Asylum Seeker Resources

All immigrants can get medical care in New York City, regardless of immigration status or ability to pay. You can get low-cost medical care, with or without insurance, through NYC Health + Hospitals (H+H). H+H can provide emergency care, basic health care, check-ups, immunizations, and more for people of all ages. For all NYC Health + Hospitals, please call (718) 387-6407 to be directed to the center nearest to you.

Find locations that offer free food (food pantry and soup kitchens) by visiting Food Help NYC.

In NYC, your child has a right to K-12 education, regardless of immigration status. Family Welcome Centers serve NYC families all year round with enrollment and admissions. For support, please visit one of the back-to-school sites below, Monday through Thursday, 8am – 5pm, and on Friday, 8am - 3pm. For more information visit the enrollment page on the NYC Schools website.

Family Welcome Center Locations

*Please Note: Our Park Place Family Welcome Center is not yet fully accessible.

For students and guardians who have physical accessibility needs, there are two options. You can either Request remote support or

Schedule an in-person appointment at the following alternate location: P.S. 009K, 80 Underhill Avenue, Room 134, Brooklyn, NY 11238.

To make a remote or in-person appointment at the alternate location, call 718-623-5069 or email ParkPlaceFWC@schools.nyc.gov.

Additionally, please note that the accessible entrance to P.S. 009K is not the same as the main entrance; the accessible entrance is located on Bergen Street.

New York City offers free and affordable child care through these organizations:

• Administration for Children's Services (ACS)
• New York City Public Schools (NYCPS)
• Head Start and Early Head Start

Please Note: Some of the child care options below require the child(ren) to have a satisfactory immigration status and must include copies of immigration documents as part of the application. All NYC child care providers require children to receive certain vaccinations.

Administration for Children's Services (ACS)

ACS offers low-income vouchers that can be used to cover the cost of child care at a provider of the family's choice. Vouchers may also be used to pay approved relatives, neighbors, or friends for care. These providers serve:

• Children six weeks to 13 years old (or to 19 years old for children with disabilities).
• Available year-round, and up to 24 hours a day.
• Eligibility is based on the family's income and an approved reason for needing child care (see below for more details).
• Each child in need of child care must have a required immigration status to qualify.
• Families should apply through MyCity (NYC.GOV/ChildCare).

New York City Public Schools (NYCPS)

NYCPS' Birth-Five Programs are offered in a variety of settings including center-based (NYC Early Education Centers or NYCEECs), home-based (Family Child Care or FCCs), and school based (District schools and PreK centers).

1. Infant and Toddler Extended Day and Year
   • Free or low-cost child care for children six weeks to three-years-old (who are not yet age-eligible for 3K).
   • Programs run up to 10 hours per day, year-round.
   • Eligibility is based on the family's income and an approved reason for needing child care (see below for more details).
   • Each child in need of child care must have a required immigration status to qualify.
   • Families should apply through MyCity (NYC.GOV/ChildCare) or find a program through NYC MySchools and contact them directly for help applying.


2. 3-K and Pre-K (pre-kindergarten) Extended Day and Year
   • Free or low-cost child care is available in the calendar year the child turns three or four years old.
   • Programs run up to 10 hours per day, year-round.
   • Eligibility is based on the family's income and an approved reason for needing child care (see below for more details).
   • Each child in need of child care must have a required immigration status to qualify.
   • Families should apply through MyCity (NYC.GOV/ChildCare) or find a program through NYC MySchools and contact them directly for help applying.


3. 3-K and Pre-K (pre-kindergarten) School Day and Year
   • Free child care that is available in the calendar year the child turns three or four years old.
   • Programs run up to 6 hours and 20 minutes per day, September to June.
   • A child/children can enroll regardless of their immigration status.
   • Families should apply through NYC MySchools.

Early Head Start and Head Start

Early Head Start and Head Start providers offer free learning and social/emotional development services to children ages birth to age five. Additionally, some providers offer services for pregnant parents.

Eligibility criteria for children includes:

• Children from low-income families or
• Children living in temporary housing or
• Children in foster care or
• Children from families receiving public assistance (TANF, SSI, or SNAP)

A child/children can enroll regardless of their immigration status.

Some Early Head Start and Head Start providers are affiliated with NYC Public Schools and these providers only serve children ages 2-5 years old in centers only.

Find all of New York City's Early Head Start or Head Start Program by visiting the Office of Head Start website and then contact a program directly to apply.

Important for Parents

Applying for these types of childcares will not have an impact on any pending immigration applications (resident alien, asylum, citizenship, etc.). Parents will NOT be asked for immigration status for themselves or anyone else in the household other than the child(ren) in need of childcare.

For the types of childcares that require satisfactory immigration status, each child needing childcare, a copy of one of the following is required as proof of immigration status: US Birth Certificate, US Passport Form, Naturalization Certificate, Alien Registration Card including Permanent Resident or Green Card, FS-240 (Report of Birth Abroad of U.S. Citizen), or any other authoritative document demonstrating immigration status.

Childcare programs enrolling children who are homeless or living in temporary housing, including families arriving from another state or country, should allow those children to attend for up to 30 days while their families work to obtain documentation of immunization or if the child has received at least the first dose in the required immunization series. To help a family find a medical provider or learn more about New York City's vaccination requirements visit nyc.gov/health or call 311. Immunization appointments for children of all ages can be scheduled through NYC H+H by calling 844-NYC-4NYC or nyc.gov/hhc, for children ages 4 and older through the Department of Health here, and parents can locate a federally-qualified health center in NYC here.

Early childhood education programs contracted with NYC Public Schools should refer to the birth-to-five handbook for additional guidance on supporting families in temporary housing in meeting vaccination requirements. Center-based programs or Home-based providers that are licensed by NYC Department of Health or New York State Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS) to provide child care must be approved by ACS in order to enroll children with a voucher. Informal providers (friend, relative, or neighbor) must be approved to provide subsidized in-home or family child care in a residence. Informal providers must also register with ACS to enroll children with a voucher. More information about the application and approval process can be found here.