Full Breakdown
U.S. Department of Homeland Security Proposes Major Increase to Naturalization Fees
6/23/2026, 1:03:33 AM
Proposed Naturalization Fee Hike: Core Details
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that would raise the filing fee for Form N-400 (naturalization) to $1,330 for paper applications and $1,280 for online filings—a 75-80 % increase. The appeal fee (Form N-336) would rise to $1,475 (paper) and $1,425 (online), an 78-83 % jump. The proposal also eliminates fee waivers and the reduced $380 filing option for low-income applicants, preserving only the statutory exemption for current and former U.S. military service members. The rule was published in the Federal Register on a Monday and opens a 60-day public comment period before any final rule is issued.
Policy Shift Background
Naturalization fees were last adjusted in 2024 to $760 (paper) and $710 (online) after a prior increase from $640. Historically, DHS limited citizenship fees to encourage naturalization and integration. The current proposal aligns fees with what DHS describes as the “full costs” of adjudication, citing expanded background checks, interviews, and vetting requirements mandated by recent executive orders.
Stakeholders and Key Voices
- Department of Homeland Security (DHS) – Oversees U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and authored the proposed rule.
- U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) – Implements the fee structure and processes applications.
- Adam Klein – Former DHS official and co-founder of Globali.ai, provides expert commentary on fee impacts.
- Doug Rand – Former senior USCIS official during the Biden administration, offers criticism of the proposal.
- Current and former U.S. military service members – Remain exempt from the increased fees.
- Low-income lawful permanent residents – Face the loss of waivers and reduced-fee options.
Fee Structure and Projected Revenue Gap
| Form | Paper Fee | Online Fee | % Increase |
|---|---|---|---|
| N-400 (naturalization) | $1,330 | $1,280 | 75-80 % |
| N-336 (appeal) | $1,475 | $1,425 | 78-83 % |
DHS estimates a funding shortfall exceeding $600 million annually under the current fee regime, prompting the proposed increases. The rule also removes the $380 reduced-fee option for applicants whose household income is at or below 400 % of the federal poverty line.
Official Agency Rationale
DHS states the changes are intended to:
- Ensure full cost recovery for adjudicating naturalization applications.
- Shift to a “beneficiary-pays” model that eliminates cross-subsidization from other immigration benefits.
- Support expanded screening, vetting, and adjudication requirements.
- Reduce perceived misuse of low- or no-fee filing options that could encourage ineligible applicants.
Criticism and Opposition
Adam Klein warns that the hikes “risk turning citizenship into a benefit that is less accessible to those of modest means,” questioning whether applicants will receive commensurate service improvements. Klein also notes uncertainty about the tangible benefits of the additional revenue. Doug Rand characterizes the proposal as “creating even more undue barriers for legal immigrants,” suggesting a political motive rather than a purely fiscal one. Critics argue the elimination of waivers could disproportionately affect low-income immigrants and delay naturalization.
Conflicting Reports and Information Gaps
- DHS projects a $600 million annual shortfall, but independent verification of this figure is not provided.
- The proposal does not quantify how the additional revenue will be allocated to specific screening or customer-service enhancements.
- Potential effects on application processing times remain unspecified.
Verbatim Quotes
- “The proposal represents a significant shift in the cost of becoming a U.S. citizen,” — Adam Klein, former DHS official, Globali.ai
- “While USCIS is largely a fee-funded agency and must recover its operational costs, substantially increasing naturalization fees risks turning citizenship into a benefit that is less accessible to those of modest means.” — Adam Klein
- “free filing or inexpensive fees may encourage aliens who know or suspect that they are ineligible…to apply anyway.” — DHS, proposed rule text
- “Although DHS has historically limited the fees for (citizenship-related applications) to fulfill previous administrations' priorities of encouraging naturalization, DHS no longer believes naturalization benefit requests should get lower fees at the potential expense of other immigration benefits,” — DHS, proposed regulation
- “The only credible explanation for jacking up citizenship fees in isolation is that Trump 2.0 is in a hurry to create even more undue barriers for legal immigrants,” — Doug Rand, former senior USCIS official
Next Steps and Public Comment
Comments on the proposed rule must be submitted within 60 days of its Federal Register publication. DHS will review feedback, may adjust fee levels or implementation timelines, and could incorporate additional policy changes before issuing a final rule. Stakeholders are encouraged to submit written responses to influence the final outcome.
