The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has proposed a 75% increase in fees for U.S. citizenship applications, along with the elimination of most fee waivers. The proposed rule, published in the Federal Register, would raise the cost of filing a paper application for naturalization from $760 to $1,330 and an online application from $710 to $1,280. The fee to request reconsideration of a denied application would also increase from $830 to $1,475.
The proposed changes are part of a broader shift in policy by the Trump administration, which aims to align naturalization fees with the "full costs" of processing applications. DHS stated that prior administrations kept citizenship application fees relatively low to promote naturalization and integration, but the current administration believes naturalization benefits should not receive lower fees at the expense of other immigration benefits.
The proposed rule is subject to a 60-day public comment period before it can be enacted. If implemented, the changes would affect hundreds of thousands of lawful permanent residents annually, potentially delaying naturalization for lower-income immigrants. Fee exemptions for service members seeking citizenship would remain in place.
Critics argue the proposed fee increases could make citizenship less accessible to those of modest means, potentially undermining economic mobility and civic participation. Supporters of the rule contend that the changes are necessary to fully subsidize the processing of citizenship applications, particularly given expanded screening and vetting requirements.