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Increased, Reduced, and Waived Naturalization Fees: What You Need to Know

Increased, Reduced, and Waived Naturalization Fees: What You Need to Know
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Effective April 1, 2024, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) implemented new filing fees for naturalization applications. The standard fee for paper filings has risen to $760, while online filings now cost $710. Alongside these changes, USCIS has updated the criteria for reduced fees and fee waivers, potentially expanding access to naturalization for eligible applicants.

New Fee Structure and Reduced Fees

The 2024 fee rule introduces a significant change: applicants now have the opportunity to pay a reduced naturalization fee, which is 50% of the standard fee, amounting to $380. This reduction aims to make the naturalization process more accessible to a broader range of individuals who meet specific eligibility criteria.

Full Fee Waiver: Eligibility Criteria

For those facing financial difficulties, a complete waiver of the filing fee is available. To qualify for this 100% fee waiver, applicants must meet one of the following criteria:

  1. Receipt of Means-Tested Benefits: Applicants who receive federal, state, local, or tribal benefits that are determined based on income and resources may qualify for a full fee waiver. These means-tested benefits consider an individual’s financial situation in determining eligibility.
  2. Income Below 150% of Federal Poverty Guidelines: Applicants whose income is at or below 150% of the federal poverty guidelines can also qualify for a full fee waiver. The poverty guidelines vary based on household size, and specific income thresholds must be met to qualify.
  3. Extreme Financial Hardship: USCIS defines extreme financial hardship as a situation where applicants need almost all of their current income and liquid assets to meet ordinary and necessary living expenses. Examples of such hardship include:
    • Medical illness
    • Unemployment
    • Eviction or homelessness
    • Natural disasters
    • Military deployment of a spouse or parent
    • Divorce or death of a spouse
    • Other unexpected life events that limit the ability to cover living expenses

Additionally, fee exemptions have been expanded to include applicants and their derivatives seeking relief under the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), U Nonimmigrant status, T Nonimmigrant status, and Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJ).

2024 Federal Poverty Guidelines

To understand eligibility for fee waivers and reductions, it’s essential to refer to the 2024 federal poverty guidelines:

# of Persons in Household
Poverty Guidelines
0-149% (Fee Waiver)150-400% (Reduced Fee)
1$15,060$22,439.40$60,240
2$20,440$30,455.60$81,760
3$25,820$38,471.80$103,280
4$31,200$46,488.00$124,800
5$36,580$54,504.20$146,320
6$41,960$62,520.40$167,840
7$47,340$70,536.60$189,360
8$52,720$78,552.8$210,880

For households with more than eight persons, add $5,380 for each additional person to the base poverty guideline before applying the respective calculations.

Conclusion

Understanding the new fee structure and eligibility criteria for reduced fees and fee waivers is crucial for non-U.S. citizens seeking naturalization. These changes by USCIS aim to balance the cost of processing applications with the need to ensure accessibility for all eligible individuals. If you believe you qualify for a reduced fee or a fee waiver, consider consulting with an immigration attorney to navigate the application process effectively.

For further assistance or to discuss your specific situation, please contact our law firm. We are here to help you understand your options and guide you through the naturalization process.

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USCIS Announces Final Rule Adjusting Immigration Benefit Application and Petition Fees

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services today announced a final rule published in the Federal Register today adjusting the fees required for most immigration applications and petitions. The new fees will be effective Dec. 23.

USCIS is almost entirely funded by the fees paid by applicants and petitioners for immigration benefits. The law requires USCIS to conduct fee reviews every two years to determine the funding levels necessary to administer the nation’s immigration laws, process benefit requests and provide the infrastructure needed to support those activities.

Fees will increase for the first time in six years, by a weighted average of 21 percent for most applications and petitions. This increase is necessary to recover the full cost of services provided by USCIS. These include the costs associated with fraud detection and national security, customer service and case processing, and providing services without charge to refugee and asylum applicants and to other customers eligible for fee waivers or exemptions.

The final rule contains a table summarizing current and new fees. The new fees will also be listed on the Our Fees page on our website. Form G-1055 will not reflect the new fees until the effective date. Applications and petitions postmarked or filed on or after Dec. 23 must include the new fees or USCIS will not be able to accept them.

“This is our first fee increase since November 2010, and we sincerely appreciate the valuable public input we received as we prepared this final rule,” said USCIS Director León Rodríguez. “We are mindful of the effect fee increases have on many of the customers we serve. That’s why we decided against raising fees as recommended after the fiscal year 2012 and 2014 fee reviews. However, as an agency dependent upon users’ fees to operate, these changes are now necessary to ensure we can continue to serve our customers effectively. We will also offer a reduced filing fee for certain naturalization applicants with limited means.”

Read more about the new fee schedule on the Our Fees page. Highlights follow:

  • A modest fee increase of $45, or 8 percent, from $595 to $640 for Form N-400, Application for Naturalization.
    • USCIS will offer a reduced filing fee of $320 for naturalization applicants with family incomes greater than 150 percent and not more than 200 percent of the Federal Poverty Guidelines. For 2016, this means, for example, that a household of four with an income between $36,000 and $48,600 per year could pay the reduced fee. Those eligible may apply for this option using the new Form I-942, Request for Reduced Fee.
  • The fee for Form N-600, Application for Certificate of Citizenship, and N-600K, Application for Citizenship and Issuance of Certificate Under Section 322, will increase from $550 or 600 to $1,170.
  • A new fee of $3,035 is required for Form I-924A, Annual Certification of Regional Center.
    In preparing the final rule, USCIS considered all 436 comments received during the 60-day public comment period for the proposed rule published May 4.