TL;DR: Only U.S. citizens, non-citizen nationals, and qualified aliens can receive money from FEMA's Individuals and Households Program, and every applicant must clear identity, primary-residence, and unmet-need checks after a presidentially declared disaster.
According to the Eligibility Criteria for FEMA Assistance, FEMA checks requirements before giving assistance under the Individuals and Households Program. The page, last updated June 26, 2026, states that applicants must meet general conditions on citizenship status, identity verification, ownership or occupancy verification, and unmet need after insurance.
Who can receive Individuals and Households Program money
Citizenship, non-citizen national, and qualified-alien rule
FEMA states that only United States citizens, non-citizen nationals, or qualified aliens are eligible to receive assistance from FEMA, and that FEMA needs to verify all applicants' status before providing assistance.
According to Citizenship and Immigration Status Requirements, FEMA, along with the state, territorial or tribal government, may provide money and direct services to survivors affected by a presidentially declared disaster. The same source states that to be eligible, survivors must be U.S. citizens, non-citizen nationals and qualified aliens.
That citizenship page defines a U.S. citizen as anyone born in the U.S., a person born outside of the U.S. to at least one U.S. parent, or a naturalized citizen.
It defines a non-citizen national as a person born in an outlying possession of the U.S., such as American Samoa or Swain's Island, on or after the date the U.S. acquired the possession, or a person born outside of the U.S. and outlying possessions whose parents are U.S. non-citizen nationals.
It lists a qualified alien as including legal permanent residents described as Green Card holders, aliens granted asylum, refugees, aliens whose deportation status is being withheld, aliens paroled into the U.S. for at least one year for urgent humanitarian purposes or significant public benefit, Cuban/Haitian entrants, certain battered aliens or their spouses or children, certain victims of a severe form of human trafficking including persons with a T or U visa, and legal residents in accordance with the Compacts of Free Association with the Federated States of Micronesia, Republic of the Marshall Islands, and the Republic of Palau.
How a household with a minor child can apply
If an applicant does not meet the citizenship or immigration status at the time of application, the household may still apply for certain forms of federal assistance when the parent or legal guardian of a minor child who is a U.S. citizen or qualified alien applies for assistance on behalf of the minor child, so long as they live in the same household.
In that situation, the parent or legal guardian must apply as the co-applicant, and the minor child must be under age 18 at the time the disaster occurred, according to the same citizenship requirements page.
The page advises individuals to consult an immigration expert to verify whether they meet the immigration status requirements for FEMA disaster assistance.
What help is available regardless of status
The citizenship requirements page states that voluntary agencies provide help regardless of citizenship or immigration status.
It also states that all individuals, regardless of citizenship and immigration status, affected by a major disaster may be eligible for crisis counseling assistance, disaster legal services, disaster case management, disaster supplemental nutrition assistance program and other non-monetary, in-kind emergency disaster-relief programs.
Those non-monetary, in-kind programs include medical care, shelter, food and water, according to the same source.
The eligibility page separately describes disaster assistance as covering temporary housing needs, repairs to owner-occupied homes, personal property loss, medical expenses, funeral expenses, and other serious disaster-related needs or expenses not covered by insurance or other means.
Identity verification with a Social Security number
The eligibility page states that applicants need to prove identity with a valid Social Security number.
FEMA usually checks identity using public records when the applicant applies. If FEMA cannot verify identity this way, the agency might ask for more information.
The eligibility page directs applicants to review the types of documents that can be provided to verify identity.
According to I Applied for Assistance. What's Next?, assistance is determined by comparing recorded essential losses and serious needs to the types of assistance available within the FEMA Individual Assistance program and services. The same after-applying page states that applicants may also be referred to the U.S. Small Business Administration for low-interest disaster loans to further assist with recovery.
Primary residence, ownership, and occupancy verification
For certain types of assistance, FEMA must confirm the disaster-damaged home is the applicant's primary residence. For Home Repair or Replacement Assistance, FEMA also needs to confirm the applicant owned the residence at the time of the disaster.
FEMA usually verifies occupancy or ownership information through an automated public records search when the applicant applies. If FEMA cannot confirm occupancy or ownership status through the public records search, the agency might ask the applicant to provide additional documents for verification.
The eligibility page directs applicants to review the types of documents that can be provided to verify home occupancy and ownership.
The after-applying page lists identity verification, proof of occupancy, home inspection, and submission of documentation among the review steps, and states that FEMA provides money for the basic repairs to make a home safe, sanitary and livable.
Insurance, duplication of benefits, and what to tell FEMA
FEMA cannot provide assistance for disaster needs that have already been met by another source, like insurance or other programs. If insurance or another program does not cover all disaster-caused needs, the applicant may be eligible for assistance from FEMA.
Applicants must tell FEMA about any insurance coverage that can help with disaster-caused needs when applying for FEMA assistance.
If the applicant has insurance coverage, the applicant will need to give FEMA proof of the insurance settlement or a letter explaining denial of coverage before FEMA can determine what assistance the applicant is eligible for.
Documents can be uploaded directly to an online DisasterAssistance.gov account or taken to a document drop-off center near the applicant, according to the eligibility page.
According to Reforming Individual Assistance: New Benefits and Streamlined Processes to Help Disaster Survivors, if an applicant received an insurance payout that did not cover the cost of damage to the home or property, the applicant may still be eligible to receive money from FEMA. The same reform page states that FEMA assistance is not a replacement for home, renters or flood insurance, and will not cover all losses from a disaster.
How expanded eligibility changed in the March 22, 2024 reform
According to the reform page, FEMA implemented significant updates to disaster assistance on March 22, 2024, described as flexible funding provided directly to survivors when they need it most, expanded eligibility to help more people recover faster, and a simplified application process.
One change was Simplified Other Needs Assistance. FEMA no longer requires applicants to apply for a U.S. Small Business Administration loan before being considered for certain types of assistance. Applicants now have the option to apply for a low-interest SBA loan at the same time they apply for FEMA assistance.
Another change was expanded criteria for home repair assistance. Applicants may receive money to repair the parts of the home damaged by the disaster regardless of pre-existing conditions. Applicants can also make repairs that prevent similar damage from future disasters.
The reform page also describes money for accessibility repairs such as exterior ramp, grab bars, and paved path to the home entrance when the applicant has a disability. It states that repairs can be made when these items are damaged during a disaster, and that improvements can be made when these features were not present before the disaster but are needed due to a pre-existing disability or a disability caused by the disaster.
Additional expanded categories include money for self-employed applicants to repair or replace disaster-damaged tools and equipment needed to do the job, and money for a personal or family computer damaged by a disaster plus money for additional computers required for work, school or access and functional needs.
Serious Needs and Displacement money
The reform page lists Serious Needs as money to help pay for essential items like food, water, baby formula, breastfeeding supplies, medication and other emergency supplies.
It lists Displacement as money to help with immediate housing needs if the applicant cannot return home because of the disaster. The money can be used to stay in a hotel, with family and friends, or other options while looking for a rental unit.
For households preparing before a disaster, those two categories clarify what receipts and lists to keep. The Individual Assistance page advises applicants to get tips on steps to take before applying, such as taking photos and making a list of damages and filing a claim with the insurance company.
Where and how to apply
If applicants think they meet the eligibility criteria, they can complete an application for FEMA Individuals and Households Program assistance at DisasterAssistance.gov.
Applicants can also apply in person, online, or by phone, according to the eligibility page.
The reform page states that updates to the reimagined DisasterAssistance.gov website made applying faster, with easy navigation, visual progress tracking and individualized information collection in which survivors are only prompted to answer questions that apply to their specific circumstances. For most disaster survivors, the change is expected to reduce registration time by more than 15%.
The reform page also describes a separate Transitional Sheltering Assistance website with photos and sort and filter features, and states that survivors can book lodging and contact participating hotels directly.
After applying: contacts, inspections, and appeals
The after-applying page states that applicants will have the choice to sign up for updates by email, phone calls, and text message.
It lists official update channels as emails from [email protected] or [email protected] or [email protected], calls from 1-800-621-3362 or 1-866-863-8673, and texts from 43362 or 91908.
It states that applicants can call the FEMA Helpline at 1-800-621-3362 to verify whether a FEMA call or email is legitimate, and to make corrections to an application. Applicants can also visit a Disaster Recovery Center to make corrections, and can upload documents online.
Applicants can check status by logging into DisasterAssistance.gov, selecting the application, then selecting the Status tab. If the address or phone number changes after applying, applicants are instructed to update information immediately by logging into DisasterAssistance.gov or calling the FEMA Helpline at 1-800-621-3362.
For appeals, the reform page states that applicants who disagree with a FEMA decision and wish to appeal will no longer need to provide a signed, written appeal letter to accompany supporting documentation. It also states that applicants requesting approval for a late application no longer have to provide documentation supporting the reason for the late application, and that applicants seeking continued temporary housing assistance face reduced documentation requirements with individual caseworkers engaging closely to offer support.
Legal duty, truthfulness, and fraud referral
The eligibility page states that FEMA is required by law to make sure that help given to those affected by a major disaster was given correctly, without duplicating assistance from other sources, used for necessary expenses related to the disaster, and not obtained through fraudulent means.
It cites the Debt Collection Improvement Act of 1996, the Improper Payments and Information Act of 2002, the Improper Payments Elimination and Recovery Act of 2010, and the Improper Payments Elimination and Recovery Improvement Act of 2012.
When applying, applicants must say that all information provided is true. The application is a legal document and information is provided under penalty of perjury, meaning applicants could face criminal charges, including up to five years in prison, if they provide FEMA with false information known to be untrue or incorrect.
FEMA may check information by reviewing other sources. The page states that it is against federal and state laws to make false statements or withhold information to obtain FEMA assistance.
FEMA staff are required to report suspected fraud to the Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General. That office investigates potential fraud cases and refers them to the Department of Justice to investigate and take legal action when warranted. FEMA will also initiate collection of a potential debt, regardless of the size of the debt, when assistance was obtained through fraudulent means.