Setback for Green Card holders: Trump admin could make US citizenship 75% more expensive, end waivers

The proposed rule would also eliminate most fee waivers for citizenship cases as the Donald Trump administration continues to ramp up its immigration crackdown and make legal pathways to the US harder and less accessible. When implemented, these changes could severely impact low-income applicants. DHS even argued that the previous administration kept the US citizenship fee comparatively low to promote the legal benefit, but the Trump administration was adopting a different approach.

This major revelation comes as the Trump administration has intensified efforts to denaturalize foreign-born American citizens by stripping their citizenship over allegedly obtaining it illegally or concealing criminal conduct on their applications. The US Department of Justice (DOJ) recently told CNN and CBS News that the current administration plans to revoke the naturalised citizenship of hundreds by filing at least 250 denaturalisation cases in federal courts across the country by October.  

How much could the US citizenship fee increase?

Issued by US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and DHS this week, a new Federal Register notice underscoring the proposed rulemaking tied to naturalisation application fee adjustments stated that the Donald Trump administration seeks to increase the US citizenship fee by 75%. If enacted, the rule could raise the general paper filing fee (Form N-400) from $760 to $1,330, while the fee for online filings would rise from $710 to $1,280. Meanwhile, the fee to request reconsideration before an appeals board (Form N-336) would also jump from $830 to $1,475, a $645 or 77.7% increase.

“Although DHS has historically limited the fees for (citizenship-related applications) to fulfill previous administrations’ priorities of encouraging naturalization, DHS no longer believes naturalization benefit requests should get lower fees at the potential expense of other immigration benefits,” US officials stated in the proposed regulation.

In another statement issued on Monday (US time), Homeland Security presented its rationale for the fee adjustment, as highlighted in the proposed rule: to “recover the full cost of their adjudication.” Officials argued, “the current fees established under the previous administration fail to cover the cost of necessary screening and vetting checks under President Trump’s Executive Orders.”

“DHS now believes aliens filing these forms should pay the full cost of adjudication,” the proposed rule states. “U.S. citizenship is the most meaningful immigration benefit the United States can bestow on an alien. However, keeping the fees for Form N-400 … 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 sufficiently justifies funding naturalization from the fees paid for other immigration benefits.”

When will the more expensive US citizenship fee go into effect?

The rule hasn’t gone into effect yet. As the changes have been listed in a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, the public will have a 60-day window to submit comments for or against them. And so, the overhaul would only be enacted at least 60 days from posting.

What does the new DHS proposed rule say about fee waivers?

As long as the rule change is not enacted, fee waivers based on income, public benefits, or financial hardship remain intact. A reduced $380 filing fee is also available for certain immigrants whose household income is at or under 400% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines. However, when the new changes are enacted, both of these will be eliminated. The official notice indicated that USCIS would “eliminate eligibility for fee waivers for aliens filing Form N-400 or Form N-336,” in addition to removing “the reduced fee for Form N-400.”

DHS argued further that “free filing or inexpensive fees may encourage aliens who know or suspect that they are ineligible…to apply anyway.”

Nonetheless, current and former members of the US armed forces will remain exempt from paying the fees, as required by law.

With tensions regarding the proposed Trump administration plan still fresh in the US immigration community, experts are starting to react to the proposed changes. Aaron Reichlin-Melnick, a senior fellow at the American Immigration Council, said on X, “For generations, the U.S. government deliberate[ly] kept citizenship application fees low in an effort to encourage the millions of people with green cards to apply. No longer.”

The potential setback for Green Card holders shook the immigrant community in the US a month after USCIS’s shocking May 2026 memo upended a longstanding process. It suggested that foreign-born nationals already living and working in the United States would have to leave the country to complete their Green Card applications in their countries of origin, rather than relying on the Adjustment of Status (AOS) process that allows applicants to apply for legal permanent residence without leaving the US.

The policy shift labelled AOS as an “extraordinary” benefit. The current administration officials have since clarified that many applicants who serve the national interest or provide an economic benefit to the country would still be allowed to adjust status from within the US, as officials were focused on implementing the changes on a “case-by-case” basis and would not be applicable to all applicants.

Disclaimer: This article is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal, immigration, or tax advice. Immigration laws and government policies are subject to frequent change without notice. While we strive to provide accurate updates, readers are strongly advised to verify the latest requirements with the official embassy, consulate, or government portal of the respective country. Financial Express is not responsible for any decisions made based on this information. For personalised guidance, please consult a qualified immigration attorney or a certified professional advisor.