The path to US citizenship may soon entail a significantly higher cost for several immigrants striving for the American dream.
On Monday, the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) suggested increasing the filing fee for Form N-400, the application for obtaining US citizenship through naturalization, from the existing $760 to $1,330 — representing an increase of nearly 75%. Additionally, the proposal aims to remove the reduced-fee options and fee waivers that are presently accessible to numerous lower-income applicants.
Should these changes be enacted, they would represent one of the most substantial hikes in citizenship application fees in recent years, potentially having a considerable impact on immigrants, including the thousands of Indians who qualify for US citizenship annually after securing permanent residency.
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DHS new proposal on naturalization
On Monday, the DHS unveiled a new proposal regarding naturalization, which signifies a significant increase in citizenship fees.
In case this proposal gets implemented, applicants would be required to pay $1,330 for paper submissions and $1,280 for online applications, as per the new rule from DHS’s US Citizenship and Immigration Services.
This would represent fee hikes of 75% and 80%, respectively. The previous USCIS regulation from 2024 set the fee at $760 for paper naturalization applications and $710 for online submissions. In 2016, the cost for applicants to apply for naturalization was $595.
To provide context, the filing fee for the N-400 naturalization application would rise from $760 to $1,330, resulting in an increase of $570 for each applicant.
The proposal would also abolish the reduced filing fee that is presently offered to specific applicants whose household incomes fall below designated thresholds.
Abolish fee waivers for Form N-400
Raise the fee for Form N-336 (Request for Hearing on a Decision in Naturalization Proceedings) from $830 to $1,475.
The overall trend indicates a rise in immigration costs.
The DHS has already raised premium-processing fees for various immigration categories in 2026. For instance, the fee for Form I-140 premium processing increased from $2,805 to $2,965.
Additionally, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has enacted inflation-adjusted increases to several immigration-related fees in accordance with provisions related to H.R.1, as reported by Berry Appleman & Leiden.
The immigration advocacy organization CLINIC has previously cautioned that these fee hikes and limitations on fee waivers could disproportionately impact lower-income immigrants, potentially deterring eligible individuals from seeking citizenship.
Impact on Indian nationals
Indian citizens constitute one of the most substantial groups awaiting employment-based green cards in the United States.
Numerous Indian immigrants invest years, and at times even decades, maneuvering through the immigration system via H-1B visas, employment-based sponsorship, and the processes for permanent residency.
For these individuals, attaining citizenship frequently signifies the ultimate achievement following a lengthy and costly immigration journey.
Increased application fees may exacerbate an already considerable financial strain that encompasses:
Visa application costs included legal fees, adjustment-of-status expenses, travel documentation fees and applications for dependents.
