US Slashes Citizenship Renunciation Fee 80% to $450
After six years of advocacy, Americans can now renounce their citizenship for $450 instead of $2,350. The victory makes a fundamental right accessible to thousands who were priced out by the 2015 fee hike.
Getting rid of a citizenship you never asked for just became 80% more affordable.
The State Department dropped its renunciation fee from $2,350 to $450 this week, finally delivering on a 2023 promise after years of legal pressure. The new cost matches what the department originally charged when it first started billing for renunciations back in 2010.
The change is a huge win for people called "Accidental Americans." These are mostly folks living abroad who got US citizenship simply by being born on American soil, often while their parents were just visiting or working temporarily.
The France-based Association of Accidental Americans led the charge with multiple lawsuits arguing the steep fee violated constitutional rights. President Fabien Lehagre called it "a victory" after six years of relentless legal action.
The fee had jumped from $450 to $2,350 in 2015 as more Americans sought to renounce their citizenship. Many were frustrated by complex tax reporting requirements that followed them overseas, even if they'd never actually lived in the US as adults.
Since 2023, when the reduction was first announced but not implemented, at least 8,755 Americans paid the full $2,350 rather than wait. That's nearly $21 million spent on a process that now costs a fraction of the price.
The Bright Side
Making this process affordable means people stuck in citizenship limbo can finally move forward with their lives. For Accidental Americans who face banking difficulties and tax headaches in their home countries due to US citizenship they never chose, the lower fee removes a major barrier.
The renunciation process itself remains thorough. Applicants must confirm multiple times, in writing and verbally, that they understand what they're giving up before taking a formal oath. This ensures people make informed decisions about such a serious step.
The advocacy group isn't done yet. They still have a pending lawsuit arguing there should be no fee at all for renouncing citizenship, calling it a fundamental right that shouldn't come with a price tag.
Persistence paid off, and thousands of people now have access to a choice that was financially out of reach.
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Based on reporting by Egypt Independent
This story was written by BrightWire based on verified news reports.
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