The United States Department of Homeland Security provides Citizenship & Immigration Services, that include fee waivers for individuals that can demonstrate an inability to pay filing fees for various citizenship and immigration documents. The Form to Request a Fee Waiver and the Instructions for Completion are both available as .pdf documents. This is particularly helpful for individuals and families seeking immigration services.
To have your fee waiver request accepted, you must provide documentation with it that you qualify based upon one of the following criteria:
1. Eligibility Based on Receiving a Means-Tested Benefit.
If you, your spouse, or the head of household living with you, are currently receiving a means-tested benefit, you are eligible for the fee waiver. A means-tested benefit is a public benefit where the agency granting the benefit considers your income and resources. Means-tested benefits may be federally, state, or locally funded. In general, if you receive a benefit that was granted based on your income, it is considered a means-tested benefit. Examples of means-tested benefits include: Medicaid, SNAP, TANF, and SSI.
You must attach evidence of this to your application. The evidence should be in the form of a letter, notice, or other official document that contains all of the following information: Your name; The name of the agency granting you the public benefit; The type of benefit; and an indication that you are currently receiving the benefit (for example, the date granted, expiration date, and/or date of renewal). More information about how to prove you receive a means–tested benefit is available on the online application page.
2. Eligibility Based on Household Income.
If your household income is at or below 150 percent of the Federal Poverty Guidelines at the time you file, you are eligible for the fee waiver. There is a link available to check what the current Federal Poverty Guidelines are for your household size. If you are seeking eligibility based on your household income, you must attach evidence of your household income to your application. This can be a copy of your tax return. More information about how to prove eligibility based on household income is available on the online application page.
3. Eligibility Based on Financial Hardship.
If you are currently experiencing financial hardship that prevents you from paying the filing fee, including unexpected medical bills or emergencies, you are eligible for the fee waiver. If you are seeking eligibility based on financial hardship, attach a detailed description of why you have financial hardship on the form and provide evidence. For example, this can be a copy of medical bills or a police report if you have been in an accident or the victim of a crime that has caused significant financial hardship. More information about how to prove eligibility based on financial hardship is available on the online application page.
What to do next?
You can not send your fee waiver request form with the attached supporting documents alone. You must also include the completed citizenship or immigration document that is requiring fees. There is an online portal to search for Citizenship and Immigration forms. A list of forms eligible for the fee waiver is included with the instructions provided with the fee waiver form.
You can find more resources related to IDs and citizenship by selecting the “IDs & Citizenship” category tab on our “Social Service Utilization Library” page.
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