N-400 Filing Fee 2026: How Much Does Citizenship Cost?

The filing fee for paper-filed Form N-400 is $760. This is a flat fee set by USCIS that applies to all applicants regardless of age. Under the April 2024 fee rule, the biometrics fee was rolled into the single filing fee — there is no longer a separate biometrics charge or an age-based discount.

These fees were established by the April 2024 USCIS fee rule. USCIS periodically adjusts its fee schedule, so always verify the current amount at uscis.gov/forms/filing-fees before you file.

If you cannot afford the filing fee, you may request a fee waiver by submitting Form I-912, Request for Fee Waiver, with your N-400 application. USCIS will consider a fee waiver if your household income is at or below 150% of the federal poverty guidelines at the time of filing.

You can also qualify based on receiving a means-tested benefit (such as Medicaid, SNAP, or SSI) or by demonstrating financial hardship through documentation of debts, medical expenses, or other extraordinary circumstances.

If your fee waiver is approved, both the application fee and the biometrics fee are waived — you pay nothing to file. If the fee waiver is denied, USCIS will return your application and you will need to re-file with payment. A denied fee waiver does not count as a denied N-400 application.

Include Form I-912 and all supporting documentation (pay stubs, benefit approval letters, tax transcripts) in place of a payment form. Do not include both a payment form and a fee waiver request in the same package.

USCIS accepts three payment methods for the N-400 filing fee. Each method requires a specific authorization form that must be included in your application package. Choose one payment method only.

The N-400 filing fee is a flat charge that covers the entire naturalization process from receipt to oath. Here is what your payment includes:

• Application processing. USCIS staff review your N-400, verify information against government databases, and manage your case from receipt through adjudication.
• Background and security checks. Your fingerprints and biographical data are checked against FBI and other law enforcement databases.
• Biometrics appointment. The $70 biometrics portion covers the cost of collecting your fingerprints, photograph, and digital signature at an Application Support Center (ASC).
• Naturalization interview. An in-person interview with a USCIS officer who reviews your application, verifies your identity, and administers the English and civics tests.
• Oath ceremony. The final step where you take the Oath of Allegiance and receive your Certificate of Naturalization (Form N-550).

If USCIS denies your application, the filing fee is not refunded. If you need to reschedule your interview or biometrics appointment, there is no additional charge.

The USCIS filing fee covers government processing only. Several common costs associated with naturalization are not included:

• Attorney or legal representative fees. If you hire an immigration attorney to help with your application, their fees are separate. Attorney fees for naturalization typically range from $500 to $3,000 depending on complexity.
• Document procurement costs. Obtaining certified copies of birth certificates, marriage certificates, court records, police clearances, or foreign document translations is at your own expense.
• Passport-style photographs. If you are filing from outside the U.S. and need to submit photos, the cost of having them taken is not included.
• Travel expenses. Getting to your biometrics appointment, interview, and oath ceremony — including transportation, parking, and time off work — is your responsibility.
• Mailing costs. Postage for sending your application package to the USCIS lockbox. Using a trackable delivery method (recommended) adds additional cost.
• U.S. passport. After naturalization, your first U.S. passport application is a separate fee paid to the State Department, not USCIS.

USCIS fees are not fixed permanently. The agency periodically publishes fee rules that adjust filing fees across all form types. The current N-400 paper filing fee of $760 ($710 online) was established by the April 2024 fee rule. Previous fee adjustments occurred in 2016 and 2020 (though the 2020 rule was later vacated by a federal court).

When a fee change takes effect, USCIS typically provides a transition period during which applications with the old fee amount are still accepted. After the transition period, applications with the wrong fee are rejected.

Always check the current fee before filing. Visit uscis.gov/forms/filing-fees and search for Form N-400 to see the current amount. You can also call the USCIS Contact Center at 1-800-375-5283 to confirm the fee.

One of the most common reasons USCIS rejects an N-400 application is a missing or incorrectly completed payment form. When you prepare your N-400 application through FormSnake, the payment form is handled automatically:

• You select your preferred payment method (credit card, ACH bank transfer, or check/money order) during the guided interview.
• FormSnake includes the correct authorization form — G-1450, G-1650, or G-1651 — in your filing package.
• The fee amount ($760) is pre-filled automatically on your payment authorization form.
• If you are requesting a fee waiver, FormSnake omits the payment form entirely and includes instructions for filing Form I-912 separately.

Your complete filing package includes the N-400 form, payment authorization form, cover letter, personalized filing checklist, and mailing instructions — all as a single print-ready PDF. See the step-by-step filing guide for a walkthrough of the entire process, or review the filing checklist to see everything that goes into your application package.