What is the filing fee?
Answer
Usually $640
Explanation
The filing fee for Form N-400, the Application for Naturalization, is currently $710 for online filing and $760 for paper filing, under the USCIS fee schedule effective April 1, 2024 (Final Rule on Fee Schedule, 89 Fed. Reg. 6194, January 31, 2024). The new fee replaced the prior structure of a $640 form fee plus an $85 biometric services fee, which together totaled $725. The current fee for most applicants includes the cost of biometric services.
The civics test prep materials and many older guides still reference the legacy $640 figure; that figure is the form fee under the structure in effect from 2016 to early 2024. Reduced and waived fees are available. Applicants with household income between 150 percent and 400 percent of the federal poverty guidelines may file Form I-942 (Request for Reduced Fee) and pay $405 instead of $710 for online filing. Applicants with household income at or below 150 percent of the federal poverty guidelines, those receiving certain means-tested public benefits (such as Medicaid, SNAP, SSI, or TANF), or those experiencing financial hardship may file Form I-912 (Request for Fee Waiver) to have the fee waived entirely.
Applicants who are 75 years or older are not required to pay a biometric services fee even when one would otherwise apply. Members of the U.S. armed forces who file under sections 328 (general military service) or 329 (service in time of designated hostilities) of the Immigration and Nationality Act pay no fee. Fees are paid to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and are nonrefundable; if an application is denied or withdrawn, the fee is not returned.
Payment may be made by credit or debit card, money order, cashier's check, or personal check made payable to U.S. Department of Homeland Security; online filers pay by credit card or bank transfer through the my.uscis.gov account. USCIS reviews fees periodically and updates them through the federal rulemaking process; the previous full fee adjustment was in 2016, before the 2024 rule. Applicants should always verify the current fee on the USCIS website at uscis.gov/n-400 before filing, as fees can change.
Why this matters for your test
Knowing the fee allows applicants to plan financially for naturalization and to determine whether they qualify for a reduced fee or fee waiver. Filing without the correct fee is one of the most common reasons applications are rejected at intake, so confirming the current fee on the USCIS website is essential before submitting Form N-400.
Source: USCIS Application Guide (2025)
