Form 942 (also known as Form I-942) is a form used to request a fee reduction when applying for Form N-400, Application for Naturalization. People who want to become U.S. citizens apply for citizenship with the Application for Naturalization form.
You must remember that Form I-942 must be submitted with Form N-400, not before submitting the application or afterward. Besides, this isn’t a substitute for an application to fully waive your fees.
Not everyone can request Form I-942 when applying to become a U.S. citizen. To be eligible for a fee reduction at the time of filing, your documented annual household income must be between 150 and 200 percent of the Federal Poverty Guidelines. You can find more information on Form I-942P, Income Guidelines for Reduced Fees.
If multiple family members apply with N-400 forms in the same package, they don’t need to use Form I-942 for each application. Instead, use one Form I-942 to request for fee reduction and place it on the batch of the N-400 forms.
You can find Form I-942 on the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) website. You can complete the form and print it out, preferably by using Adobe Reader. However, if you don't have any access to the internet or computer devices, you can call their customer service center and request that they mail the form to your address.
All the information and documents you’ll provide with the form must be written in English. The following is a list of things you’ll need to provide:
You don’t need to submit the original copies of your necessary documents, such as certificates and financial statements. Clear, legitimate photocopies will be enough to accompany your Form I-942.
All your documents for Form I-942 must be in English. If they aren’t, you’ll need to translate them fully into English. This needs to be done by an eligible translator, who will provide a certificate stating that the translation is complete.
The translator must sign the certification, stating that all the non-English certificates have been completely and accurately translated and that they’re competent to translate the document. The certificate must include the date, printed name, translator’s signature, and contact information.
Collecting Form I-942 is free of charge. However, if you qualify for the fee reduction on the N-400 form, you’ll need to pay for your biometric services in full. And if you’re requesting a full fee waiver, you can’t apply with Form I-942. You’ll have to apply with Form I-912, Request for Fee Waiver form.
The fee for each N-400 form is $640. With biometric services ($85 per person), the total cost of obtaining citizenship in the United States is $725 for each member of your family. If you submit the form by mail, you can pay with a personal check, a cashier’s check, or money order. And if you have submitted the form online, you can also pay online.
However, if the applicant is 75 years old or older, they don’t have to pay for biometric services. They’ll only need to pay fees for the N-400 form.