Fee Waiver for Certain Forms and Services

It is USCIS policy that individuals may apply for and be granted a fee waiver for certain immigration benefits and services based on an inability to pay. Please consult uscis.gov/feewaiver for the complete list of forms and services that are eligible for a fee waiver, as well as those forms that are fee exempt.

USCIS developed the Form I-912, Request for Fee Waiver, in an effort to facilitate the fee waiver request process. USCIS will continue to consider applicant-generated fee waiver requests (i.e., those not submitted on Form I-912) that comply with 8 CFR 103.7(c). Form I-912 instructions give information on the methodology that USCIS uses to make a decision on a fee waiver request, whether the request is submitted on Form I-912 or via an applicant-generated written statement requesting a fee waiver. The instructions provide applicants with guidance on properly completing Form I-912 and submitting supporting documentation.

The review of any fee waiver request will follow a series of steps beginning with determining whether the applicant is receiving a means-tested benefit, or analyzing whether the applicant’s household income level and/or recent financial hardship makes him or her eligible for the fee waiver.

NOTE: Granting of a fee waiver is at the sole discretion of USCIS.

Fees effective December 23, 2016

USCIS periodically adjusts its fees. On October 24, 2016, we published a final rule adjusting immigration benefit application and petition fees, effective December 23, 2016.

For a list of the fees, visit Our Fees.

Filing fees increased for most forms, and we published updated versions of the forms at uscis.gov/forms. We strongly encourage applicants to download and submit these new versions, which are updated with the new fees and have an edition date of 12/23/16. We will accept prior versions of forms, with the exception of Form N-400, until February 21, 2017. However, all filings postmarked December 23, 2016, or later must include the new fees or we will reject them.