On April 24, 2024, President Biden signed H.R.8035 – Ukraine Security Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2024 into law after Congress approved this legislation. The Ukraine Security Supplemental Appropriations Act makes “emergency supplemental appropriations to respond to the situation in Ukraine and for related expenses for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2024, and for other purposes.” 

In addition to sending critical aid to help Ukraine win the war, this package also provides humanitarian aid for Gaza, Sudan, Haiti, and Ukrainian refugees. The legislation includes $481 million in supplemental funding to the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) for Refugee and Entrant Assistance through September 2025. 

We are grateful to the House and Senate for passing this historic legislation to help the people of Ukraine, and to President Biden for acting quickly to sign this bill into law. Below is a summary of benefits reauthorized for Ukrainian humanitarian parolees.

Which Benefits are Authorized for Ukrainians in the United States under the New Law? 

  • Ukrainians who arrive in the U.S. on Uniting for Ukraine (U4U) with humanitarian parole between October 1, 2023 and September 30, 2024 are now eligible to receive benefits originally authorized by the Ukraine Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2022.
  • Ukrainians who were paroled on or before September 30, 2023 may also continue to receive those benefits for which they qualify through the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR). 
  • These include federal “mainstream” benefits such as cash assistance through Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI), health insurance through Medicaid, and food assistance through Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
  • Some Ukrainians may also be eligible for initial benefits offered to qualifying parolees for the first 12 months of their parole, such as Refugee Cash Assistance (RCA), Refugee Medical Assistance (RMA), Domestic Medical Screening, employment preparation, job placement, English language training, counseling, and other services offered through the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR).

Who Is Eligible for Parolee Benefits?

Certain Ukrainian individuals (or non-Ukrainian individuals who last habitually resided in Ukraine) who have been or will be granted humanitarian parole by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security between February 24, 2022, and September 30, 2024, are eligible to apply for ORR benefits until the end of their parole term. These individuals’ spouses or unmarried children under the age of 21 who are paroled into the U.S after September 30, 2024, are also eligible to apply for these benefits.

How Can Ukrainians Apply for Resettlement Benefits?

Eligible Ukrainians can apply at the state government benefits office or closest resettlement agency in their state. You can find a state-by-state listing of local resettlement agencies in the ORR state program directory here: https://www.acf.hhs.gov/orr/map/find-resources-and-contacts-your-state.

To apply for ORR benefits, you will need to bring proof of your nationality, proof of your hu­manitarian parole, and the date you received the humanitarian parole. Each individual in a family applying for ORR benefits and services should bring their own proof and the date their humanitarian parole (or other ORR-eligible status) was granted.

Where Can Ukrainians Find More Information about Social Services and Related Topics?

Learn more about which benefits are available for Ukrainians and how to apply in these Fact Sheets from the  U.S. Department of Health & Human Services:

  • English: https://www.acf.hhs.gov/orr/fact-sheet/benefits-ukrainian-humanitarian-parolees
  • Ukrainian: https://www.acf.hhs.gov/orr/fact-sheet/benefits-ukrainian-humanitarian-parolees-ukr
  • Russian: https://www.acf.hhs.gov/orr/fact-sheet/benefits-ukrainian-humanitarian-parolees-rus

For additional information on benefits, health insurance, Social Security cards, employment authorization, and related topics, visit our Resources in the United States page.

Photo by Alexander Dummer on Unsplash.