Immigration Status and Changes to Medi-Cal Eligibility
Select Your Immigration Category
| Immigration Category | Can apply for full-scope Medi-Cal with full dental benefits (starting January 1, 2026) | Can still get full-scope Medi-Cal, but will only get emergency dental benefits (starting July 1, 2026) | Must pay a premium if enrolled in full-scope Medi-Cal with emergency only dental benefits (age 19-59) (starting July 1, 2027) |
|---|---|---|---|
| A non-citizen on whose behalf an immediate relative petition (INS Form I-I30) has been approved | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| A non-citizen who has properly filed an application for lawful permanent resident status | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Amerasian Immigrant | Yes | No | No |
| An immigrant who entered and has continuously resided in the United States since before January 1, 1972, who would be eligible for an adjustment of status to Lawful Permanent Resident (eligible for Registry) | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Asylee | Yes | No | No |
| Battered non-citizen, or parent or child of a battered non-citizen, exempt from or has met the 5-year waiting period | Yes | No | No |
| Battered non-citizen, or parent or child of a battered non-citizen, subject to and has not met the 5-year waiting period | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Citizens of Micronesia, the Marshall Islands, or Palau | Yes | No | No |
| Conditional Entrant (granted before April 1980) | Yes | No | No |
| Cuban/Haitian Entrant | Yes | No | No |
| Filed for a U visa (including derivative spouse, child, sibling, or parent) | Yes | No | No |
| Foster youth and former foster youth (who were in foster care on their 18th birthday, up to age 26), regardless of immigration status | Yes | No | No |
| Granted a stay of deportation or removal | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Granted a Victim of Trafficking visa (T visa), or certified by the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as a trafficking survivor, or spouse, child, sibling, or parent | Yes | No | No |
| Granted Deferred Action (including Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA)) | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Granted Order of Supervision | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Granted suspension of deportation or removal | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Granted U visa or U non-immigrant visa (including derivative spouse, child, sibling, or parent) | Yes | No | No |
| Granted voluntary departure and awaiting issuance of a visa | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Granted withholding of deportation or removal | Yes | No | No |
| Lawful Permanent Resident (LPR/Green Card holder) exempt from or has met the 5-year waiting period | Yes | No | No |
| Lawful Permanent Resident (LPR/Green Card holder) subject to the 5-year waiting period and has not met it | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Paroled into the United States for less than one year | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Paroled into the United States for one year or more, exempt from or has met the 5-year waiting period | Yes | No | No |
| Paroled into the United States for one year or more, subject to and has not met the 5-year waiting period | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Pending application for a Victim of Trafficking visa (T visa), or taking steps to apply for a T visa or for certification by HHS (including derivative spouse, child, sibling, or parent) | Yes | No | No |
| Pregnant persons (including +365 days postpartum period), regardless of immigration status | Yes | No | No |
| PRUCOL Permanently Residing Under Color of Law: a non-citizen, who can show that (1) immigration authorities are aware that they are in the United States; and (2) immigration authorities do not intent to deport or remove them, either because of their status, individual circumstance or a combination of both | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Refugee | Yes | No | No |
| Youth (under 19), regardless of immigration status | Yes | No | No |
Anyone not a US citizen and not listed above or not claiming to fit within a category above
- Can apply for full-scope Medi-Cal with full dental benefits (starting January 1, 2026)?
- No
- Will continue to be enrolled in full-scope Medi-Cal, but will only be eligible for emergency dental care (starting July 1, 2026)?
- Yes, if retaining full-scope Medi-Cal before January 1, 2026.
- Must pay a premium if enrolled in full-scope Medi-Cal with emergency only dental benefits (age 19-59) (starting July 1, 2027)?
- Yes, if retaining full-scope Medi-Cal before January 1, 2026
Important to Know
- If you already have Medi-Cal, you can stay covered, regardless of your immigration status, as long as you remain eligible. Visit the Medi-Cal changes webpage to learn how you can keep your coverage.
- Children and youth under age 19, pregnant people through one year after a pregnancy ends, and foster children and youth or former foster youth under 26 who were in foster care on their 18th birthday, will still be eligible to apply for full-scope Medi-Cal, regardless of immigration status. If you’re unsure about how these changes affect you, please contact your local Medi-Cal office or call (800) 541-5555 for assistance.
Additional Information
- The California Department of Social Services’ Immigration Services Bureau keeps a list of qualified nonprofit organizations to provide services to immigrants who live in California.
- For more resources, please visit the Immigration and California families webpage.
- Health care consumers may be eligible to receive legal assistance from the Health Consumer Alliance (HCA). Please call the HCA at (888) 804-3536 to be screened for free legal assistance with health-related legal matters, including struggling to get or keep health coverage or fixing problems with a health plan.
You can also visit or contact your local embassy or consulate for further legal assistance.
Disclaimer: The information in the chart below is accurate as of December 30, 2025, and remains valid through September 30, 2026. The chart will be updated in October 2026.