Becoming a U.S. citizen could get 75 to 80 percent more expensive. A federal proposal would push the naturalization filing fee to $1,330 and eliminate the discounts and waivers that lower-income applicants rely on. The public comment window closes August 24.
What Happened
On June 23, 2026, the Department of Homeland Security published a proposed rule in the Federal Register titled Naturalization Application Fee Adjustments. It would raise the fee for Form N-400, Application for Naturalization, and change who can get help paying it.
The rule is a proposal, not a final regulation. Current fees remain in effect while it is under review.
The Numbers
Under the proposal, as summarized by Ogletree Deakins and Boundless, the paper filing fee for Form N-400 would rise from $760 to $1,330, an increase of roughly 75 percent. The online filing fee would rise from $710 to $1,280, roughly 80 percent.
The $380 reduced fee currently available to lower-income applicants would be eliminated. Fee waiver eligibility would end for both Form N-400 and Form N-336, the appeal of a naturalization denial.
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Military service members naturalizing under special provisions of immigration law would keep their fee exemptions.
DHS says the change would let the agency recover the full cost of processing naturalization cases and reduce the need to subsidize those costs through fees charged on other immigration benefits.
Who Is Affected
Lawful permanent residents planning to naturalize, and especially those who would have qualified for the reduced fee or a full waiver: seniors on fixed incomes, large families filing together, and applicants who receive means-tested benefits. Anyone appealing a naturalization denial on Form N-336 would also lose waiver access.
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What This Means for You
Nothing has changed yet. Current fees, the reduced fee, and fee waivers all remain in effect while the proposal is under review.
If you are already eligible, consider filing sooner rather than later. Filing under today’s fee schedule locks in today’s cost.
If you rely on a fee waiver, this is the moment to act. Waiver eligibility is precisely what the rule would remove.
Comment if you want to be heard. The public comment period closes August 24, 2026, and anyone may submit a comment through the Federal Register.
Budget for the full picture, not just the filing fee. Translations, document retrieval, and legal help add to the total.
This article is for general information only and is not legal advice.
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The Bigger Picture
The fee proposal is one piece of a broader shift in how naturalization is being administered. Forbes reported on July 29 that USCIS has made the civics test harder to pass, that naturalization denial rates have more than doubled, and that processing has slowed sharply. Read together, the rising cost and the tightening standards point in the same direction.
What Comes Next
DHS must review public comments before issuing a final rule. That rule could differ from the proposal, or be withdrawn entirely. Until a final rule takes effect, today’s fees and today’s waivers apply.
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