USCIS Proposes Major Fee Increase for Citizenship Applications

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has proposed raising the cost of applying for U.S. citizenship while eliminating reduced-fee options and fee waivers for most applicants.

Under the proposal, the filing fee for Form N-400, Application for Naturalization, would increase to $1,280 for online filings and $1,330 for paper filings. USCIS would also eliminate the reduced fee currently available to some lower-income applicants and end fee waivers for both naturalization applications and naturalization appeals.

The agency says the changes would allow it to recover the full cost of processing naturalization-related applications and reduce the need to subsidize those costs through fees charged for other immigration benefits.

What Would Change?

Under the proposed rule, USCIS would:

• Increase the online Form N-400 filing fee from $710 to $1,280.
• Increase the paper Form N-400 filing fee from $760 to $1,330.
• Increase the fee for Form N-336, used to appeal a denied naturalization application, from $780 to $1,425 online and from $830 to $1,475 by mail.
• Eliminate the reduced N-400 fee currently available to applicants whose household income is at or below 400% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines. (The reduced fee is only available for paper filings.)
• Eliminate fee waivers for both Form N-400 and Form N-336.

Military service members applying for naturalization under special provisions of immigration law would continue to qualify for fee exemptions.

Why USCIS Says the Increase Is Needed

USCIS says the proposed fee increases would allow the agency to recover the full cost of processing naturalization applications and appeals. The agency argues that applicants seeking citizenship should pay the full cost of those services, rather than relying on fees paid by applicants for other immigration benefits.

In the proposed rule, USCIS says current naturalization fees do not fully cover the cost of adjudicating applications, including background checks, interviews, and other screening measures. The agency also says recent policy changes and additional vetting requirements have increased the resources needed to process citizenship applications.

Potential Impact on Applicants

The proposal could significantly increase the financial burden for many green card holders seeking U.S. citizenship.

Currently, some lower-income applicants qualify for a reduced $380 naturalization fee, while others can request a fee waiver if they meet certain income or hardship requirements. Under the proposed rule, both options would disappear.

For some applicants, that could mean paying more than three times what they would pay today.

USCIS acknowledges that higher fees could cause some eligible permanent residents to delay or forgo applying for citizenship. The agency notes that this could lead some green card holders to continue renewing their permanent resident cards instead of naturalizing.

What Happens Next?

The proposal is not yet final.

USCIS will accept public comments for 60 days after publication in the Federal Register before deciding whether to move forward with the changes. The agency may revise the proposal in response to feedback before issuing a final rule.

For now, current naturalization fees, fee waivers, and reduced-fee options remain in effect.

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