USCIS announced that starting this year, fees for immigration and naturalization benefit applications would be adjusted for the first time since 2016, with increases of up to 19%.
Fees to become a U.S. citizen will rise on April 1, announced U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), directly affecting over 9 million legal permanent residents who are eligible, according to the Office of Homeland Security Statistics.
As reported last January, the cost to file a Naturalization Application, or N-400, will increase from $640 to $710. Meanwhile, the total price to file the necessary forms for legal permanent residency, also known as the “green card” package, will rise from $1,760 to $3,005.
“USCIS conducted a comprehensive biennial fee review and determined that current fees do not recover the full cost of providing adjudication and naturalization services,” stated the Department of Homeland Security announcement.
“DHS is adjusting the fee schedule to fully recover costs and maintain adequate service.”
The USCIS states that the new fees will take effect starting Monday, April 1, 2024. Before that date, you can still file your application with the previous fee.
In addition to raising general fees, the new guidelines also expand eligibility for reduced fees, with discounts available for those earning less than 400% of the federal poverty guideline.
Here are the new fees:
- N-400 Application for Naturalization (online filing)
Current cost: $640
New fee starting April: $710
- N-400 Application for Naturalization (online filing) (with biometric services)
Current cost: $725
New fee: $710
- N-400 Application for Naturalization (paper filing)
Current cost: $640
New fee: $760
- N-400 Application for Naturalization (paper filing) (with biometric services)
Current cost: $725
New fee: $760
- N-400 Application for Naturalization [applicants with household incomes between 150% and 400% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines (FPG)]
Current cost: $320
New fee: $380
- N-400 Application for Naturalization (applicants with household incomes between 150% and 400% of the FPG) (with biometric services)
Current cost: $405
New fee: $380
Despite the increase, the price hike is much lower than what the Trump administration attempted to impose.
In 2020, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services raised the naturalization fee by over 80% to $1,170 and eliminated fee waivers for vulnerable individuals, including asylum seekers.
However, immigrant rights groups filed a lawsuit, and a federal judge blocked the new rules from taking effect, stating that the agency violated the law by not providing adequate notice and an opportunity for public comment.
Even though the increase did not exceed 19% in some cases, the American Immigration Lawyers Association urged that the fee increases be used to help improve the agency’s long processing times and opaque customer service.
“We understand that fee increases are necessary,” said Shev Dalal-Dheini, senior director of government relations for the association. “What we want to see in response is a reduction in processing times, backlogs, and greater efficiency from the agency in adjudicating cases.”
USCIS administered the Oath of Allegiance to over 878,500 new citizens in fiscal year 2023, thereby eliminating its naturalization application backlog.
Image: Opinion
