Immigrant & Refugee Services in St. Louis: Where to Get Help
Revised July 16, 2026
Where can immigrants get help in St. Louis?
The best place to start in St. Louis is the International Institute (314-773-9090, 3401 Arsenal St.), offering refugee resettlement, English classes, job help, immigration assistance, and translation under one roof. For immigration legal help, use an accredited nonprofit — the MICA Project (314-995-6995), Legal Services of Eastern Missouri (314-256-8705), or St. Francis Community Services (314-773-6100). For free English and citizenship classes, try the International Institute, St. Louis Community College, or the Public Library. For health care without insurance, Casa de Salud (314-977-1250). Not sure where to start? Dial 2-1-1.
Keep reading ↓Starting over in a new country asks everything of a person at once. A new language on every form and sign, a job that doesn’t match the career you built back home, kids adjusting faster than you can, and a hundred systems — schools, doctors, licenses, paperwork — that no one ever explained. It plays out in a South City apartment, a first job out in the suburbs, an English class at the library, a church basement where neighbors gather. The hardest part is often just not knowing where to turn.
St. Louis has welcomed immigrants and refugees for generations, and it has built real infrastructure to help newcomers land on their feet: one-stop agencies, free English classes, trustworthy legal help, and health care that doesn’t require insurance. You do not have to figure this out alone, and you do not have to speak perfect English to ask.
This guide points you to the organizations that help — for free or low cost, in many languages. Whether you’re new here yourself or helping a neighbor, coworker, or student find their footing, it’s written for you.
The best place to start in St. Louis is the International Institute (314-773-9090, 3401 Arsenal St.), which offers refugee resettlement, English classes, job help, immigration assistance, and translation all under one roof. For immigration legal help, use an accredited nonprofit — the MICA Project (314-995-6995), Legal Services of Eastern Missouri (314-256-8705), or St. Francis Community Services (314-773-6100). For free English and citizenship classes, try the International Institute, St. Louis Community College, or the St. Louis Public Library. For health care without insurance, Casa de Salud (314-977-1250) sees patients with an interpreter. Not sure where to start? Dial 2-1-1.
📌 Know a newcomer who could use this? Keep it — and share it.
Bookmark this page and share it with anyone who could use it — a new neighbor or coworker, or a teacher, caseworker, faith leader, or volunteer helping a family get settled. You can share it in any language; the help is here for everyone.
Every share helps one more family find its footing. That’s exactly why we made it.
Quick Picks: Where to Start
- Everything under one roof: International Institute of St. Louis — 314-773-9090, 3401 Arsenal St.
- Free or low-cost immigration legal help (accredited): MICA Project 314-995-6995 · Legal Services of Eastern Missouri 314-256-8705 · St. Francis Community Services 314-773-6100
- English & citizenship classes: International Institute, St. Louis Community College, St. Louis Public Library Citizenship Connection (314-539-0357)
- Health care without insurance: Casa de Salud — 314-977-1250 (interpreter included)
- Not sure where to start? Dial 2-1-1 — free, confidential, around 150 languages
Start Here: The International Institute of St. Louis
For more than a century, the International Institute of St. Louis (314-773-9090, 3401 Arsenal St.) has been the region’s front door for new arrivals. It’s a true one-stop agency: refugee resettlement, English and adult education classes, job training and placement, immigration assistance, translation and interpretation, and even small-business support for immigrant entrepreneurs. If you only make one call, make it this one — staff can point you to the right service inside the Institute or connect you to a trusted partner elsewhere in the city.
Free & Low-Cost Immigration Legal Help
Immigration law is complicated and the stakes are high, so it matters who you ask. In the United States, only a licensed immigration attorney or a DOJ/BIA-accredited representative at a recognized nonprofit can legally give immigration legal advice. A “notario” or notary public is not the same as a lawyer, and getting advice from the wrong person can cost you money and put your case at risk. Trusted, accredited local options:
- The MICA Project (Migrant & Immigrant Community Action) — 314-995-6995, 2650 Cherokee St. Low-cost, sliding-scale immigration legal services.
- Legal Services of Eastern Missouri — Immigration Law Program, 314-256-8705. Free civil legal aid for people with low income.
- St. Francis Community Services (Catholic Charities) — Catholic Immigration Law Project, 314-773-6100, with attorneys and BIA-accredited representatives.
Learn English & Prepare for Citizenship
Learning English opens every other door — work, school, driving, doctor visits — and in St. Louis it’s free:
- International Institute of St. Louis — English classes for adults at all levels, plus free citizenship-test preparation (by appointment, 314-773-9090 ext. 201).
- St. Louis Community College — free non-credit English (ESL), citizenship, and high-school-equivalency classes for adults.
- St. Louis Public Library — Citizenship Connection — free help preparing for the citizenship test and English practice (314-539-0357).
Health Care Without Insurance
You do not need insurance — or immigration status — to see a doctor here. Casa de Salud (314-977-1250, 3200 Chouteau Ave.) was built especially for uninsured and immigrant patients: you can see a doctor for a low flat fee, seven days a week, with a trained interpreter provided. It also offers mental-health care. For the fuller picture of low-cost clinics across the metro, see our guide to free and low-cost health clinics in St. Louis.
Jobs, Translation & Getting Settled
Beyond the essentials, the International Institute helps newcomers find work that fits their skills and connects employers with immigrant talent, and it provides professional translation and interpretation so language is never the thing that stops you. As you settle in, it’s worth getting the rest of the safety net in place too — many immigrant families qualify for programs like SNAP food benefits and MO HealthNet health coverage, and a caseworker or 2-1-1 can help you check.
Refugee Resettlement: A Fresh Start
For refugees and others arriving through resettlement, the first months bring a lot at once — and you don’t face them alone. The International Institute of St. Louis is the region’s primary resettlement agency, helping new arrivals with the essentials of getting established: finding housing, enrolling children in school, connecting to health care, learning English, and landing that first job. Resettlement support is designed to help you become self-sufficient as quickly as possible, and the Institute’s caseworkers speak many languages. If you or someone you know arrived as a refugee, an asylee, or through a humanitarian program, start with the Institute at 314-773-9090 — they’ll connect you to the specific services you’re eligible for.
Know Your Rights and Avoid Scams
A few things are worth knowing, and they hold true regardless of your status. Every child has the right to attend public school in the United States, no matter their or their parents’ immigration status — schools cannot turn a child away over it. Emergency medical care is available to everyone, and clinics like Casa de Salud serve patients regardless of status. And when it comes to legal help, protect yourself: only a licensed attorney or a DOJ/BIA-accredited representative can legally advise you on an immigration case. A “notario” is not a lawyer — even where that word means “attorney” back home, in the U.S. it’s just a notary. Never hand over original documents or large cash payments to someone who isn’t verified, and if an offer feels too good or too urgent, walk away and call one of the accredited nonprofits above instead.
Help for Your Children
Newcomer families have support for their kids, too. St. Louis-area public schools enroll all children regardless of immigration status and provide English-language (ESOL) support in the classroom, and most students from lower-income households qualify for free or reduced-price school meals. If your family needs food or health coverage while you settle in, many immigrant families qualify for programs like SNAP food benefits and MO HealthNet — and children often qualify even when adults don’t. A caseworker or 2-1-1 can help you check what you’re eligible for without any risk to your case.
Not Sure Where to Start? Dial 2-1-1
If all of this feels like a lot, you don’t have to sort it out by yourself. Dial 2-1-1 (or 1-800-427-4626) to reach United Way’s free, confidential help line, available around the clock in roughly 150 languages. Tell them what you need — a lawyer, English classes, a doctor, food, rent help — and they’ll connect you to the closest trusted resource.
Getting Past the Language Barrier
Language should never be the reason you can’t get help, and in St. Louis it doesn’t have to be. The International Institute provides professional translation and interpretation services, Casa de Salud includes a trained interpreter with every medical visit, and 2-1-1 can take your call in roughly 150 languages. Government offices and hospitals are also required to offer free interpreter services — you can ask for an interpreter in your language, and you should never be asked to pay for one or to bring your own child to translate serious matters. When you call any of the organizations in this guide, it’s okay to say up front, in whatever English you have, the language you speak; they do this every day and will find a way to understand you. Asking for help in your own language is your right, not a favor.
Building a life in a new country is one of the bravest things a person can do — and in St. Louis, you don’t have to do it alone. From the International Institute’s open door to free English classes, accredited legal help, and health care that asks no questions about status, this city has real support for newcomers and for the neighbors who welcome them. Start with one call, in whatever language you speak, and let people who do this every day help you find your footing.
Ready to get help? Call the International Institute at 314-773-9090, or dial 2-1-1 to be connected in your language. See all St. Louis help resources.
Run a nonprofit that serves immigrants and refugees? List it on St Louis Near Me Directory so the families who need you can find you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I get immigration advice for free?
Get immigration advice only from a licensed immigration attorney or a DOJ/BIA-accredited representative at a recognized nonprofit — never from a “notario,” who is not a lawyer. In St. Louis, free or low-cost accredited help is available from the MICA Project (314-995-6995), Legal Services of Eastern Missouri (314-256-8705), and St. Francis Community Services (314-773-6100). The International Institute can also point you to the right legal partner for your situation.
Who can help me with my immigration case?
Only two kinds of people can legally handle an immigration case: a licensed immigration attorney, or a representative accredited by the Department of Justice at a recognized nonprofit organization. Both St. Francis Community Services and the MICA Project have accredited staff. Be cautious of anyone else who offers to file paperwork or give legal advice — a notary or “notario” is not authorized to do so, even if they charge for it.
How much does an immigration lawyer usually cost?
Private immigration attorneys can be expensive, and costs vary widely by case type. The good news in St. Louis is that you may not need to pay full price: nonprofit legal programs like the MICA Project offer sliding-scale fees based on income, and Legal Services of Eastern Missouri provides free civil legal aid to people who qualify. Start with those accredited nonprofits before paying a private firm.
Where can I take free English (ESL) classes in St. Louis?
Free English classes for adults are offered by the International Institute of St. Louis (all levels, plus citizenship prep), St. Louis Community College (free non-credit ESL and citizenship classes), and through programs at the St. Louis Public Library. Call the International Institute at 314-773-9090 or the Library’s Citizenship Connection at 314-539-0357 to find a class near you and get started.
Where can immigrants get health care without insurance in St. Louis?
Casa de Salud (314-977-1250, 3200 Chouteau Ave.) was created for uninsured and immigrant patients — you can see a doctor for a low flat fee, seven days a week, with an interpreter provided, regardless of immigration status. Community health centers across the metro also treat everyone on a sliding scale. No one is turned away for lack of insurance or status; a lack of coverage never has to mean going without care.
Written by a dedicated team of St. Louis locals who live, work, and play right here in the St. Louis metro. Founder Lane Forman and team are committed to building the region’s most trusted directory by verifying listings and connecting local businesses with loyal customers across Missouri and Illinois.