Determining Your Real Income for a USCIS Fee Waiver
Understanding your real income is crucial when applying for a fee waiver with USCIS. Here's what you need to know:
What Counts as Real Income?
Your real income for fee waiver purposes includes:
Wages and salaries
Social Security benefits
Pension income
Any other income you receive, such as from investments or part-time work
Steps to Determine Your Real Income:
Gather income documents: Collect pay stubs, Social Security statements, pension statements, and any other relevant documents.
Calculate total income: Add up all your income sources, including benefits and pensions.
Consider your household size: Include yourself and any dependents living in your household.
Compare to Federal Poverty Guidelines: Check the current guidelines to see if your combined household income falls below the threshold for your family size. You can find these guidelines on the USCIS website.
Complete Form I-912: If your income qualifies, download and complete Form I-912, Request for Fee Waiver, from the USCIS website.
Additional Notes:
You may need to submit supporting documents like pay stubs or benefit statements with your fee waiver request.
USCIS has the right to review your request and ask for additional information.
Meeting the income guidelines doesn't guarantee a fee waiver. Eligibility is determined on a case-by-case basis.
Seeking Professional Guidance:
For personalized advice and review of your specific situation, consider consulting an immigration attorney or a qualified professional familiar with USCIS fee waiver requirements.