Proposed N-400 Fee Increase: What Citizenship Applicants Should Know Now

National Archives Building in Washington, D.C.

Status as of September 16, 2026: A big change to naturalization fees is proposed, not final. The fees you pay today for Form N-400 are still the current USCIS fees. If you are eligible and ready to file, that matters.

What DHS proposed

On June 23, 2026, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking in the Federal Register titled “Naturalization Application Fee Adjustments” (91 FR 37500 ; RIN 1615-AD08; Docket USCIS-2026-0265).

The proposal would:

FormCurrent fee (approx.)Proposed fee
N-400 online$710$1,280
N-400 paper$760$1,330
N-336 online$780$1,425
N-336 paper$830$1,475

DHS also proposes to:

  • End the reduced fee for Form N-400 (currently $380 for eligible lower-income households).
  • End fee waivers for Form N-400 and Form N-336 (today, many applicants use Form I-912).
  • Keep the statutory fee exemption for qualifying current and former members of the U.S. armed forces filing under INA sections 328 or 329.

DHS says the goal is full cost recovery for naturalization adjudications (a “beneficiary-pays” approach), including screening and vetting costs.

A correction to the NPRM was published on July 8, 2026 (C1-2026-12542 ). It adjusted paperwork-burden estimates; it did not change the proposed fee amounts.

What has not changed (important)

Nothing in this proposal is in effect yet.

USCIS’s Form N-400 page still lists current filing amounts:

  • $710 if you file online (full fee)
  • $760 if you file on paper (full fee)
  • $380 reduced fee (paper only, with required income documentation in Part 10)
  • $0 with an approved fee waiver (paper filing with Form I-912 or a written request)
  • Military naturalization fee exemptions remain available under statute

Always confirm the amount on the official USCIS Fee Schedule (G-1055) and the N-400 page before you pay.

The public comment period closed on August 24, 2026. The Federal Register page shows 2,250 comments were received. DHS must review comments and publish a final rule (with an effective date) before any new fees apply. There is no guaranteed timeline for a final rule.

What this means if you are preparing to apply

1. If you are eligible and your application is ready
Filing while today’s fee schedule is still in effect generally means you pay the fee in effect when USCIS receives your properly filed application. That can protect you from a future increase if a final rule later raises fees. Do not rush a weak or incomplete filing just to “beat” a proposal—errors delay cases and can waste money.

2. If you rely on a reduced fee or fee waiver
Those options still exist today. The proposal would eliminate them for N-400/N-336 if finalized as written. If you qualify now, review the current rules carefully and decide whether filing under today’s system is realistic for you.

3. If you are not yet eligible
Do not file early. Fee pressure is not a reason to submit an application that will be denied. Typical paths still require meeting residence, physical presence, good moral character, and other requirements before filing.

4. Keep studying for the civics test that matches your filing date
Separate from fees: if you file Form N-400 on or after October 20, 2025, you take the 2025 naturalization civics test (up to 20 questions from a bank of 128; you need 12 correct to pass). Filings before that date use the 2008 test (up to 10 from 100; need 6 correct). Official materials are free on USCIS’s Citizenship Resource Center. Practice scored mocks on our free practice test .

Quick checklist before you file

  • Confirm eligibility (including continuous residence and physical presence).
  • Gather required documents (green card copy, marriage/divorce records if needed, travel history, tax/child-support evidence if relevant, etc.).
  • Decide online vs. paper; reduced fee and fee waiver requests generally require paper filing.
  • Verify the exact fee on USCIS before paying.
  • Study the correct civics list for your filing date and update answers that change with elections (president, senators, representative, governor, etc.).

Civics-test connection (study hooks)

Fee rules are made through the federal regulatory process under authority Congress gave DHS/USCIS. That connects naturally to civics topics such as:

(Question numbers differ between the 2008 100-question list and the 2025 128-question list—use the official PDF that matches your test version. CitizenExams follows the 2025 128-question bank.)

Bottom line

The proposed naturalization fee increase is real and large, and the comment window has closed. But today’s applicants still pay today’s fees, and reduced fees and fee waivers are still available under current rules. Watch for a final rule on the Federal Register and USCIS news before assuming any new price is locked in.

This post summarizes public DHS and USCIS materials for educational context. It is not legal advice. For your own case, use uscis.gov or a qualified immigration attorney or accredited representative.

Official sources

  1. DHS, Naturalization Application Fee Adjustments, 91 FR 37500 (June 23, 2026)
  2. DHS, correction C1-2026-12542 (July 8, 2026)
  3. USCIS, Form N-400
  4. USCIS, Fee Schedule (G-1055)
  5. USCIS, Study for the Test (2008 vs 2025 civics rules)
  6. USCIS, Check for Test Updates
  7. Regulations.gov docket USCIS-2026-0265 (linked from the Federal Register NPRM; FR page reports 2,250 comments)