The Trump administration has proposed one of the largest increases in US citizenship application fees in recent years, a move that would raise the cost of becoming an American citizen by roughly 75-80 per cent and eliminate most fee discounts currently available to lower-income applicants.
The proposal, published by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in the Federal Register on June 23, would increase the fee for the primary citizenship application form from $760 to $1,330 for paper filings and from $710 to $1,280 for online filings. It would also eliminate reduced-fee options and most income-based fee waivers.
If adopted, the changes could affect hundreds of thousands of Green Card holders, including a large number of Indians pursuing US citizenship after years — and often decades — in the American immigration system.
Why this matters for Indians
Indian immigrants are among the largest groups pursuing US citizenship. According to Migration Policy Institute estimates based on 2024 American Community Survey data, approximately 3.2 million Indian immigrants live in the United States, with nearly half already naturalised as US citizens.
Many Indians spend years navigating the US immigration system before becoming eligible for citizenship. For employment-based immigrants, the journey often begins with an H-1B visa, followed by labour certification, immigrant petitions, Green Card processing and, finally, naturalisation eligibility after years of permanent residency.
Research by the Cato Institute estimates that more than one million Indians remain in employment-based Green Card backlogs, making citizenship the final step in a process that can take decades.
The proposed fee increase would add roughly $570 per applicant. For families seeking to naturalise multiple eligible members at the same time, the additional costs could be substantial.
What exactly is changing?
The proposal affects two major US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) forms:
Form N-400 (Application for Naturalisation)
* Current paper filing fee: $760
* Proposed paper filing fee: $1,330
* Increase: $570 (75%)
* Current online filing fee: $710
* Proposed online filing fee: $1,280
* Increase: $570 (80%)
Form N-336 (Request for a hearing on a denied naturalisation application)
* Current paper filing fee: $830
* Proposed paper filing fee: $1,475
* Current online filing fee: $780
* Proposed online filing fee: $1,425
The proposal would also eliminate the current reduced fee available to certain lower-income applicants and remove most income-based fee waivers, according to DHS.
The only applicants who would remain exempt from paying naturalisation fees are current and former US military service members who qualify under specific provisions of US immigration law.
Why DHS says fees should increase
DHS argues that the current naturalisation fees no longer cover the full cost of processing citizenship applications.
In the proposed rule, the department stated that it no longer believes the importance of naturalisation justifies subsidising citizenship applications through fees paid by applicants seeking other immigration benefits.
“U.S. citizenship is the most meaningful immigration benefit the United States can bestow on an alien,” DHS wrote in the proposal.
DHS said the additional revenue would help cover the full cost of processing naturalisation applications, including FBI background investigations, National Name Check Program (NNCP) screening, TECS security database checks, biometrics collection, English and civics examinations, reviews of an applicant’s good moral character, and enhanced vetting requirements introduced under recent executive orders.
The proposal is also linked to Executive Order 14161, signed by President Donald Trump in January 2025, which directs federal agencies to strengthen immigration screening and vetting procedures.
Shift from previous policy
The proposal represents a significant policy shift. DHS acknowledged that previous administrations intentionally kept naturalisation fees lower to encourage eligible permanent residents to become citizens.
The agency now argues that naturalisation applications should fully pay for themselves rather than being subsidised by fees charged for other immigration benefits.
The proposal also suggests that very low fees may encourage some individuals who are not eligible for citizenship to apply anyway.
Should Green Card holders apply now?
The proposed rule does not take effect immediately. DHS must first review public comments before issuing a final rule, and the agency may revise the proposal before implementation.
As a result, current naturalisation fees remain in place for now:
* $760 for paper N-400 applications
* $710 for online N-400 applications
What happens next?
The proposal is open for public comment until August 24, 2026. Comments can be submitted through Regulations.gov using DHS Docket No. USCIS-2026-0265.
After reviewing public feedback, DHS may issue a final rule, revise the proposal, or abandon parts of it altogether.
If adopted largely in its current form, the proposal would represent one of the most significant increases in US naturalisation fees in recent years.
(With inputs from the Federal Register, DHS, Migration Policy Institute, Newsweek and agencies)
USCIS proposes a revision in citizenship application fees, potentially increasing the N-400 naturalisation cost to $1,330 under a draft Federal Register notice. (File Photo) 
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