N-400 Fees, Reduced Fees and Fee Waivers in 2026

Last verified: July 27, 2026. The standard Form N-400 filing fee is $710 online or $760 on paper. Some applicants who file on paper may request a $380 reduced fee, while others may request a complete fee waiver and pay $0. The correct option depends on household income, means-tested benefits, financial hardship, and the evidence submitted with the application.

This guide explains the USCIS N-400 fees rules that apply in 2026, but the amount should always be checked again on the official Form N-400 page and Form G-1055 immediately before filing. USCIS can reject an otherwise complete naturalization application when the payment amount, payment method, filing channel, or fee-request evidence is wrong.

N-400 filing fees in 2026 at a glance

The $50 online discount applies only to a standard online N-400. An applicant cannot submit a reduced-fee request or fee-waiver request through the ordinary online filing flow. Choosing one of those options means preparing a paper package.

What does the standard N-400 fee include?

The current N-400 fee includes the biometric-services cost when biometrics are required. USCIS may reuse fingerprints already in its systems or schedule a new appointment, but the filing fee is not reduced merely because fingerprints are reused. Applicants age 75 or older also follow the current fee shown by USCIS; outdated articles describing a separate biometric exemption can lead to an incorrect payment.

The filing fee does not cover private legal services, document translation, certified court records, passport photos requested for a particular overseas case, travel to an interview, or the cost of obtaining tax transcripts and other evidence. Most ordinary applicants do not pay a separate fee for the naturalization interview, English test, civics test, or oath ceremony.

Is it better to file Form N-400 online or on paper?

For an applicant paying the full fee, online filing is usually less expensive and provides an immediate electronic receipt, document upload, case messages, and status tracking in one account. Paper filing remains valid and may be necessary when requesting a reduced fee or fee waiver.

The cheapest channel is not automatically the correct one. An applicant who qualifies for a $380 reduced fee should not pay $710 online merely to avoid paper filing. Conversely, an applicant who does not qualify should not send $380 and hope USCIS asks for the balance; the package may be rejected and returned.

Who may qualify for the $380 reduced N-400 fee?

USCIS states that the reduced fee is available when documented annual household income meets the income limit tied to 400% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines. The applicable guideline depends on household size and location, and USCIS publishes a current poverty-guideline table. Because those dollar figures can change each year, applicants should use the table effective on the filing date rather than copying a prior-year threshold.

The request is made directly on the current N-400 by selecting “Yes” in Part 10, Item 1, providing the requested household-income information, and submitting the required evidence. The former Form I-942 is not the current method for a new N-400 reduced-fee request.

Reduced fee does not mean a partial payment plan

The $380 amount is a defined reduced filing fee. It is not an installment, a deposit, or a discretionary amount chosen by the applicant. USCIS does not ordinarily allow the applicant to pay part now and the balance after the interview. The complete correct fee must accompany the paper filing unless a full fee waiver is requested.

How USCIS determines household size

Household size is not always identical to the number of people living at one address. The N-400 instructions and fee-request guidance should be followed for the exact inclusions. In general, USCIS may consider the applicant, spouse, certain children or other dependents, and people listed as dependents on the relevant federal tax return. Divorce, separation, college-age dependents, shared custody, and a relative temporarily living elsewhere can require closer review.

• Use the household definition in the current USCIS instructions, not only a lease or utility bill.
• Make the household size consistent with tax returns and dependency evidence, or explain the difference.
• Do not count unrelated roommates merely because they share the address.
• Include evidence for a household member whose income is counted.
• Explain recent changes such as marriage, divorce, birth, death, job loss, or a dependent leaving the household.

What income evidence should accompany a reduced-fee request?

USCIS must be able to verify annual household income. A federal tax transcript is often strong evidence because it comes from the IRS and shows filing status, dependents, and reported income. Depending on the facts, the package may also need recent pay statements, employer letters, benefit statements, pension records, unemployment records, self-employment records, or an explanation of why no return was required.

1. Complete the reduced-fee section of the current Form N-400.
2. Confirm household size under the USCIS definition.
3. Use the poverty-guideline table effective on the filing date.
4. Provide the most recent federal tax transcript or explain why it is unavailable or not required.
5. Add current income evidence when the tax return no longer reflects the household’s situation.
6. Include English translations with translator certification for every foreign-language document.

A tax return showing last year’s income may not resolve a major recent change. If employment ended, hours were reduced, or the household changed, explain the timing and support it with objective records. USCIS may issue a request for evidence, but the safer approach is to make the original package understandable.

Who may qualify for a full N-400 fee waiver?

A full fee waiver means USCIS accepts the N-400 without the filing fee. USCIS generally recognizes three possible bases: receipt of a qualifying means-tested benefit, household income at or below 150% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines, or extreme financial hardship that prevents payment. Meeting one basis can be sufficient, but the request must be documented.

Using Form I-912 for the fee waiver

The standard way to request the waiver is to submit the current Form I-912, Request for Fee Waiver, with the paper N-400. USCIS also permits a written fee-waiver request containing the same information, but Form I-912 reduces the risk of omitting a required element. Every person required to sign must sign the request, and the supporting records should be placed where the lockbox can identify them immediately.

Do not send a filing fee with a full fee-waiver request. A package that mixes a waiver request with an unexplained partial or full payment can create confusion. Follow the current USCIS filing instructions and use one coherent fee option.

Means-tested benefits: what USCIS looks for

A means-tested benefit is one for which eligibility or the benefit amount is determined based on income and resources. The award notice should identify the agency, benefit, recipient, and current eligibility. A generic insurance card, an expired notice, or proof that another household member receives a benefit may not establish the applicant’s own eligibility unless USCIS guidance allows that relationship.

Programs and administration vary by state and agency. Applicants should avoid assuming that every public benefit is means-tested. Social Security retirement, unemployment insurance, and benefits earned through work are not automatically treated the same way as income-tested assistance.

Extreme financial hardship requests

An applicant whose income exceeds the ordinary 150% threshold may still request a waiver based on extreme financial hardship. USCIS examples include unexpected medical bills or emergencies. A persuasive package connects the event to the present inability to pay and documents both the hardship and the household finances.

• A recent job loss or sharp reduction in hours, supported by employer and unemployment records.
• Substantial uninsured medical expenses, supported by bills and payment obligations.
• Eviction, homelessness, natural disaster, death in the household, or another documented emergency.
• Necessary monthly expenses that show why available income cannot cover the fee.
• A concise signed explanation with dates that matches the supporting documents.

Ordinary budget pressure does not guarantee approval. USCIS evaluates the total circumstances and can deny the fee-waiver request. A denial or rejection can delay filing, which matters when an applicant is relying on a particular eligibility date or needs to preserve an accurate travel and residence timeline.

How to pay the standard or reduced fee

Online filers follow the payment instructions in their USCIS account. Paper filers must use a payment method accepted at the relevant filing location. USCIS commonly accepts Form G-1450 for credit-card authorization and certain checks or money orders, but methods and payee instructions should be verified immediately before mailing.

• Pay exactly the amount required for the chosen filing option.
• Do not combine the $710 online amount with a paper application.
• Make sure a card permits the charge and has sufficient available credit.
• Write and sign checks correctly using the payee specified by USCIS.
• Do not use a stale Form G-1450 or an outdated lockbox address.
• Keep a complete copy of the application, fee request, evidence, and delivery tracking.

Common reasons an N-400 fee package is rejected

A rejection is different from a denial on the merits. USCIS may return a package because it cannot accept the filing as submitted. The applicant can often correct and refile, but the original delivery date may not be preserved. Avoidable fee errors therefore create real timing risk.

Can USCIS ask for more fee-waiver evidence?

USCIS may request additional evidence when the record is insufficient, but applicants should not rely on receiving a second chance. A fee request can also be rejected at intake if basic requirements are missing. Use a short cover page identifying the selected option and organize evidence by household size, income or benefit, and any hardship explanation.

Does a fee waiver affect naturalization approval?

Requesting a reduced fee or fee waiver does not by itself make a person ineligible for citizenship. The financial request is separate from the legal requirements for naturalization. However, all statements and documents must be truthful. Inconsistent household, tax, employment, or benefit information can prompt questions because the same facts may also appear elsewhere in the N-400 record.

For the broader eligibility process, see our complete Form N-400 naturalization guide. Applicants preparing for the appointment can also use the citizenship interview guide and naturalization documents checklist.

A final N-400 fee checklist before filing

1. Confirm the current N-400 edition and filing fee on USCIS.gov.
2. Choose one option: $710 online, $760 paper, $380 reduced fee, or full waiver.
3. Use paper filing for a reduced-fee or fee-waiver request.
4. Complete Part 10 for the reduced fee or attach a complete Form I-912 for a waiver.
5. Use the poverty guidelines effective on the filing date.
6. Match household size, tax records, current income, and benefit evidence.
7. Include certified English translations when required.
8. Verify signatures, payment authorization, filing address, and delivery tracking.

Frequently asked questions : N-400 Fees

Official sources

• USCIS: Form N-400, Application for Naturalization
• USCIS: Additional Information on Filing a Reduced Fee Request
• USCIS: Additional Information on Filing a Fee Waiver
• USCIS: Form I-912, Request for Fee Waiver
• USCIS: Poverty Guidelines
• USCIS: Form G-1055, Fee Schedule