The U.S. State Department has reduced the fee for renouncing American citizenship by around 80%, lowering it from $2,350 to $450. The new fee came into effect after the department published a final rule in the Federal Register on Friday.
Officials had already announced plans for the reduction in 2023, but they had not implemented it until now. The updated cost returns to the original level set in 2010, when the government first introduced a formal charge for giving up citizenship.
Renouncing U.S. citizenship remains a complex and time-consuming process. Applicants must complete multiple written and verbal confirmations with a consular officer to confirm they fully understand the consequences. They must then take a formal oath of renunciation, which the State Department reviews before approval.
The fee increased sharply in 2015, rising from $450 to $2,350. Authorities said the higher charge helped cover administrative costs as more people began giving up U.S. citizenship. The rise in renunciations followed stricter tax reporting rules for Americans living abroad.
The increase faced strong criticism from advocacy groups, including the France-based Association of Accidental Americans. The group represents individuals who hold U.S. citizenship only because they were born in the country but live elsewhere.
The association challenged the fee in court and argued that renouncing citizenship should not involve any cost. It also welcomed the latest reduction and described it as a major win after years of legal action.
According to court filings, at least 8,755 people paid the higher $2,350 fee after the 2023 announcement of a planned reduction. The State Department has not released total figures for how many Americans have formally renounced their citizenship.
