On November 8, 2019 the Trump administration proposed increasing the cost of applying for U.S. citizenship and a marriage-based green card, as well as for the first time charging a fee for asylum applications.
Under the new proposal, fees for citizenship would increase by more than 80%, from $640 to $1,170. For marriage-based green cards filed within the United States, application fees would increase by 56%, from $1,760 to $2,750. The government is also seeking to remove fee waivers on these forms, among others.
As you will see in the tables below, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) would remove certain fees, such as the cost for biometrics fee but charge for forms that currently cost nothing. For example, Form I-131 (“Application for Travel Document”), which allows someone living in the United States to travel abroad while awaiting their green card, is free, but will cost $585 under the new proposal.
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Although this new fee structure is proposed and not in effect yet, it may be financially beneficial to complete and submit applications before those increases come into effect in the new year.
Current fees versus proposed fees
Marriage-based green card:
Costs for Spouse Seeking a Marriage Green Card from Within the United States
| FEE TYPE | CURRENT FEE | PROPOSED FEE | $ CHANGE | % CHANGE |
| Family Sponsorship Form (I-130) | $535 | $555 | $20 | 3.74% |
| Green Card Application Form (I-485) | $1,140 | $1,120 | -$20 | -1.75% |
| Financial Support Form (I-864) | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Work Permit Application Form (I-765) | $0 | $490 | $490 | N/A |
| Travel Permit Application Form (I-131) | $0 | $585 | $585 | N/A |
| Biometrics (Fingerprints & Photo) | $85 | $0 | -$85 | -100.00% |
| Total | $1,760 | $2,750 | $990 | 56.25% |
Costs for Spouse Seeking a Marriage Green Card from Outside the United States
| FEE TYPE | CURRENT FEE | PROPOSED FEE | $ CHANGE | % CHANGE |
| Family Sponsorship Form (I-130) | $535 | $555 | $20 | 3.74% |
| Online Green Card Application (DS-260) | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Financial Support Form (I-864) | $120 | $120 | $0 | 0% |
| Biometrics (Fingerprints and Photo) | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| State Department Processing | $325 | $325 | $0 | 0% |
| USCIS Immigrant Fee | $220 | $200 | -$20 | -9.09% |
| Total | $1,200 | $1,200 | $0 | 0% |
Naturalization:
Costs for Green Card Holders Seeking Naturalization (U.S. Citizenship)
| FEE TYPE | CURRENT FEE | PROPOSED FEE | $ CHANGE | % CHANGE |
| Naturalization Application (N-400) | $640 | $1,170 | $530 | 82.81% |
| Biometrics (Fingerprints and Photo) | $85 | $0 | -$85 | 0% |
| Total | $725 | $1,170 | $445 | 61.38% |
Why is the government increasing application fees for immigrants?
Ken Cuccinelli, acting director of USCIS, said in a statement that the fee hike would help an “overextended system,” claiming that current fees would leave the agency underfunded by roughly $1.3 billion a year.
The government last increased naturalization fees in 2016, but only by 8%. The latest fee hike of more than 80% shows a much faster growth than inflation. In 1985, the application fee for citizenship was $35. If that figure had risen with inflation, fees in 2020 should be $85.
What happens next?
After the rule is published on Nov. 14, it will be open for a 30-day public comment period.