Indian Green Card Holders Brace For Higher Costs As US Plans Citizenship Fee Hike – What We Know

The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has proposed a significant increase in the fee for permanent residents applying for American citizenship, marking a major shift in immigration-related charges. Under the draft rule, the cost of filing Form N-400 (Application for Naturalization) would rise by about 75%, making citizenship substantially more expensive for applicants.

As per the proposal, the fee for paper-based applications is set to increase from approximately $760 to $1,330, while online applications would rise from around $710 to $1,280. The revised structure is part of a broader review of immigration fees aimed at adjusting administrative costs, reported The Economic Times.

In addition to the steep hike, the proposal also eliminates reduced-fee options and fee waivers that currently help lower-income applicants. If implemented, this change would require most applicants to pay the full amount regardless of financial circumstances, effectively removing existing financial relief mechanisms.

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Additionally, the DHS intends to raise the costs for applicants appealing a rejected citizenship status through Form N-336. Under the new proposal, the fee to request a hearing after a denial would surge from $830 to $1,475 for paper applications, while online filings would see a similar jump from $780 to $1,425.

According to official data from the Ministry of External Affairs, the Indian diaspora in the United States reached roughly 6 million individuals as of January 2026. This population is divided into two distinct legal categories: Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs), who make up the majority, and Non-Resident Indians (NRIs), who account for the remaining citizens living abroad.

Indians are expected to be among the groups most affected by the proposed changes. As one of the largest communities of green card holders in the United States, Indian nationals account for a significant share of annual citizenship applications. Many apply for naturalization after years of waiting in the immigration system, and the higher fees, combined with the removal of waivers.

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