Form I-912, Request for Fee Waiver, does not have a mailing address of its own. You send it to whichever USCIS lockbox handles the application or petition it is attached to. If you are filing Form N-400 for naturalization, the I-912 goes to the N-400 lockbox. If you are filing Form I-485 to adjust status, it goes to the I-485 lockbox. The fee waiver rides along with the underlying benefit request; it is never mailed on its own.1U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. I-912, Request for Fee Waiver
Why I-912 Has No Address of Its Own
A fee waiver only exists in relation to a specific filing fee, so USCIS processes it as part of the intake for the form it accompanies. Mailing an I-912 by itself, or sending it to a different address than your main application, causes the whole package to be rejected. You also cannot send the I-912 later, after USCIS has already received your application. The waiver request and the application have to arrive in the same envelope.1U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. I-912, Request for Fee Waiver
How to Find the Correct Lockbox Address
Every USCIS form has a “Direct Filing Addresses” or “Where to File” page on uscis.gov. That page routes you to a specific lockbox based on your state of residence and, in some cases, the category you are filing under. Different forms use different lockboxes, and the same form can route to different lockboxes depending on where you live.
For example, an N-400 filed from New York goes to the Elgin Lockbox in Illinois, while the same form filed from Ohio goes to the Chicago Lockbox. Military applicants and their dependents often use a separate address entirely.2U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Direct Filing Addresses for Form N-400, Application for Naturalization
The steps are the same for any form eligible for a fee waiver:
- Go to the USCIS page for the form you are actually filing (N-400, I-485, I-90, I-751, I-765, N-600, and so on).
- Open its Direct Filing Addresses page.
- Match the address to your state of residence and, if listed, to your filing category.
- Use that address for the entire package, with the I-912 clipped on top.
USCIS updates these addresses periodically. Check the live page each time you file rather than reusing an address from an older filing or a printed guide.
USPS Versus Courier Addresses
Most forms have two addresses at the same lockbox: a P.O. Box for U.S. Postal Service mail and a street address for commercial couriers such as FedEx, UPS, and DHL. They reach the same facility, but the carrier has to match the format. A FedEx driver cannot deliver to a P.O. Box, and USPS will not deliver to a commercial receiving dock. Pick the address that fits your carrier.
When Online Filing Is Available
For certain forms, USCIS lets you upload a completed PDF of Form I-912 through your USCIS online account along with the underlying form. This is not offered for every form. If the underlying application can only be filed on paper, the I-912 has to go on paper too. Check the I-912 page and the instructions for your specific form to see whether the online option applies to you.1U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. I-912, Request for Fee Waiver
How to Assemble the Package You Mail
Place Form I-912 on the very top. Stack your supporting financial evidence directly behind it. The primary application goes underneath. This order lets the intake clerk see immediately that you are requesting a fee waiver, so they do not open the package looking for a check.
Hold the package together with a large binder clip. Staples and small paper clips tend to cause problems when the lockbox scans documents. Any document not in English needs a certified English translation attached; untranslated foreign documents will cause the package to be rejected.
Send the package with tracking and proof of delivery. USPS Certified Mail with return receipt creates a legal record of delivery. FedEx, UPS, and DHL all give you real-time tracking. Keep the tracking confirmation and a full copy of everything you sent. If something goes missing after arrival, that receipt is the only evidence you filed on time.
What Happens After the Lockbox Receives Your Package
The lockbox does an initial review to confirm the package is complete and the waiver request is facially eligible. If the waiver is accepted, you receive a Form I-797, Notice of Action, confirming that the application was received and accepted for processing without a fee.3U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Form I-797 Types and Functions This initial step can take several weeks to a few months depending on the volume at the facility.
If USCIS needs more information, it can issue a Request for Evidence. Most form types give you 84 calendar days to respond, plus 3 additional days for mailing within the United States. A few forms, such as I-539, run on a 30-day clock. Officers are not permitted to extend RFE deadlines, so respond within the window you are given.4U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Chapter 6 – Evidence
If USCIS Denies the Fee Waiver
A denied fee waiver takes the entire package with it. USCIS rejects the underlying application and returns everything to you with a notice explaining the reason. There is no formal appeal. You can refile with the full filing fee, or you can submit a new fee waiver with stronger documentation.5U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Chapter 4 – Fee Waivers and Fee Exemptions
Filing a fee waiver does not pause any deadline on the underlying application. If you are filing an appeal or motion with a 30-day deadline and your waiver is rejected on day 25, you have 5 days left to refile with payment, not a new 30 days. USCIS does not backdate the receipt date; the new receipt date is the date the paid filing arrives.6U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Frequently Asked Questions on the USCIS Fee Rule For a routine N-400, a rejection just means refiling and waiting a bit longer. For a filing with a hard statutory deadline, a rejected waiver can cost you the case.
Fees That Cannot Be Waived
Public Law 119-21, enacted in 2025, imposed new immigration fees that USCIS cannot waive under any circumstances, including for asylum applications and TPS.7U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. G-1055 Fee Schedule8Federal Register. USCIS Immigration Fees Required by HR-1 Reconciliation Bill These statutory fees sit on top of the regular USCIS filing fees and must be paid separately even when a waiver of the standard fee is granted. If you are filing an I-589, a TPS application, or an asylum-based or parolee EAD, an I-912 cannot eliminate those specific fees; it can only reach the waivable portion of your filing. Send the package to the address listed for the underlying form, with the required statutory payment included.