§ 17. Noncitizens. Financial benefits payable under this chapter to noncitizens not residents or about to become nonresidents of the United States or Canada shall be in the same amount as provided for residents, except that dependents in any foreign country shall be limited to surviving spouse and child or children, or, if there be no surviving spouse or child or children, to the surviving father or mother whom the volunteer firefighter has supported, either wholly or in part, for a period of one year prior to the date of the injury.