Citizenship application and Fee waiver

[Alexmat1 9]

I am applying for my citizenship. I am low income so I qualify for fee waiver. When I fill up the I-912 application for fee waiver, it asks the date from which I received the food stamps. I went through a divorce and my spouse didnt give me any support so I had to file for food stamps and Medicaid a little after 4 years of being a Green card holder (I came in as a Green card holder through marriage).

Would this jeopardize my application since I got benefits (medicaid, Food stamps) before the 5 year mark of being a Permanent Resident ? 

 

if so would you advise that I DONT request for fee waiver (I could borrow and pay the USCIS fees). Can the USCIS still not find if I took benefits before 5 years of being a permanent residence during their normal back ground check for citizenship ? 

Could someone who has been in a similar situation advice. 

 

Thanks 

[SusieQQQ 11,586]

Public charge isn’t an issue in applying for citizenship.
 

(in any case they should be going after your ex spouse for reimbursement for that, that’s what the i864 is for)