How much does it cost to become a U.S. citizen?
The government's price is one form fee — and there are four versions of it, depending on income and service. The rest of the cost question is what help costs, if any. This page itemizes all of it from the current USCIS fee schedule and the substantiated attorney-fee record. Every figure is cited; this is general information, not advice about any individual case.
The filing fee, four ways
Under the current G-1055 schedule the N-400 costs $760 on paper or $710 online — with no separate biometric fee. Two lower categories exist: a $380 reduced fee with documented household income at or below 400% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines (paper only), and $0 for applicants filing under the military provisions.
The fee waiver
A full fee waiver can be requested on Form I-912 for those who qualify under its standards. One mechanical consequence matters at filing time: an application with a fee-waiver or reduced-fee request cannot be filed online — those go on paper. USCIS fees change periodically — before filing, verify current amounts on the official USCIS fee schedule (Form G-1055) at uscis.gov/g-1055.
What help costs
Attorney fees for naturalization run roughly $1,000–$2,500 — citizenship is among the simpler immigration filings, which is why its attorney market sits well below the $3,000–$8,000 family-case range. Guided self-filing with Pop Immigration starts at $197 one-time: the checklist, the document audit, and the filing pathway, without the hourly meter. Complex situations — criminal history, prior removal proceedings, prior denials — are attorney territory, and worth every dollar of it.
Free. About 4 minutes. See your forms and your total cost before you pay anything.
The fee nobody plans for
USCIS filing fees are generally not refunded when an application is rejected or denied. The $760 rides on the application being right — which makes the checklist and the document check the cheapest insurance in the process.
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How much is the N-400 filing fee?
$760 on paper, $710 online, under the current G-1055 schedule — no separate biometric fee. Fees change; verify at uscis.gov/g-1055.
Is there a cheaper fee for lower incomes?
Yes — $380 with documented household income at or below 400% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines (paper filing only).
Is there a fee waiver?
Form I-912 requests a full fee waiver under its standards; waiver and reduced-fee filings must be on paper. Military-provision applicants pay $0.
What does a citizenship lawyer cost?
Roughly $1,000–$2,500 for naturalization, per the published 2026 fee guides on record — well below family-case rates, because the filing is simpler.
What's the cheapest safe way to file?
Self-filing with the $760 fee and a rigorous checklist. Guided self-filing ($197 one-time) adds the document audit and the prepared pathway; an attorney ($1,000–$2,500) is the right call for complex histories.
Do rejected applications get the fee back?
Generally no — USCIS filing fees are not refunded on rejection or denial.