CHIP (Children’s Health Insurance Program) for immigrants

CHIP is a federal-state program covering health insurance for uninsured children from families earning too much for Medicaid but unable to afford private insurance.

Who qualifies?

US-citizen children

YES qualify without restrictions (subject to state income limits).

Permanent-resident children (green card)

  • No 5-year bar in 31 states + DC under “CHIPRA Option” (regardless of time with green card)
  • In other states: 5-year bar applies

Refugee, asylee, specific-status children

YES qualify without the 5-year bar (all states).

Undocumented children

Do NOT qualify federally. However:

  • 14 states + DC (CA, NY, IL, OR, WA, MA, MN, CO, CT, ME, NJ, RI, VT, etc.) extend CHIP-like coverage to undocumented children with state funds

Income limits

Vary by state. Typically covers up to 200-300% of federal poverty level. For family of 4: ~$60,000-$90,000/year.

How to apply

  1. Healthcare.gov (federal Marketplace) — most states process via Marketplace
  2. Your state’s Medicaid/CHIP portal
  3. Single application for Medicaid AND CHIP — state automatically determines which program

Coverage

CHIP covers: doctor visits, vaccines, hospitalization, dental, vision, prescriptions, emergency, mental health.

Official source: Medicaid.gov CHIP

Last verified: 2026-05-24.

General procedural information for educational purposes. Not legal, tax, or immigration advice. Laws and fees change — verify with the issuing agency before taking action. For case-specific guidance, consult a licensed immigration attorney or other appropriate professional.