Citizenship filings decline after fee hike

Following an increase last summer in citizenship fees, about 281,000 immigrants have petitioned to become U.S. citizens in the first half of 2008 — less than half the number of applicants in the same period last year, according to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (and here). The decline follows a rush of applications before fees shot up at the end of July 2007 from $400 to $675.

The Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights released a report today on the decline in naturalization applications since the fee increase that took effect last summer. It is entitled  “Priced Out: U.S. Citizenship, a Privilege for the Rich and Well Educated?”  Download pricedout1.pdf  Here are some conclusions:

• Organizations that provide services to immigrants are saying that the fee for citizenship is discouraging some of their low-income clients from applying;

• Nationwide, applications for citizenship are down 50% from where they were before immigrants learned about the fee increases in February 2007;

• The report raises questions about the increasing burden the government is placing on low-income immigrants who want to become citizens.

KJ