Trump Administration Proposes Sharp Hike in US Citizenship Fees, Ending Most Waivers

The Trump administration has proposed a substantial increase in the cost of applying for US citizenship, with naturalisation fees set to rise by more than 70 percent and most fee waivers facing elimination.

The proposal, issued by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), would increase the fee for a naturalisation application (Form N-400) from $760 to $1,330 for paper submissions. Online applications would rise from $710 to $1,280. The fee for appeals filed through Form N-336 would also increase significantly, from $830 to $1,475.

DHS and USCIS say the changes are intended to ensure that applicants cover the full cost of processing their cases. Officials argue that previous administrations kept fees below actual costs to encourage naturalisation, while the current proposal seeks to prevent those expenses from being subsidised by other immigration services.

The proposed rule would also remove long-standing fee relief programmes. Under the current system, applicants experiencing financial hardship or earning below certain income thresholds may qualify for fee waivers or reduced fees. If the regulation is approved, those options would end, leaving military service members as the only group exempt from payment under federal law.

DHS has argued that low-cost or free applications may encourage some ineligible individuals to submit cases. Critics of the proposal contend that eliminating fee assistance would make citizenship more difficult to obtain for many eligible permanent residents with limited financial resources.

The proposal comes as the administration continues to pursue broader changes to immigration policy. In recent months, the Department of Justice has confirmed plans to pursue hundreds of denaturalisation cases involving naturalised citizens accused of fraud or concealment during the immigration process.

USCIS has also raised concerns among immigrant communities after indicating that many Green Card applicants could be required to leave the United States and complete their applications abroad rather than using the Adjustment of Status process. Although officials later said exceptions would be available for people considered to serve national or economic interests, uncertainty remains about how the policy would be applied.

Aaron Reichlin-Melnick of the American Immigration Council said that US governments have historically kept citizenship fees relatively low to encourage eligible permanent residents to naturalise. He warned that significantly higher costs could discourage many applicants from seeking citizenship.

The proposed regulation has not yet taken effect. It has been published as a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, beginning a 60-day public comment period. The administration may consider those comments before deciding whether to adopt the changes.

Until any final rule is implemented, existing fee waivers and reduced-fee options remain available. If the proposal is approved, however, applicants seeking US citizenship would face substantially higher costs throughout the naturalisation process.