DHS Moves to End Most Naturalization Fee Waivers
Published Date: 6/23/2026
Proposed Rule
Summary
The Department of Homeland Security wants to change the fees for applying to become a U.S. citizen. They plan to remove the lower fee and fee waivers for most people, but military members still won’t have to pay. If you want to share your thoughts, you have until August 24, 2026, to comment before these changes might take effect.
Analyzed Economic Effects
6 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 5 costs, 0 mixed.
N-400 Fee Increased
USCIS proposes raising the Form N-400 naturalization fee to $1,330 for paper filings and $1,280 for online filings (USCIS would keep the $50 online filing discount). This change would make each naturalization application cost the applicant these specified amounts.
N-336 Fee Increased
USCIS proposes raising the Form N-336 fee to $1,475 for paper filings and $1,425 for online filings (with the $50 online discount maintained). These are the proposed fees an individual would pay when requesting a hearing on a naturalization decision.
Fee Waivers Ended for N-400/N-336
The proposal would eliminate eligibility for fee waivers for both Form N-400 and Form N-336. DHS estimates the annualized transfer payments from current fee-waiver eligible applicants to USCIS would be approximately $196,353,305 (primary estimate) and the 10-year transfer payments would be about $1,674,933,519 (primary estimate, 3% discount).
Estimated Revenue Transfers to USCIS
DHS projects fee increases would produce annualized transfer payments from current full fee-paying applicants to USCIS of approximately $430,049,505 (primary estimate). The 10-year transfer payment totals for those applicants are estimated at $3,668,409,508 (primary estimate, 3% discount) and $3,020,487,765 (primary estimate, 7% discount).
Reduced N-400 Fee Eliminated
The proposal would remove the reduced fee option for Form N-400 that applied to applicants whose household income is less than or equal to 400 percent of the Federal Poverty Guidelines (FPG). Applicants who previously qualified for that reduced fee would no longer be eligible under this proposal.
Military Exemptions Remain
USCIS would retain statutory fee exemptions for qualified current and former armed forces service members filing for naturalization under INA sections 328 or 329. Those military applicants would continue to be exempt from paying the Form N-400 and Form N-336 fees.
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Key Dates
Department and Agencies
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