Qualify For A Fee Waiver While Applying For Us Citizenship?

By Author: Nancy Mervin
Total Articles: 56
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Getting the citizenship of your home country or the country in which you wish to stay for rest of your life is quite an achievement in itself. To start the process of applying for US citizenship firstly you need to file the application with USCIS using the Form N-400 through a process called naturalization and pay a fee. It might so happen that you cannot afford to pay the fee for some or the other reasons. Request for Fee Waiver, Form I-912 was introduced on 23 November 2010.

It was on the same day that USCIS introduced its new fee schedule, which saw an average 10 percent increase in most immigration forms, fees, benefits and petitions. As far as US citizenship is concerned the eligibility criteria mainly is about being a green card holder, applicant should be more than 18 years of age and you need to have continued residence for a minimum period of 5 years in US. The filing fee to apply for US citizenship is $595 with an additional $85 biometric fee and totals up to $680, where applicable.

Purpose of Request for Fee Waiver, Form I-912

In July ...
... 2010 USCIS listened to concerns, during a stakeholders' meeting, about how the absence of a standardized form had led to confusion about the certain criteria that are used to approve waivers of fees. Comments from applicants who had requested waivers of fee were also included to the comments that were generated. It was also recommended in making USCIS forms easier to understand for non-native English speakers.

Who can file Form I-912?

Clear requirements for Form I-912 that must be presented in order to process an applicant's fee waiver request are mentioned on it. It explains in details the methodology used when evaluating requests for a waiver apart from what is required in the form. Based on their means-tested benefits let’s consider for instance an applicant who is seeking a waiver. The applicant will need to present evidence to support their claim in order to substantiate this claim. There is no need to submit any further evidence of limited means after evidence has been submitted with the form.

To several new categories USCIS has expanded the fee waivers and it will benefit many who are seeking a fee waiver for their application. Many more applicants will not be able to meet the cost of their benefits because U.S. immigration is very costly and with the increase in USCIS's form fee schedule from the last time.

Attach it and all supporting documentation to the immigration benefit that you are submitting to file your completed Form I-912. Please do not submit your Form I-912 without a completed application or petition. Form I-912, your complete application or petition, and supporting documentation should be mailed to the USCIS office according to the “Where to File” directions identified in the form instructions to which the Form I-912 relates.

To request for Fee Waiver the applicant who is over the age of 14 needs to sign the form. So the alien on whose behalf the form for any immigration benefit is filed should also complete the request for Fee Waiver form. Applicant can also call the closest National Customer Service Center and the staff will be able to help you for any further clarifications.