Whose income counts — mine or the whole household’s?

The whole household’s, and it must be documented with evidence submitted alongside the application.

Can I request the reduced fee and the waiver together?

No. They are separate requests. If you qualify for the I-912 waiver, take that one — it eliminates the fee entirely.

Does this apply to forms other than the N-400?

The $380 reduced fee is specific to the N-400. Other forms have their own rules.

What if my income is right at the limit?

The test is "at or below," so landing exactly on the threshold qualifies. Document carefully anyway: a narrow margin makes a request for additional evidence more likely.

N-400 Reduced Fee Eligibility — Do You Qualify for $380?

Do you qualify for the reduced citizenship fee?

If your household income is at or below 400% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines, naturalization costs $380 instead of $760. Check here.

Your situationPeople in your householdCount yourself and anyone who depends on you financially.Annual household income (USD)Must be documentable with tax returns, pay stubs or benefit statements.Where you live

400% threshold for your household: $63,840

Income is not the only route. Receiving a means-tested public benefit or documenting financial hardship can also qualify you.

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Half price, and the ceiling is higher than people assume

USCIS charges $760 for a paper Form N-400. But if your documented household income is at or below 400% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines, the fee drops to $380.

Many applicants dismiss this assuming it is for extreme poverty. It is not. 400% is a high ceiling: for a single-person household it sits around $63,840 a year, and for a household of four it exceeds $130,000. A large share of applicants qualify without realizing it.

How it is calculated

Take the Federal Poverty Guideline for your household size and multiply by four. If your documented annual household income is equal to or below that figure, you qualify. Alaska and Hawaii have their own, higher tables.

The strict part: documentation

The operative word is documented. Stating your income is not enough — you must submit evidence with the application: tax returns, pay stubs, or benefit statements. A reduced-fee request without supporting evidence is rejected and the full fee is demanded.

It has to be on paper

Here is the detail that costs people money: the reduced fee cannot be requested online. File your N-400 through the online system and you pay $710 with no way to apply the discount. To pay $380, the form must go on paper.

Do not confuse it with the waiver

Two different things. The reduced fee lowers payment to $380 at a 400% threshold. The waiver, via Form I-912, eliminates payment entirely, but its threshold is 150% — far harder to meet. If you qualify for the waiver, take that instead.

Frequently asked questions

Whose income counts — mine or the whole household’s?: The whole household’s, and it must be documented with evidence submitted alongside the application.
Can I request the reduced fee and the waiver together?: No. They are separate requests. If you qualify for the I-912 waiver, take that one — it eliminates the fee entirely.
Does this apply to forms other than the N-400?: The $380 reduced fee is specific to the N-400. Other forms have their own rules.
What if my income is right at the limit?: The test is "at or below," so landing exactly on the threshold qualifies. Document carefully anyway: a narrow margin makes a request for additional evidence more likely.