Non-U.S. citizens can still apply for federal disaster relief

South Carolina residents who are not U.S. citizens may still be eligible for disaster assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, according to an agency news release.

When registering for disaster assistance, FEMA requires applicants to certify whether they are citizens, non-citizen nationals or qualified aliens.

A qualified alien, as defined by FEMA, includes:

▪  Legal permanent residents (those with Green Cards)

▪  Those with refugee or asylum status

▪  Those whose deportation has been withheld

▪  Those on parole into the U.S. for at least one year for humanitarian purposes

▪  Those with conditional entry

▪  Cuban-Haitian entrants

▪  Those with petitions for relief based on battery or extreme cruelty by a family member

If a parent or guardian isn’t eligible to apply, he or she can apply on behalf of a child under 18 who qualified. Their status will not be jeopardized by requesting disaster assistance, and no information will be gathered regarding the status of others in the household.

Undocumented immigrants who are not eligible for FEMA aid may still qualify for programs run by state, local or voluntary agencies.

To learn what is and isn’t covered through FEMA’s individual assistance program, visit http://bit.ly/2esc0X1.

This story was originally published October 31, 2016 at 3:36 PM with the headline "Non-U.S. citizens can still apply for federal disaster relief."