You still pay $760 to file Form N-400 on paper or $710 to file online. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) proposed raising those fees to $1,330 and $1,280 in a rule published on June 23, 2026, and the same proposal would end the $380 reduced fee and all fee waivers for naturalization. As of October 17, 2026, DHS has not published a final rule, so none of the proposed changes apply to an application you file today.
Last verified October 17, 2026. We checked the figures below against the Federal Register notice, the regulations.gov docket, the USCIS Form N-400 page, and the USCIS Fee Schedule (Form G-1055). Confirm the fee on uscis.gov on the day you file.
N-400 Fee Proposal at a Glance
Source: Naturalization Application Fee Adjustments, 91 FR 37500 (June 23, 2026).
Where the Proposal Stands Today
DHS published the notice of proposed rulemaking, titled "Naturalization Application Fee Adjustments," in the Federal Register on June 23, 2026 under docket number USCIS-2026-0265. A short correction followed on July 8, 2026. The public comment period closed on August 24, 2026.
DHS must now review the comments and publish a final rule in the Federal Register before any new fee can take effect. That final rule will state its own effective date. On October 17, 2026, the Federal Register lists only the proposed rule and its correction under this docket, and you can read the public comments in the docket on regulations.gov. USCIS published a new edition of its fee schedule on October 16, 2026 to add fees for several other forms. That edition lists Form N-400 at $760 on paper and $710 online, unchanged.
Current Fees Versus Proposed Fees
The table below comes from Table II.1 of the proposed rule. Form N-336 is the request for a hearing when USCIS denies an N-400.
| Form | Current Fee | Proposed Fee | Increase |
|---|---|---|---|
| N-400 (paper) | $760 | $1,330 | $570 (75%) |
| N-400 (online) | $710 | $1,280 | $570 (80%) |
| N-400 reduced fee (paper only) | $380 | Eliminated | Pays full fee |
| N-336 (paper) | $830 | $1,475 | $645 (78%) |
| N-336 (online) | $780 | $1,425 | $645 (83%) |
DHS would keep the $50 discount for filing online. The current fees date from the USCIS fee rule that took effect on April 1, 2024.
What Would Happen to the Reduced Fee and Fee Waivers
Today you can pay the $380 reduced fee if your household income is at or below 400 percent of the Federal Poverty Guidelines. You request it in Part 10 of a paper Form N-400 and attach proof of income. You can request a full fee waiver with Form I-912 if you receive a means-tested benefit, your household income is at or below 150 percent of the poverty guidelines, or you face extreme financial hardship. USCIS does not accept either request through online filing.
The proposed rule would remove both options for Form N-400 and would remove fee waivers for Form N-336. DHS wrote that reduced-fee applications made up 3.2 percent of non-military N-400 receipts after the income ceiling rose to 400 percent in 2024, and that it wants each form's fee to cover the full cost of adjudicating it. If the rule takes effect as written, an applicant who qualifies for the $380 reduced fee today would pay $1,330 instead.
Military Applicants Keep Their Exemption
Current and former members of the U.S. armed forces who apply under section 328 or 329 of the Immigration and Nationality Act pay no fee for Form N-400 or Form N-336. The proposed rule leaves that exemption in place. DHS noted in the notice that the exemption comes from statute, so the agency cannot remove it by regulation.
Should You File Before a Final Rule?
If you meet the eligibility requirements and your application is ready, filing now locks in the current fee. USCIS applies a new fee by postmark or submission date. The 2024 fee rule, for example, applied its fees to applications postmarked on or after April 1, 2024, and left earlier filings at the old amount.
Do not file early if you are not yet eligible. USCIS denies applications that fail the continuous residence, physical presence, or good moral character requirements, and you lose the filing fee when that happens. Check the naturalization eligibility requirements and the 90-day early filing rule before you decide.
If you plan to rely on the reduced fee or a fee waiver, file while those options exist. The proposal would remove both, so a later filing could cost the full $1,330.
How to Track the Rule
- Watch the Federal Register entry for a final rule under RIN 1615-AD08.
- Check the USCIS Fee Schedule for the Form N-400 line and its edition date before you mail or submit your application.
- Read the USCIS Form N-400 page for alerts. USCIS posts fee changes there with the effective date and the postmark rule that applies.
Some websites list the proposed amounts as current fees. USCIS does not charge them, and only a final rule in the Federal Register can change the fee.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the N-400 filing fee right now?
As of October 17, 2026, USCIS charges $760 to file Form N-400 on paper and $710 to file online. Applicants with household income at or below 400 percent of the Federal Poverty Guidelines can pay a reduced fee of $380 on a paper filing, and applicants who qualify can request a full fee waiver with Form I-912.
What are the proposed 2026 N-400 filing fees?
The proposed rule published in the Federal Register on June 23, 2026 would set the Form N-400 fee at $1,330 for paper filing and $1,280 for online filing. Those amounts take effect only if DHS publishes a final rule with an effective date.
Are fee waivers and reduced fees changing under the proposal?
The proposal would end the $380 reduced fee for Form N-400 and end fee waivers for both Form N-400 and Form N-336. Current and former members of the armed forces who apply under section 328 or 329 of the Immigration and Nationality Act would still pay no fee, because federal law requires that exemption.
Did DHS finalize the N-400 fee increase?
No. The public comment period closed on August 24, 2026, and as of October 17, 2026 DHS has not published a final rule. The USCIS fee schedule edition dated October 16, 2026 still lists the N-400 fee at $760 on paper and $710 online.
While you prepare your application, Citizenry gives you unlimited mock interviews in English and Spanish, including practice with the N-400 questions a USCIS officer reviews with you.
Official Sources
Sources last checked .
- USCIS: N-400, Application for Naturalization
- USCIS: G-1055, Fee Schedule
- Federal Register: Naturalization Application Fee Adjustments, proposed rule (June 23, 2026)
- Regulations.gov: Docket USCIS-2026-0265
- USCIS: I-912, Request for Fee Waiver
- Federal Register: Naturalization Application Fee Adjustments, correction (July 8, 2026)
- USCIS: Additional Information on Filing a Reduced Fee Request
- USCIS: News release: USCIS Issues Final Rule to Adjust Certain Immigration and Naturalization Fees
Related Articles
- N-400 Filing Fees and Fee Waivers Explained
- How Do I Fill Out Form N-400 Step by Step?
- What Documents Do I Need to File Form N-400?
- Naturalization Requirements: Are You Eligible for US Citizenship?
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