Last month, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) proposed a $35 increase in the application fee for American citizenship – raising the total cost to $760. This increase may seem modest, but it raises an already high barrier that prevents millions of low- and middle-income legal permanent residents from achieving this significant milestone.
Currently, there are over 9 million legal permanent residents eligible to apply for citizenship, but only 10% naturalize each year. High costs, lack of legal knowledge to guide the process, and language barriers prevent legal permanent residents from becoming citizens.
For many, the current fee of $725 is just the starting point – legal assistance can add thousands of dollars to the total bill. At a time when two out of three Americans cannot cover a $400 expense, these costs would be out of reach for many Americans, not just low-income immigrants.
As a result, the number of low-income legal permanent residents who naturalize each year lags behind those with higher incomes. Historically, increases in the application fee trigger a dramatic decline in the naturalization of less-educated (and likely low-income) immigrants and an increase in the number of years immigrants wait to become citizens.
More citizens, greater gains for the economy
Naturalizing legal permanent residents is not only transformative for the over 9 million eligible individuals, but it can also mean something positive for the economy. The employment rate for naturalized citizens is 2.2% higher, and they earn 8% to 11% more than qualified permanent residents. Naturalized citizens are also twice as likely to own a home compared to non-citizens. A study by the Urban Institute found that if eligible immigrants for naturalization became citizens, the federal, state, and local tax revenue in their cities would increase by $2 billion.
Fee Waiver
It is important to emphasize, however, that low-income immigrants may qualify for a fee waiver if their income is at or below 150% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines at the time of application. You can check the poverty levels for this year on Form I-912P, HHS Poverty Guidelines for Fee Waiver Requests.
Source: The Hill