USCIS fees are high, and for people who cannot afford them there is Form I-912, Request for Fee Waiver. It is free to file and, when approved, removes the USCIS filing fee on an eligible form. Here is who qualifies in 2026 and what the new H.R. 1 rules changed.
Informational only — not legal advice. Eligibility is fact-specific; confirm on USCIS.gov and consider speaking with an accredited representative.
The answer first
You can qualify for an I-912 fee waiver in three ways — meeting any one is enough:
| Basis | What it means |
|---|---|
| Means-tested benefit | You (or a family member you list) receive a benefit like Medicaid, SNAP, TANF or SSI. |
| Income ≤ 150% of guidelines | Your household income is at or below 150% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines. |
| Financial hardship | Unusual expenses (e.g. medical bills, caring for a sick relative) leave you unable to pay. |
There is no fee to file Form I-912, and it must accompany a fee-waiver-eligible form.
Which forms are eligible
Not every USCIS form can be fee-waived. Commonly eligible forms include:
- N-400 naturalization
- I-90 green-card replacement
- I-765 work permit (many categories)
- I-751 removal of conditions (in some situations)
- N-600 certificate of citizenship
- I-131 travel document (certain categories)
Always check the specific form instructions, because eligibility for a waiver can depend on your immigration category, not just the form number. Our individual form pages flag whether a waiver is generally available.
What the I-912 cannot waive (the H.R. 1 change)
This is the most important 2025–2026 update. Public Law 119-21 (H.R. 1) created new fees that are statutorily un-waivable:
- The $100 asylum application fee (Form I-589).
- The annual asylum fee (set at $102 for FY2026; currently stayed by court order).
- The H.R. 1 work-permit fees for asylum, parole and TPS applicants ($560 initial, $275–$280 renewal).
- The increased TPS registration fee.
If you file Form I-912 and it is approved, it waives the USCIS-set filing fee on an eligible form — but you must still pay any H.R. 1 fee that applies. DACA (Form I-821D) has no fee waiver at all.
The reduced-fee alternative for the N-400
If your income is too high for a full waiver but still modest, naturalization has a middle option: applicants between 150% and 400% of the poverty guidelines can pay a reduced N-400 fee of $380 using Form I-942. See the N-400 cost guide for details.
How to file
File Form I-912 together with the application you want waived (or, for some categories, separately in advance). Include proof of your basis — a benefit letter, income documentation, or evidence of hardship. There is no filing fee for the I-912 itself.
To understand the underlying costs you might be waiving, see the full 2026 USCIS fee list and total a bundle with the fee calculator.
Sources and accuracy
Fee-waiver rules are from the Form I-912 page and instructions and the USCIS Fee Schedule (Form G-1055); the un-waivable H.R. 1 fees are from Public Law 119-21 fee notices. Current as of June 2026. This is general information, not legal advice — confirm eligibility on USCIS.gov and consult a licensed immigration attorney or accredited representative. See our methodology.