USCIS Updates Fee Waiver Requirements - YouTube

This is Teacher Jennifer from US Citizenship Podcast.

Today we're going to discuss the USCIS updates to the I-912 Fee Waiver requirements.

This is a press release dated October 25th 2019 from USCIS.

SUMMARY:

The October 25th 2019 press release changes 3 things.

First: USCIS updated form I-912 Request for Fee Waiver

by removing receipt of means-tested benefits to establish eligibility.

Second: Individuals may still request a fee waiver

if their documented annual household income

is at or below one hundred and fifty percent

of the Federal Poverty Guidelines;

OR they demonstrate financial hardship.

Third: The new policy is effective on December 2, 2019.

ELIGIBILITY:

You can submit an I-912 Fee Waiver for your N-400 Application for Naturalization

if you provide the documents that show

you, your spouse, or head of household living with you

are currently receiving a means-tested benefit.

Your household income is at or below 150 percent

of the Federal Poverty Guidelines at the time you file.

You are currently experiencing financial hardship

that prevents you from paying the filing fee

including unexpected medical bills or emergencies.

WHAT IS A MEANS-TESTED BENEFIT?

"Means" is defined as the money or income that you have.

For example: I don't have the means to support a family.

Means-tested Benefit is a public benefit

where the agency granted the benefit

considers your income and resources.

Examples of means-tested benefit programs are:

Medicaid

SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program--formerly called Food Stamps)

TANF (Temporary Assistance to Needy Families )

SSI (Supplemental Security Income)

Examples of programs that are not Means-tested Benefits include

Medicare

Unemployment benefits

Social Security benefits

Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI)

Retirement, Survivors & Disability Insurance (RSDI)

Student financial aid/loans/grants

HOW TO SHOW THAT YOU ARE CURRENTLY RECEIVING A MEANS-TESTED BENEFIT

You must provide evidence that you are currently

receiving means-tested benefit computer pronounced or official documents must

include the required information your name the name of the agency granting the

public benefit the type of benefit and an indication that you're currently

receiving that benefit for example the date granted expiration date and/or the

date of renewal if available federal poverty guidelines you may qualify for a

fee waiver if your household income is at or below one hundred and fifty

percent of the federal poverty guidelines at the time you file below is

a table for the federal poverty guidelines for the 48 contiguous states

there's a separate table for Hawaii and Alaska for example

you are in a household with one person a hundred and fifty percent of the federal

poverty guidelines says that you must must earn a hundred and eighteen

thousand seven hundred and thirty five for a household of two you are you must

earn twenty five thousand three hundred and sixty five and so on financial

hardship a hardship is something that makes your life difficult especially a

lack of money or the condition of having a difficult life you may qualify for a

fee waiver if you have financial hardship write a detailed description of

why you had the financial hardship on the i-91 to form and provide evidence if

you cannot provide evidence of financial hardship write a letter and explain why

you cannot provide the evidence you may want to include an affidavit from a

community member who can provide more insight into your situation in case of a

natural disaster fire robbery etc provide a copy of a police report

insurance claim or other report how requesting a fee waiver affects your

current immigration status relying primarily a public cash assistance for

income maintenance can affect your eligibility for some immigration

benefits depending on your totality of the circumstances you may be

inadmissible to the United States and therefore ineligible for certain

immigration benefits like a green card because you are more than likely not to

become a public charge you may also be deportable for already having become a

public charge within five years entering the United States for reasons

that arose before you entered the country when deciding your fee waiver

request USCIS will not consider the possibility that you might be

inadmissible or deportable as a public charge USCIS will decide your fee waiver

requests separately from making a decision about your eligibility for the

immigration benefit however being inadmissible as a public charge may make

you ineligible for the benefit that you seek USCIS will deny your application or

petition if we determine that it involves false documentation or fraud in

a further note if you're applying for application for naturalization you have

already probably proved that you are not a public charge now let's read the

October 25th 2019 press release USCIS updates fee waiver requirements

Washington u US Citizenship and Immigration Services has revised the

form i-9 one to regret quest for free waiver by removing the means-tested

benefits that was previously used as a factor in determining whether an

applicant was exempt from paying for filing fees or biometric services

individuals may still request a fee waiver if they're documented annual

household income is at or below one hundred and fifty percent of the federal

poverty guidelines or they demonstrate financial hardship a means-tested

benefit is a public benefit offered by federal state and local agencies for

which eligibility and amount duration z' are based on a person's

income and resources USC is formally considered Medicaid Supplemental

Nutrition Assistance Program temporary assistance to needy families and

Supplemental Security income during eligibility evaluations the USCIS has

determined that receiving a means-tested benefit is not an appropriate criteria

in reviewing fee waiver request because income levels used to decide local

assistance eligibility vary greatly from state to state

quote USCIS relies on fees to cover the cost of adjudicating applications and

petitions implementing operational efforts and ensuring the nation's lawful

immigration system is properly administered said USCIS acting director

Ken Cuccinelli USCIS waives hundreds of millions of dollars in fees annually the

revised fee waiver process will improve the integrity of the program and the

quality and consistency of fee waiver approvals going forward providing clear

direction to agency adjudicators for more uniform determinations will help us

to uphold our mission of efficiently and fairly adjudicating immigration requests

USCIS has estimated that the dollar amount of fee waivers increase from

around three hundred and forty four point three million dollars in fiscal

year 2016 to three hundred and sixty seven point nine million dollars in

fiscal year 2017 in 2018 the estimated annual dollar

amount of fee waivers USCIS granted was two hundred and ninety three point five

million fee revenues account for more than 95 percent of the u.s. CIS budget

under the revised criteria individuals may still request a fee waiver if

they're documented annual household income is at or below 150% of the

federal poverty guidelines or if they demonstrate financial hardship however

USCIS will require applicants to complete form i-9 1 to submit supporting

documentation including federal income tax transcripts USCIS will not accept a

letter stating the applicant is unable to afford the filing fees or biometric

services without a completed form i-9 1 - as of December 2nd 2019 those seeking

a fee waiver must submit the October 24th 2019 version of this form to

request a waiver of a required fief or immigration benefits after December 2nd

2019 USCIS will reject any form i-9 one - with an addition date of March 13th

2018 or earlier a fee waiver request submitted with a letter or documentation

of a receipt of means-test a benefit to show eligibility for a fee waiver USCIS

will adjudicate any fee waiver request post-market before December 2nd under

the previous policy

the new form does not change the applications and petitions that are

eligible for fee waiver for a list of eligible applications of petition C form

i-9 one two instructions in addition USCIS has updated policy guidance in the

USCIS policy manual to accompany this form revision the updated policy

guidelines is effective on December 2nd

for more information on USCIS and their programs visit us CIS gov or follow us

CIS on Twitter Instagram YouTube Facebook and LinkedIn for more

information on the i9 one to request for fee waiver visit form i-9 one to request

for fee waiver @ww USCIS gov slash i-91 - additional information on filing a fee

waiver is available at WWE USCIS gov slash fee waiver for quick discussion

about the n400 fee waivers and fee reductions watch our video posted on

January 18 2018 available at Bentley /i - 9 1 2 -

2018 thanks for watching I know you will be a great American citizen thank you so

much bye-bye