USCIS Proposes Significant Fee Increases for Naturalization Applications

USCIS proposes to increase naturalization fee.

The USCIS proposes to increase the fee for naturalization to as much as $1,330 at a time when the Donald Trump administration declared war on citizenship fraud and is denaturalizing people who lied to become US citizens. Green Card holders can apply for naturalization after living in the US for around five years. "Having reexamined whether or not DHS should continue charging lower fees for Form N-400 and Form N-336 and shifting those costs to other benefit requests, DHS now believes aliens filing these forms should pay the full cost of adjudication," the USCIS proposal said. "As stated previously, US citizenship is the most meaningful immigration benefit the United States can bestow on an alien. However, keeping the fees for Form-N400 and Form N-336 below cost requires DHS to shift the costs not covered by those fees to the fees paid for other forms. DHS no longer believes that the importance of naturalization suffieciently justifies funding naturalization from the fees paid for other immigration benefits, Upon reconsideration, DHS now believes that the great value of citizenship is why naturalization application fees should be set at the amount needed for total cost recovery using ABC," it said.

Form N-400 and Form N-336 for US citizenship

Naturalization is the legal process through which a person who was born outside of the United States voluntarily chooses to become a US citizen. If you are not born a US citizen (either by being born on US soil or to U.S. citizen parents), naturalization is the primary pathway to obtain citizenship.Form N-400 is the standard form a Green Card holder files to officially apply to becaome a US citizen.Requirements

Be at least 18 years old.

Have been a Green Card holder for at least 5 years (or 3 years if married to a US citizen).

Demonstrate continuous residence and physical presence in the US.

Be able to read, write, and speak basic English, and pass a US civics/history test.

Demonstrate "good moral character" (clean criminal record, paying taxes, etc.).

Form N-336 This is an appeal form if your Form N-400 is denied. You must file Form N-336 within exactly 30 calendar days of receiving your N-400 denial notice. If you miss this window, the denial stands. It is used to present new evidence, correct a misunderstanding, or submit a legal brief proving that the original officer made a factual or legal mistake in denying your citizenship.

US citizenship formCurrent feeProposed feeN-336 (paper filing)$830$1475N-336 (online)$780$1425N-400 (paper filing)$760$1330N-400 (online)$710$1280