State Department Significantly Lowers Fee to Renounce U.S. Citizenship
WASHINGTON (AP) — The State Department has reduced the fee for Americans to formally renounce their U.S. Citizenship by approximately 80%, responding to years of legal challenges. The final rule, published in the Federal Register on Friday, lowers the cost from $2,350 to $450.
The new fee, effective immediately, fulfills a promise made in 2023 but previously unimplemented. It returns the cost to the level charged when the State Department first began requiring a fee for renunciation in 2010.
Renouncing U.S. Citizenship is a complex process requiring applicants to repeatedly attest, both in writing and verbally, to a State Department consular officer, their understanding of the implications before formally taking an oath. The department then reviews the application.
The fee was increased to $2,350 in 2015, citing the need to cover administrative expenses as the number of Americans seeking to renounce their citizenship rose. This increase coincided with new U.S. Tax reporting requirements for American expatriates, which proved unpopular with many.
The substantial fee increase faced opposition, notably from the France-based Association of Accidental Americans. This group represents individuals living abroad who obtained U.S. Citizenship solely through birth in the United States.
The Association of Accidental Americans filed multiple lawsuits challenging the fee’s constitutionality, including a pending case arguing that there should be no cost to renounce citizenship. “The Association of Accidental Americans welcomes this decision, which acknowledges the necessity of making this fundamental right accessible to all,” said President Fabien Lahagre in a statement. “This victory is the direct result of six years of relentless legal action and advocacy.”
According to the association, at least 8,755 Americans paid the $2,350 fee to renounce their citizenship after the 2023 announcement of the impending reduction. The State Department has not released the total number of Americans who have renounced their citizenship.
Read the full rule in the Federal Register.