Citizenship application fee increase proposals unveiled by the Trump administration could significantly raise the cost of becoming a U.S. citizen, particularly for low-income immigrants and families applying together.
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), a division of the Department of Homeland Security, released a proposed rule on June 22 that would sharply increase naturalization fees while eliminating several long-standing fee waiver and discount programs.
Under the proposal, the filing fee for Form N-400, the application for U.S. citizenship, would rise from $760 to $1,330 for paper applications — a 75% increase.
Online applicants would see costs jump from $710 to $1,280, an increase of nearly 80%.
Fee Waivers and Discounts Could Disappear
The proposed citizenship application fee increase would also eliminate existing fee waiver programs and discounted filing fees available to households earning up to 400% of the federal poverty level.
One notable exception remains active-duty military service members and certain military-related applicants, who would continue to qualify for fee exemptions.
USCIS is also proposing steep increases for applicants seeking review of denied citizenship applications.
Under the plan, requests for reconsideration would cost $1,475 for paper filings and $1,425 for online submissions.
Administration Says Applicants Should Cover Costs
Administration officials argue that citizenship applicants should bear the full cost of processing their cases.
According to federal officials, current fees do not fully cover adjudication expenses, forcing taxpayers to subsidize portions of the naturalization system.
The administration also contends that additional revenue is needed to strengthen immigration screening procedures and expand immigration enforcement efforts.
Supporters of the proposal say user-funded immigration services are a more sustainable model than relying on public funding.
Immigration Advocates Sound the Alarm
Critics, however, warn that the citizenship application fee increase could make naturalization financially out of reach for many lawful permanent residents.
Immigration advocacy groups argue that higher fees could discourage eligible green card holders from applying for citizenship, particularly seniors, low-income immigrants, and larger families.
The impact could be especially significant for households filing multiple citizenship applications at the same time, where costs could quickly climb into the thousands of dollars.
Advocates fear that some permanent residents may delay or abandon plans to naturalize because of the increased financial burden.
Millions of green card holders across the United States are currently eligible to apply for citizenship.
The proposed regulation will undergo a 60-day public comment period before federal officials decide whether to finalize the changes.
USCIS is expected to announce final fee amounts and implementation dates after completing the rulemaking process.
