Form I-912 Fee Waiver: Do We Qualify? [edited title]

[Ed Hall 7]

My wife is looking into applying for citizenship. It looks like we might qualify for the fee waiver since our household income is below 150% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines. However, there is always a catch, the form asks for assets.

1. What do we have to list? (value of home/land, value of vehicles, money in bank, money in retirement account, etc?)

2. Will assets disqualify us from the fee waiver? I do know that assets is what keeps us from being able to receive food stamps and I'm wondering if this is the same.

[TBoneTX 45,329]

*** Thread title edited for pertinence to the query. ***

[Ed Hall 7]

bump

[JimmyHou 611]

My wife is looking into applying for citizenship. It looks like we might qualify for the fee waiver since our household income is below 150% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines. However, there is always a catch, the form asks for assets.

1. What do we have to list? (value of home/land, value of vehicles, money in bank, money in retirement account, etc?)

2. Will assets disqualify us from the fee waiver? I do know that assets is what keeps us from being able to receive food stamps and I'm wondering if this is the same.

I don't know much about this topic, but since you haven't had many replies, this might help.

Here is the USCIS guidance:

http://www.uscis.gov/feewaiver

Purely based on that, it looks like your income is enough for them to grant you a fee waiver. You'll have to list your assets, and I really don't know if they'll count against you, but according to the list of qualifications, they shouldn't. You should go ahead and apply for a fee waiver. If it is rejected, your application will be returned and you can apply when you have the money.

[Ed Hall 7]

Update:

Our fees were waived based on having a household income below the 150% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines. Our particular situation is that we are asset rich but income poor. I figured that our assets would disqualify us but that wasn't the case here. Anyways, I hope this might be useful to someone else in a situation similar to ours.

[JimandChristy 1,689]

Update:

Our fees were waived based on having a household income below the 150% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines. Our particular situation is that we are asset rich but income poor. I figured that our assets would disqualify us but that wasn't the case here. Anyways, I hope this might be useful to someone else in a situation similar to ours.

That's right, assets will only count if you don't qualify under poverty level but have a financial hardship.

You can only fall into one of three categories, no overlaps:

1) If you receive a means tested benefit.

2) If your household earns below 150% of federal poverty level.

3) If you have a financial hardship. Here is where you have to show proof of assets etc.

[TBoneTX 45,329]

This is enlightening information for people to consider.

Off the topic: Interesting that the last respondent and the OP have exactly the same VJ "join" date.