WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. State Department has reduced the fee required for Americans to renounce their citizenship by roughly 80%, lowering the cost from $2,350 to $450.
The change took effect Friday after the department published a final rule in the Federal Register. Officials said the adjustment restores the cost to the same level that existed in 2010 when the government first began charging a fee for formally giving up U.S. citizenship.
Renouncing citizenship is a lengthy process that requires applicants to appear before a State Department consular officer and repeatedly confirm they understand the legal consequences of the decision. Individuals must complete multiple written and verbal attestations before taking a formal oath of renunciation, after which the department reviews the request.
The fee had previously been raised in 2015 as the number of Americans seeking to renounce their citizenship increased. Officials at the time said the higher cost was meant to cover administrative expenses tied to processing applications.
The reduction follows years of legal challenges from advocacy groups representing Americans living abroad. One of the organizations, the France-based Association of Accidental Americans, argued the fee was excessively high and limited access to the legal right to renounce citizenship.
Fabien Lahagre, president of the group, said the fee reduction represents a victory after six years of legal advocacy aimed at making the process more accessible.
Sources:
Discover more from News Facts Network
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
