THIS PROGRAM IS CLOSED

Funded by King County

This program receives funding from King County.
Check out the press release about the program launch from King County.

Support for immigration fees

The King County Immigration Fee Support is $5,000,000 of funding to help King County immigrant residents apply for documented status and citizenship by providing financial support for fees associated with the immigration process.

Our PROGRAM

Application and payment timeline

Awards will be up to $3,000 per individual and up to $6,000 per household, depending on the fee’s you’ve already paid for or upcoming fees you expect to pay for.  

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Application Opens

Application will be open on Tuesday, September 6, 2022, and will be available until funds run out.

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Application Review

Applications will be reviewed every week and new decisions will be sent out weekly. 

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Application Close

Applications will close once funds run out.

Apply now

Learn how to apply and what you you need to submit

Application Assistance

You can get help submitting your application from one of our partners. For assistance in your preferred language, please contact a community partner listed below or call the WAISN Hotline at 1 (844) 724 3737

Our partners

Frequently Asked Questions

Have questions about the King County Immigration Fee Support?

What is the King County Immigration Fee Support? 

The King County Immigration Fee Support is a $5,000,000 program to help King County immigrant residents apply for documented status and citizenship by providing financial support for fees associated with the immigration process, including filing fees with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) by Dec 31, 2022.

How do I know if I am eligible to apply for the King County Immigration Fee Support? 

Please review the eligibility section above.

I am a refugee, asylum seeker, COFA migrant, or DACA recipient. Am I eligible for the funds?

Yes, as long as you are currently going through an immigration process or plan to go through an immigration before December 01, 2022, and meet other program eligibility requirements.

How far back and how far into the future does the King County Immigration Fee Support program reimburse fees associated with the immigration process?

The King County Immigration Fee Support program will support reimbursement for fees paid within Jan 1, 2022 and December 1st 2022. 

What fees can I include in my application?

Please see the eligible fee section under “Eligibility”. 

Can I apply on behalf of my children who are under the age of 18? 

Yes. Children should be included in your application, as long as you are eligible, as per the eligibility criteria listed.

I am a caregiver to children. Can I apply for them or include them in my application? 

If you are a caregiver or a guardian of a minor child that is not your biological child, adopted child, or stepchild, you can submit an application on behalf of that child as long as the child is eligible for this fund. 

I currently do not have permanent housing. Can I still apply, and how can I receive financial aid without a mailing address?

Yes. Eligible applicants without permanent housing should still apply. If you are eligible and prefer to receive a physical check or gift card, you may send your payment to someone’s address you trust.

I currently do not have permanent housing. What residency documents can I use? 

If you have a current document from List A which provides proof of your identity and that you lived, worked or attended school in King County prior to becoming houseless, you can provide it on the application.

If you do not have a document from List A, you can provide a document from List B proving your identity AND a signed and dated letter from one of the people listed in List C proving that you live, work or attend school in King County.

I currently do not have permanent housing. What address can I use on my application? 

If you have a current List A document verifying  your identity and residency in King County, please enter the King County address you had prior to becoming houseless. 

If you do not have a current List A document, and are providing a List B (identity) and List C (residency) document, please enter the address listed in your List C document.

I live outside of the King County boundaries. Can I still apply? 

Yes. You may apply if you live outside of King County, but only if you work within the King County boundaries OR attend school within the King County boundaries OR if you are detained by immigration officials but resided, worked or went to school in King County before detention. 

Are there any other options if I am not able to receive financial aid from the King County Immigration Fee Support? 

King County is also offering the King County Relief Fund, which provides financial relief for immigrant residents who are ineligible for federal stimulus money or unemployment benefits due to their immigration status. You can apply here: kingcountyrelief.org.

Additionally, the Washington COVID-19 Immigrant Relief Fund is a statewide fund for immigrant residents who are ineligible for federal stimulus money or unemployment benefits due to their immigration status. This application will open in September. You can sign up here to receive updates: https://actionnetwork.org/forms/sign-up-for-updates-from-waisn.

Will everyone who applies receive financial assistance? 

Due to limited funds, we are unable to serve everyone. Some eligible applicants might not receive financial support. 

How are eligible applicants selected? 

Due to limited funds, we are unable to serve everyone. To support those with the most need, we are prioritizing applicants based on need.

When will the application open?

The King County Immigration Fee Support will open on September 6th. 

When are applications due? 

There is no application due date. The application will remain open until funds run out. 

What kind of documents will I need to submit? 

You will need legible documents that confirm your identity and King County residency and documents that verify that you are currently in the immigration process. Please visit the required documents section for additional information.

Identity and residency: The table below provides examples of documents you can use. Please ensure you have a clear copy of one item from List A OR one item from both List B and List C. 

Immigration Process: The table below provides examples of documents you can use. Please ensure you have a clear copy of one item from List D: Immigration Process to verify that you are going through or plan to go through an immigration process before December 01, 2022: 

Do I need to provide receipts to complete my application? 

On the application, you should only select fees you currently have receipts for which you paid after January 01, 2022 or plan to pay by December 01, 2022. Although you are not required to provide receipts to complete the application, if you are awarded you may be selected at random for additional documentation follow-up.

Please note that receipts for any of the fees listed can be submitted on the application as a List D Immigration Process document.

I am married, and my spouse and I both qualify for funding. Should we both apply? 

You should submit one household application with all eligible household members. 

What is the difference between applying as an individual and applying as a household?

Individuals (e.g. roommates, separate families, etc.) who live with you and do not share bills (food, expenses, etc.) with you or rely on you for financial support or which you do not financially support, do not count as part of your household unit. They should submit their own application.

A household unit consists of the people you live with who rely on you for financial support or who financially support you. Each household unit should submit one application that includes all eligible household members.

There are multiple families living at my address. How should we apply? 

Each household unit should submit one application that includes all eligible household members. Separate families that do not share bills (food, expenses, etc.) with you or rely on you for financial support or which you do not financially support do not count as part of your household. They should submit an application as their own household unit.

There are multiple single adults living at my address. How should we apply? 

Individuals (e.g. roommates, separate families, etc.) who live with you and pay separate bills for food, expenses, etc. do not count as part of your household. Each eligible, single adult should submit their own application.

Can I apply if I have not yet started the immigration process?

You can apply for the Immigration Fee Support Program if you will be starting the application process for documented status or citizenship by December 01, 2022.

I do not have a computer or access to the Internet. Are there other options for me to apply? 

We are only able to offer the application through this online portal that you can complete via an Internet-connected computer or mobile device. For application assistance please contact the Washington Immigrant Solidarity Network at 1 (844) 724-3737 OR one of our other partnered organizations below if you do not have access to an internet-connected device: 

If I help someone complete an application, what information do I need to share with them?

Please give all applicants their Submission ID and tell them to write it down and/or take a photo and save it somewhere. This number is very important to track the status of their application.

How do I update my information or correct an error after I submit my application?

If you need to update or correct an error on your application after it has been submitted, please submit a new application with your updated information.

Is there an appeal process if after I apply I do not receive financial aid from the King County Immigration Fee Support Program? 

Due to the anticipated high number of applications, there will not be an appeal process. 

What happens if my household submits a duplicate application by mistake? Are we then disqualified as a result? 

If your household submits multiple applications by mistake, Scholar Fund (Scholarship Junkies) will be able to identify that multiple applications from the same household were submitted and will review the application that conveys the higher need. They may also contact applicants via phone or text if they detect application issues. 

I submitted my application but haven’t heard back yet. When will I find out if I’ve been approved?

We will be reviewing applications on a weekly basis. Notifications will go out to the email address linked to your account and via text message after your application has been reviewed. You may look up the status of your application at any time at https://www.kcfeesupport.org/status. Please be patient as we are reviewing applications and prioritizing funding those with the highest need. 

How much are payments? 

Approved applicants can receive a $500 minimum amount, $3,000 maximum per individual, $6,000 maximum per household. You can receive the money as a check, gift card (Visa), or ACH, which is a direct deposit into your bank account.

Is this a one-time payment? 

Eligible applicants are only able to receive a one-time payment. 

When will I get my payment?

Payments will be released to the community in weekly intervals starting after September 20th. Checks and gift cards mailed may take longer to receive and we expect everyone will receive payment within 14 days after you have been given your award notice.

How can I receive payments? 

There are three options for receiving payments: Check, Direct Deposit (ACH), or a Physical Gift Card.

Can I have my payment sent to a different address from my residential address?

Yes. Residence address is used to show residency in King County. A mailing address could be a P.O. box or any address where you receive their mail and/or feel more comfortable receiving it, as long as the address is within Washington state.

If approved, can I change my form of payment?

Yes, you can change your form of payment after you have been approved. Please contact Scholar Fund at 206-222-7069 or at payments@kcfeesupport.org with your name, submission ID, and what form of payment you would prefer.

If I choose a gift card as my method of payment, can I take cash out?

You are able to retrieve funds from an ATM using your gift card, but you may be subject to a withdrawal fee or limit depending on the ATM. 

How would I pay filing fees using a Gift Card? Am I able to use a Gift Card to pay online? 

Your ability to pay for fees online using a gift card depends solely on the mode of payment accepted by the agency you are paying the fees to.

You are able to retrieve funds from an ATM using your gift card, but you may be subject to a withdrawal fee or limit depending on the ATM. You will then need to deposit and write your own check or purchase a money order with the cash (or the gift card if the issuer allows) and follow payment instructions based on the agency you are paying fees to.

Please note: If an agency allows you to pay with the gift card, filing status may be harder to track compared to using a personal credit or debit card from a bank or credit union.

How would I pay filing fees using a check from this program? How do I get cash out?

Checks received from this program cannot be attached to the forms you mail because the check is made out to the applicant and NOT an agency. You will need to deposit and write your own check or purchase a money order with the cash and follow payment instructions based on the agency you are paying fees to.

Do my family members or I need to be worried about public charge? 

No. According to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), “disaster relief" benefits, such as this program, will not be considered in determining whether an individual is a public charge. You can also read this USCIS Public Charge Fact Sheet for more information. If you have questions about your immigration status and/or use of benefits, you should speak with an immigration attorney or DOJ-accredited representative

Will receiving this financial aid impact my family members’ or my ability to become a U.S. citizen? 

No. Receiving financial aid from the King County Immigration Fee Support will not impact your ability to become a U.S. citizen. It will also not impact the ability of a lawful permanent resident/green card holder family member to become a U.S. citizen. If you have questions about your immigration status and/or use of benefits, you should speak with an immigration attorney or DOJ-accredited representative

Do I have to pay this money back? Will this impact my taxes?

No, all payments are made as grants and classified as disaster relief under the IRS and should not be included as taxable income.

Is the information I provide in the application confidential? 

The nonprofit organization Scholar Fund (Scholarship Junkies) does not voluntarily share your data with government entities, including King County. Scholar Fund is responsible for collecting the personal information you voluntarily submit on the online application for the King County Immigration Fee Support. To help prevent unauthorized access, maintain data accuracy, and ensure the correct use of information, Scholar Fund (Scholarship Junkies) has instituted appropriate physical, electronic, and managerial procedures to safeguard and secure the information they collect. You can learn more about the Scholarship Junkies comprehensive Privacy Policy here (English only). 

Is my information safe?

Personal information will never be voluntarily shared with the government, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement or ICE, other law enforcement, your landlord, your employer, or anyone else. All information is stored securely in an encrypted format so it cannot be accessed.

According to our contract with King County, the only people with access to an applicant’s personal information are Scholar Fund (Scholarship Junkies, the community organization that manages the fund). We will not share your information with anyone else. But if there is a legal subpoena, we may be legally required to release personal information. It’s unlikely that this would happen, but not impossible.

Why am I being asked demographic questions? Will my answers affect my eligibility?

Demographic questions are asked to better understand who we are serving with the King County Immigration Fee Support program. Your answers will have no effect on your eligibility, and you can choose not to disclose any demographic information. The information you provide will never be shared with King County or any other government agency with your name attached to it.

How will the King County Immigration Fee Support application process prevent fraud? 

In order to identify fraud, avoid duplicates, and maintain household disbursement limits, Scholar Fund (Scholarship Junkies) has developed several mechanisms to screen and check applicants to spot discrepancies, which includes a thorough application review process, spam filters, and address verification. They may also contact applicants via phone or text if they detect application issues. 

What do I do if I discover that an applicant has been approved for more than one application?

If you discover that an applicant has been approved and/or funded multiple times, please notify Scholar Fund at 206-222-7069 or support@kcfeesupport.org. If applicants apply using different names or slightly different information, it makes deduplication difficult. However, we can stop payment if it has not been cashed.