Naturalization Application Fee Adjustments
Key claim: DHS proposes to eliminate the reduced fee option and fee waivers for naturalization application forms N-400 and N-336, aligning fees with adjudication costs while retaining exemptions for military service members.
Abstract
(Proposed Rule · Homeland Security Department) The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) proposes to adjust the fees that U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) charges for Form N-400, and Form N-336, to end both the reduced fee option for Form N-400, and the availability of fee waivers for both forms. Current and former armed forces service members would remain exempt from paying the fees when filing for naturalization under statutes for members of the armed forces. The proposed rule is intended to align these fees with the relative costs to adjudicate these forms.
Why this matters
Naturalization fees are a primary financial barrier for lawful permanent residents seeking U.S. citizenship, and removing the reduced-fee and waiver pathways would shift the full adjudication cost onto lower-income applicants. The change would narrow affordability accommodations to a military-only exemption, potentially slowing naturalization rates among economically disadvantaged eligible immigrants.