The proposal to raise the citizenship application fee has not been finalized, and the $380 reduced fee and the fee waiver can still be requested right now

Last June, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued a proposed rule to raise the citizenship application fee from $760 to $1,330, and to eliminate the reduced fee (which lowers the fee) and the fee waiver (which removes it entirely) for people with low income.

As of October 29, the only things published in the Federal Register (the official publication where the federal government prints new rules) are this proposed rule and a correction to it; no final rule has issued. Anyone who may qualify for the reduced fee or the fee waiver should consider whether to file before the proposed rule is finalized, and must assemble every piece of supporting evidence when filing.

Right Now, It's $760 on Paper and $710 Online

"Immigration regulations set the citizenship application fee at $760, and allow an applicant whose household income is at or below 400% (four times) of the federal poverty guidelines (the income thresholds the government sets each year by household size) to pay $380 instead."

Filing the citizenship application (Form N-400) on paper by mail costs $760; filing it through a USCIS online account costs $50 less, or $710.

To request the reduced fee or the fee waiver, you cannot file online; you must file a paper application by mail. When paying the fee by mail (including the $380 reduced fee), in principle you may pay only with a card issued by a U.S. bank or from a U.S. bank account. To pay by card, include a credit card payment authorization (Form G-1450) with the application; to pay from a bank account, include a bank account transfer authorization (Form G-1650).

Only if an exception applies, such as having no bank account or card available, may you file an exception request (Form G-1651) along with the application and pay by check or money order (a payment instrument purchased at, for example, a post office). If the amount is wrong, the application will be returned. Even when a married couple files together, pay for each application separately. If you pay for both with a single payment, and one application turns out to be missing a signature, USCIS will return both applications.

The $380 Reduced Fee Is Set by Household Income

"Under the table USCIS has used since January 13 of this year, 400% of the federal poverty guidelines — the threshold for the reduced fee — is an annual income of $63,840 for a one-person household, $86,560 for a two-person household, and $132,000 for a four-person household."

The figures above apply to all states except Alaska and Hawaii. For other household sizes, or for those two states, check USCIS's poverty guidelines table. If the combined annual income of all household members is at or below this amount, you can request the reduced fee and pay $380, which is half of the $760 paper fee.

Household members are: you; your spouse, if living with you; your unmarried children under 21, if living with you; your unmarried, full-time student children ages 21 up to under 24, if living with you when not at school; your parents, if living with you; and the head of household, if that is not you. The head of household is whoever claimed you as a dependent on their most recent federal tax return, or whoever earns more than half of the household's income. Family members living with you who are claimed as dependents on your, your spouse's, or the head of household's tax return are also household members. Whether a student applicant must count a parent's income varies by USCIS guidance, so confirm this with a professional.

A separated spouse is not counted as a household member, but you must submit documents such as a signed statement or separate leases showing that you live apart, and any support payments you receive from that spouse are counted as income. If your spouse lives abroad, you do not count them as a household member, since you do not live together. If a spouse living abroad sends you support payments, count only that amount as income; if the spouse sends nothing, submit a statement explaining the circumstances.

The income of a relative or roommate who lives with you but does not fall into the household member categories above is not counted; only the amount that person contributes toward living expenses is counted as income.

Complete the reduced fee request section in Part 10 of the application, and submit a signed copy of each household member's most recent federal tax return. Income is assessed as of the date you file, so if a tax return was not filed, or does not accurately reflect current income, submit whichever of the following apply: pay stubs covering at least the most recent month, a wage statement (Form W-2), a Social Security benefit statement, or a letter from an employer. Also add income not captured on the tax return, such as Social Security benefits. For any document not in English, attach an English translation signed by the translator certifying that the translation is complete and accurate and that the translator is competent to translate.

If Your Income Is Even Lower, You May Get a Full Fee Waiver

"Immigration regulations provide that you may receive a fee waiver if any one of three conditions applies: you are receiving a means-tested benefit (a government benefit available only to people with low income), your household income is at or below 150% of the poverty guidelines, or you face such extreme financial hardship that you cannot pay the fee."

150% (one and a half times) of the poverty guidelines, under the same figures, is $23,940 for a one-person household, $32,460 for a two-person household, and $49,500 for a four-person household. Looking at income alone: if it is at or below 150%, request the waiver ($0); if it is above 150% but at or below 400%, request the reduced fee ($380). Even above 150%, you may request the waiver if you receive one of the benefits listed below or face extreme financial hardship. Do not file a reduced fee request and a fee waiver request together. If the evidence for either the reduced fee or the waiver is insufficient, USCIS can return not just that request but the citizenship application itself, so if you qualify for both, choose whichever one you can support with stronger evidence. Extreme financial hardship means circumstances such as a sudden illness, job loss, pay cut, or eviction that force you to spend nearly all of your current income and assets, such as savings, on living expenses. USCIS does not request additional documents for a fee waiver request, so you must submit all your evidence from the start.

Benefits that qualify as a basis for the waiver include Medicaid (health insurance for low-income people), food stamps (food assistance), Supplemental Security Income (SSI, a cash benefit for elderly or disabled people with low income and few assets), and housing assistance (Section 8), among others.

Medicare (health insurance for people age 65 and older, among others) has a similar name but is a different program, so it does not count among the benefits above. The same is true of unemployment benefits, Social Security retirement benefits, and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), which is based on work history. If these are the only payments you receive, eligibility for the waiver is determined instead by whether your income is at or below 150% of the guidelines, or whether you face extreme financial hardship.

A benefit received by a spouse who lives with you and is not legally separated from you may also be used as a basis for the waiver. If the applicant is an unmarried child under 21, a benefit received by a parent living with the applicant may be used. Conversely, if the applicant is the parent, a benefit such as housing assistance or food stamps that an unmarried child under 21 living with the applicant receives based on the parent's income may be used. In that case, submit documents showing the family relationship, such as a marriage certificate or birth certificate, along with evidence that you live together. However, if the applicant is a child age 21 or older, the applicant cannot use a parent's benefit even if they live together (an exception applies if the applicant has a disability and the parent is the applicant's legal guardian or representative).

Evidence that you are receiving a benefit means a letter or notice that shows the recipient's name, the name of the agency, the type of benefit, and an indication that you are currently receiving it. If the notice is more than 12 months old, submit an additional document showing that you are still receiving the benefit.

You may request the waiver using the USCIS form, Request for Fee Waiver (Form I-912), or you may write your own request stating that you believe you are eligible for citizenship and explaining why you cannot pay the fee, with evidence attached. Either way, you must sign it yourself and mail it together with the citizenship application; it cannot be submitted separately after filing. Do not include the fee or a payment authorization with it. If you do include them, USCIS will collect the fee and will not review the waiver request. If USCIS determines that you do not qualify for the waiver, it will return the application along with the request, and this decision cannot be appealed. However, you may assemble evidence and request the waiver again, or pay the fee and refile. The fee that applies when you refile is determined by the postmark (the date stamp the post office places on the envelope) on the day you resend it. If that date falls after the final rule takes effect, you may have to pay the increased amount without a waiver, so make sure your evidence is complete and in order.

What Changes If the Proposed Rule Is Finalized

"The proposed rule states that it would eliminate the reduced fee and the fee waiver request system for the citizenship application, while keeping the waiver for active-duty and veteran service members who apply under military-service-related law."

If the proposed rule takes effect as written, the fee will become $1,330 on paper and $1,280 online. People who would otherwise qualify for the reduced fee would also pay this amount. When it would take effect will not be known until the final rule issues.

Closing

There are four things to do now. First, add up the most recent tax return income of all household members and compare it to the figures above. If your current income has changed, calculate it from recent pay stubs, and add income not shown on the tax return, such as Social Security benefits. If you or an eligible family member receives a qualifying benefit, locate that notice as well. Second, if you request the reduced fee or the fee waiver, assemble all the evidence with the paper application and submit it all at once. Third, if you are paying the fee and filing by mail, pay for each application separately using a card or bank account transfer authorization. Fourth, if you meet the requirements for citizenship — especially if you qualify for the reduced fee or the waiver — consider filing before the final rule takes effect.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. What is the citizenship application fee right now?

Filing a paper application by mail costs $760; filing through a USCIS online account costs $710. If the combined annual income of all household members is at or below 400% of the federal poverty guidelines, you can request the reduced fee and pay $380. Last June, a proposed rule was issued to raise the fee to $1,330 and eliminate the reduced fee and the fee waiver, but as of October 29, no final rule has issued.

Q. What is the difference between the reduced fee and the fee waiver for the citizenship application?

The reduced fee lets you pay only $380 when your household income is at or below 400% of the poverty guidelines; you complete the reduced fee request section of Part 10 of the application and submit income evidence with it. The fee waiver eliminates the fee entirely, and you can request it if even one of three conditions applies: you receive a means-tested government benefit, your household income is at or below 150% of the poverty guidelines, or you face extreme financial hardship. You cannot file a reduced fee request and a fee waiver request together, and either one must be filed on a paper application by mail.

Q. Can I pay the citizenship application fee by check?

When filing by mail, you may, in principle, pay the fee only with a card issued by a U.S. bank or from a U.S. bank account. For a card, include a credit card payment authorization (Form G-1450); for a bank account, include a bank account transfer authorization (Form G-1650) with the application. Only if an exception applies, such as having no bank account or card available, may you file an exception request (Form G-1651) and pay by check or money order. If you are requesting a fee waiver, do not include the fee or a payment authorization at all.

Disclaimer: This column provides general information and is not legal advice for a particular case. Individual immigration matters should be discussed with a qualified immigration attorney.

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