nine HealthChoice Managed Care Organizations (MCO), and coverage includes:
- Dental care
- Well and sick visits with a doctor
- Hospital care
- Immunizations
- Lab work and tests
- Mental health services
- Prescriptions
- Substance use treatment
- Transportation to medical care
- Vision
Apply anytime through Maryland Health Connection.
Emergency Medicaid
If you're otherwise eligible for Medicaid but don't meet citizenship or alien eligibility requirements, you may be able to apply for Emergency Medicaid. This can provide coverage in an emergency, for urgent, life-threatening situations.
It may cover an emergency room visit or emergency surgery. There are medical exclusions.
The application for this type of Medicaid is done after the emergency event.
Other low-cost Health Programs
There are other low-cost and free health programs for uninsured, undocumented, and
Search the 211 Statewide Community Resource Database for a location nearby. Use the filters on the left to find what you need. Search by undocumented, uninsured, immigrants/refugees, and more.
Free Refugee Health Assessment
Refugees, asylees, parolees, Cuban/Haitian parolees, victims of trafficking, special immigrant visas, and certain Amerasians are eligible for a free refugee health assessment.
This assessment can help you identify health problems, receive treatment, and get the required immunizations for residency status, a Green Card, or school.
Mental Health And Substance Use
For immediate mental health and substance use concerns, call 988. You’ll be connected to the Maryland Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It provides free and confidential support.
Connect with ongoing behavioral health services or inpatient treatment centers in the 988 database, powered by 211. You can filter search options by ZIP code, language, payment method, and age.
Maryland Responds
Federal changes to Medicaid and SNAP (food assistance) may affect benefits for Maryland residents, including immigrants and their families.
Maryland Responds from 211 helps people understand these changes and connect with local resources for food, health care, and other everyday needs.
Free And Low-Cost Medical And Dental Care
If you need to see a doctor or dentist, free and reduced-cost services may be available.
Each county has its own health department, and that may be an additional resource for immunizations, family planning, and health screenings.
A dental clinic (en Español) may also be available at some health department locations or in a separate location. These clinics provide low-cost support for uninsured and underinsured patients.
Get Help
Health Care
Start the Naturalization Process
Legal
Enroll Children in School
ESOL/Translation
Education
Employment/Job Training
Find Food Assistance
Free and low-cost food is available throughout Maryland for individuals and families who need help.
Local food pantries, food banks, and community organizations provide groceries, fresh produce, and prepared meals. Eligibility requirements vary by program.
Maryland also offers food assistance programs, including SNAP (food stamps) and WIC for eligible pregnant women, new mothers, infants, and young children. Eligibility for SNAP depends in part on immigration status.
211 Maryland can help connect individuals and families to nearby food resources.
3-Digit Numbers To Call for Help
In addition to the resources above, the United States provides 3-digit numbers for immediate support.
These numbers are free to call. Instead of dialing a typical ten-digit number, dial the 3 digit number, and you’ll be connected.
These are common 3-digit numbers that can help you.
How 988 and 211 Can Help
Learn how 988 and 211 can provide support to individuals. In general:
- 988 provides crisis support for mental health and substance use and a searchable resource database to find providers near you.
- 211 Maryland provides ongoing mental health support through free and confidential programs, behavioral health resources, and help with essential needs like food, housing, employment, health care, child care, and more.
The Maryland Insurance Administration had a Spanish webinar with 988 and 211. Watch below.
Statewide Support for Refugees and Asylees
Maryland's Office for Refugees and Asylees (MORA) connects eligible refugees, asylees, and other humanitarian immigrants with programs to help them settle in Maryland.
Services available through MORA's partner organizations may include employment support, English-language training, medical screenings, transitional financial assistance, case management, and youth programs.
Eligibility depends on immigration status and program requirements.
Explore MORA programs and services.
Several agencies also provide Welcome Guides explaining the available assistance programs.
Download the Maryland Office for Refugees and Asylees (MORA) Welcome Guide (English). You can also download it in other languages like Arabic, Burmese, Dari, Spanish, Ukrainian, and more.
The Refugee Welcome Collective also helps individuals and families explore the available benefits and services in Maryland.
Baltimore immigration support
If you live in Baltimore, you can
- Dial 211
- Visit the Mayor's Office of Immigrant Affairs website for organizations that can help you with homeownership, education, employment, and more.
- Download the Welcome to Baltimore Guide for New Americans, available in multiple languages.
Dial 211
Talk to a caring and compassionate person 24/7. They can also connect you to resources.
Get Identification in Maryland
You’ll need identification for many tasks such as renting an apartment, opening a bank account, getting a job, applying for insurance, and even driving a car.
Photo ID
Maryland Identification Card is an official photo ID that includes your address and age. It can be used to get a job, cash a check, or open a bank account.
You obtain this card from the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA).
You can also go to the MVA to get a driver’s license, which is a photo ID that allows you to drive.
For the required documents for an official Maryland ID, see the Online Document Guide. Select the choices that pertain to your situation and/or available documentation to determine eligibility.
ID for immigrants without legal status
Maryland residents who cannot provide proof of lawful immigration status may still qualify for a federally noncompliant driver's license or identification card.
Applicants must meet Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration requirements, including documentation of identity, residency, and state tax filings.
These cards can be used for everyday identification but cannot be used for federal purposes such as boarding commercial flights.
Learn about noncompliant Maryland driver's licenses and identification cards.
Social Security Number
In addition to a photo ID, a Social Security number is often requested for identification purposes.
To apply for a Social Security Number, call 1-800-772-1213. Interpretation services are available. Hearing-impaired individuals should call 1-800-325-0778.
You can also schedule an appointment for a local Social Security office in Maryland.
Need to find something from Social Security in Spanish? Use the Spanish version of the Social Security website
Citizenship And Naturalization
Eligible lawful permanent residents (green card holders) can apply for U.S. citizenship through naturalization.
When you’re a U.S. citizen, you can:
- Vote.
- Serve on a jury.
- Get a U.S. passport for travel.
- Bring family members to the U.S.
- Get citizenship for children under age 18.
- Apply for federal jobs.
- Become an elected official.
- Keep your residency.
- Become eligible for federal grants and scholarships.
- Obtain government benefits.
Learn if you are eligible to apply to become a U.S. citizen through naturalization.
If you’re eligible for citizenship through naturalization, you'll follow a 10-step naturalization process. This includes forms, a test, an interview, and taking the oath of allegiance to the United States.
Citizenship Maryland initiative helps eligible residents navigate the process through citizenship screenings, legal assistance, application support, and referrals to English and civics classes.
Immigration Legal Help and Know Your Rights
Immigration laws and requirements can be complicated. Free or low-cost legal assistance may be available for questions about asylum, green cards, citizenship, work permits, deportation proceedings, and other immigration matters.
Search the 211 Statewide Community Resource Database for legal help.
Find immigration legal assistance.
Know Your Rights
Everyone in the United States has certain legal rights, regardless of immigration status.
Maryland provides resources explaining rights during encounters with immigration enforcement, what to do if a loved one is detained, and how to prepare a family safety plan.
Explore Maryland's Know Your Rights and community safety resources.
For immigration legal advice, consult a licensed attorney or a Department of Justice-accredited representative.
Find Education Help
Children have the right to attend public school regardless of their immigration status or their parents' immigration status.
Schools cannot require students or parents to provide immigration status or a Social Security number as a condition of enrollment.
Public education is free from Kindergarten to grade twelve. These schools must accept all children, regardless of immigration status or documentation.
Head Start
Preschool programs may be available through Head Start (en Español).
English As A Second Language (ESL)
If you need to learn English, local communities provide English as a Second Language (ESL) classes for adults and children.
Search 211 resources and find local ESL classes and other educational opportunities (en Español) or enroll children in school (en Español)
Job Training
There are specific programs for New Americans looking for job training and other employment opportunities (en Español).
