This archive report was first published on 10 November 2019.
The Trump administration has proposed a massive hike in the citizenship application fee, from $640 to $1,170, an 85% increase, as part of a proposed rule sent to the Federal Register on November 8, 2019.
According to the proposed rule, the increased fee is aimed at promoting naturalization and immigrant integration, as stated in the rule: "In crafting prior fee rules, DHS reasoned that setting the Form N-400 fee at an amount less than its estimated costs and shifting those costs to other fee payers was appropriate in order to promote naturalization and immigrant integration."
The proposed rule also introduces a new fee for asylum applications, which would require applicants to pay a $50 fee if the rule goes into effect.
Additionally, the rule contains increases for other immigration services and benefits, with a weighted average increase of 21%.
USCIS, an agency within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), relies heavily on application fees and is required by law to conduct fee reviews and recommend adjustments every two years.
As part of the proposed rule, USCIS plans to transfer $200 million to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), another agency within DHS.
