Proposed Fee Hike Threatens Naturalization for Green-Card Holders

The Department of Homeland Security has announced that the paper filing fee for Form N-400, the primary naturalization application, will rise from $760 to $1,330. The agency also plans to eliminate the reduced-fee option for Form N-400 and remove fee waivers for related forms, while preserving exemptions for current and former service members. DHS says the adjustments are meant to align fees with the cost of adjudicating applications.

Newsweek

The fee proposal arrives amid an expanded focus on denaturalization. CNN reported that the Trump administration intends to file at least 250 denaturalization cases in fiscal year 2026, a sharp rise from the historical average of fewer than one case per month (about 11 annually between 1990 and 2017). Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse data show 15 denaturalization lawsuits in May 2026 and 18 in the first half of June 2026.

Newsweek

USCIS data indicate a volatile filing pattern: applications surged to 169,159 in October 2025, then fell to 41,478 in November 2025. The agency recorded 818,500 naturalizations in fiscal year 2024, while nearly 8 million people have become citizens over the past decade.

Newsweek

Immigration attorneys warn that higher fees will disproportionately affect lower-income applicants and may create a “chilling effect.” They note that many eligible residents are already delaying applications due to uncertainty about new standards, increased scrutiny, and the risk of enforcement actions. Some attorneys observe a shift toward more cautious timing, with clients seeking reassurance before filing.

Newsweek

• “Some applicants may rush to file before higher fees or new standards take effect, while others may wait. That could produce a temporary spike followed by a slowdown, rather than a simple overall decline in filings,” — Morgan Bailey, partner at Mayer Brown

Newsweek

• “For many professionals, an increase may be an inconvenience, but for lower-income families, even a modest increase can mean postponing citizenship for months or even years.” — Eric R. Welsh, partner at Reeves Immigration Law Group

Newsweek

• “Naturalization used to be the one corner of this system people could count on being final once they got there. That is no longer true.” — Kevin J. Andrews, immigration attorney

Newsweek

• “The irony is that naturalization is the best protection against deportation available to a green card holder, but many are afraid to apply because of the fear of enforcement,” — Eric R. Welsh

Newsweek

• “The Trump administration has succeeded in reducing legal migration and further othering long-term legal immigrants in the U.S. by not scheduling applicants for naturalization tests and by not holding oath ceremonies,” — Ellen Freeman, managing partner, Ellen Freeman Immigration Law Group

Newsweek