Immigration Law Wiki
Tag - N-400
Articles
Standard Filing Fee: $760Standard Online Filing Fee: $710 Fee Waiver ($0)Applicants with household income below 150% Federal Poverty Guidelines, currently receive a means-tested benefit, or experiencing an extreme financial hardship Requesting Reduced Fee: Under the prior regulation, request for a reduced fee for naturalization had to be submitted on a separate Form I-942. That form is no longer used for a reduced fee request. As of April 1, 2024, the N-400 Application for Naturalization has been revised and includes a question in Part 10 which will initiate a request for fee reduction. Note that if an applicant is seeking a full fee waiver, then they should not also apply for a fee reduction. The fee waiver can be applied for with Form I-912, Request for Fee Waiver.Means Tested Benefit: A naturalization applicant can demonstrate that they are unable to pay the required fee and are eligible to receive a full fee waiver if, at the time of filing, they are receiving a means-tested benefit. A means-tested benefit is a federal, state, locally or tribally funded benefit where the agency granting it considers income and resources in determining eligibility. The USCIS Policy Manual provides a nonexhaustive list of examples of such programs.Extreme financial hardship: The last basis on which a naturalization applicant can qualify for a full waiver is if they demonstrate extreme financial hardship, described by USCIS as “when a requester requires substantially all of their current income and liquid assets to meet current ordinary and necessary living expenses.” The requester should document the financial impact of the hardship in the 12 months prior to receipt of the fee waiver request. Some examples of such situations are listed in the USCIS Policy Manual, ranging from medical illness, unemployment, eviction, homelessness, natural disaster, military deployment of a spouse or parent, divorce or death of a spouse to “other situations that could not normally be expected in the regular course of life events that would limit a person’s ability to meet necessary living expenses.” PERSONS IN HOUSEHOLD INCOME 1 $15,060 2 $20,440 3 $25,820 4 $31,200 5 $36,580 Household Size. Calculate your household size to include Yourself and the following individuals that live with you: your spouse, your children or legal wards (who are unmarried and under 21 years of age), your parents, anyone who is properly listed as a dependent on your federal tax returns. If under 21 then your parent(s) are included. A spouse or child is not included in this calculation if they do not live with you.You may also include children ages 21-24 who are enrolled in school and live with you or adult sons or daughters who are unmarried and for whom you are the legal guardian because they are physically or developmentally disabled or mentally impaired to the extent that they cannot adequately care for themselves and cannot establish, maintain, or re-establish their own household.NOTE: Your household income includes the annual income of your household members. A request must also include any additional financial assistance (not otherwise included in a tax return or W-2) including any Social Security income (as reflected on the SSA-1099) to the adjusted gross income in the tax return.Federal Poverty Guidelines: https://aspe.hhs.gov/topics/ poverty-economic-mobility/poverty-guidelines 2024 Changes to N-400 Filing Fee Download More Info Fee Waivers Waiving the USCIS Filing Fees on Applications for Immigration Benefits LEARN MORE USCIS SITE