U.S. Citizenship Costs Significantly Increase, Making It More Difficult for Immigrants to Become Residents

For millions of people, the very first step in the great American Dream is actually becoming an American. But since the first soon-to-be Americans arrived on the Mayflower 400 years ago, the application process has become far more complicated. 

Many Americans may not know that every person who flies into or even through the United States has to apply for a visa, unless they’re part of the visa waiver program. This visa waiver program, known as the ESTA, costs $21 and can be completed online from anywhere in the world. But it only lasts for 90 days and 41 countries are currently part of the program. 

Filing for a US visa is not simple. Almost every visa contains several applications that each have specific requirements, notarized documents, original copies, bank statements, etc.

Just one typo on one of the many applications could lead to a refusal from the USCIS. And if that happens, the organization does not refund the application fee. 

It can cost anywhere from $500 to $3,500 to hire a lawyer to help with a citizenship application. However, that doesn’t include the price tag set by the USCIS.

Confused? The application process is extremely challenging to understand, even without the complicated government paperwork. Essentially, no person can apply to be a citizen of the USA unless they have been a permanent resident for five years. But how does one become a permanent resident?

The USCIS released a statement on February 26, 2024, that said, “The USCIS Stabilization Act established the current premium processing fees and the authority for the Department of Homeland Security to adjust the premium fees on a biennial basis. After leaving these fees unchanged for the three years following passage of the Act, DHS is now increasing the premium processing fees.”

According to the statement, forms for Petitions for Nonimmigrant Workers will increase from $1,500 to $1,685; for Immigrant Petition for Alien Workers, the new fee is $2,805 instead of $2,500; forms or Application to Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status went from $1,750 to $1,965; finally, for Applications for Employment authorization, the new pierce is $1,685 instead of $1,500. 

While these price increases may seem small on paper, it’s important to remember that the vast majority of people applying have already paid thousands in lawyers fees, as well as written many other checks for the many forms within each application. 

What’s especially frustrating about the increase in application costs is that those payments are not refunded if the application is denied. In fact, many people desperate to get their Green Cards have paid the nearly $2,000 fee several times after being rejected. 

With the 2024 presidential election right around the corner, the debate regarding foreign immigration to the United States is more intense than ever. 

If one were to go back 400 years in time, 100% of the US population would have been made up of immigrants from other countries. Today, several generations later, foreign nationals make up only 14% of the 340 million person population.