DHS Proposes Raising U.S. Citizenship Application Fees by 80 Percent

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security proposed a rule on June 22, 2026, to significantly increase fees for U.S. citizenship applications, shifting to a full-cost, beneficiary-pays model. Under the proposal published in the Federal Register, the fee for Form N-400 would rise from $760 to $1,330 for paper filings and from $710 to $1,280 for online filings. Fees for Form N-336, used for appeals of citizenship denials, would increase from $830 to $1,475.

The regulation seeks to eliminate most fee waivers and reduced rates for applicants with household incomes at or below 400% of the federal poverty line, although exemptions for current and former U.S. military service members would remain. DHS estimates these changes would cost prospective citizens over $430 million annually.

Officials stated the increases are necessary to recover the total cost of adjudication, including enhanced screening and vetting checks mandated by President Donald Trump's Executive Orders, such as E.O. 14161. The administration argued that naturalization requests should no longer receive lower fees at the expense of other immigration benefits. The proposal is open for a 60-day public comment period ending August 24 before it can take effect.