The cost of becoming a US citizen could rise sharply under a new proposal by the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which suggests increasing naturalization fees and removing fee waivers and reduced-cost options.
Under the proposal, the fee for Form N-400, used by green card holders to apply for US citizenship, would rise from $760 to $1,330 for paper filings and from $710 to $1,280 for online applications.
The increases represent a jump of nearly 75% to 80%. The DHS has also proposed higher charges for Form N-336, which is used to appeal a denied citizenship application.
Indians among the largest group of applicants
Data from the US Department of Homeland Security shows that Indians remain one of the largest groups acquiring US citizenship through naturalization.
In 2024, Indians accounted for about 6% of all new US citizens, making them the second-largest group after Mexico, which accounted for 13%. Over the past five years, nearly 3.7 lakh Indians have obtained US citizenship through this process.
Given these numbers, any increase in fees is expected to have a disproportionate impact on Indian applicants pursuing US citizenship.
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Concerns over affordability and access
Immigration experts have raised concerns that higher costs could make US citizenship less accessible, particularly for lower-income immigrants.
Adam Klein, former DHS official and co-founder of Globali.ai, said, “The proposal represents a significant shift in the cost of becoming a US citizen.”
He added that while the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is a fee-funded agency, “substantially increasing naturalization fees risks turning citizenship into a benefit that is less accessible to those of modest means.”
Klein also noted that citizenship has historically been linked to higher economic mobility and civic participation, warning that “higher fees could undermine those goals.”
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DHS defends proposal
The DHS has defended the proposed changes, stating that current fees do not fully cover the cost of processing applications. Officials described the revision as part of a routine fee adjustment exercise.
A department official also said that naturalization is “the most significant benefit that can be granted to a legal immigrant,” underscoring the rationale behind the proposed increase.
