Since this article was published, DHS has proposed a larger increase than the 75% figure below — a newer rule could nearly double the N-400 fee and eliminate the reduced-fee option entirely. Nothing has changed yet; the current fee stays in effect until a final rule follows the public comment period, which runs through August 24, 2026. See the full details in our Updates section.
If you have a green card and are thinking about applying for U.S. citizenship, now may be the time to act. The Department of Homeland Security proposed a dramatic increase to the cost of naturalization that could take effect as soon as August 2026.
The proposed rule would raise the N-400 Application for Naturalization fee from $760 to $1,330 for paper filing — a 75% increase. Online filing would increase from $710 to $1,280. The fee for appealing a denial (Form N-336) would also nearly double from $830 to $1,475.
Currently, low-income applicants can pay as little as nothing through a fee waiver, or pay a reduced fee of $380 if their household income is below 400% of the federal poverty guidelines. Under the proposed rule, both options would be eliminated. Only active and former military members would remain exempt.
This is a significant shift. For generations, the U.S. government deliberately kept citizenship application fees low to encourage immigrants with green cards to naturalize. This administration is reversing that policy, calling it a "full-cost, beneficiary-pays" model.
Not yet. This is a proposed rule published in the Federal Register on June 23, 2026. A 60-day public comment period is open through August 24, 2026. You can submit your comments at regulations.gov under docket USCIS-2026-0265.
However, proposed rules frequently become final rules. It is safer to plan as if this increase will take effect later this year.
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