USCIS proposes 75% fee hike, ends low-income waivers

The Trump administration has proposed a significant increase in the cost of applying for U.S. citizenship, a move that would eliminate financial assistance for low-income applicants. The Department of Homeland Security unveiled the plan on Monday, June 22, 2026, through its agency U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

Under the proposed regulation, the fee for a paper citizenship application would rise from $760 to $1,330, a 75 percent increase. The fee for an online application would jump from $710 to $1,280, an 80 percent increase. The cost to appeal a denied application would also rise by $645. The plan would eliminate all fee waivers for citizenship cases and remove a reduced-fee option for households earning up to 400 percent of the federal poverty line. Fee exemptions for U.S. military service members would remain in place.

Officials said the increases are necessary to fully cover the costs of processing applications, especially under policies requiring more extensive screening and vetting. Unlike most federal agencies, USCIS is largely funded by the fees it charges. The Department of Homeland Security stated that while previous administrations kept fees low to...