The U.S. State Department has officially reduced the fee to formally renounce American citizenship by 80 percent, lowering the cost from $2,350 to $450. The new fee took effect immediately upon publication in the Federal Register on March 13, 2026. The reduction returns the fee to its pre-2015 level, addressing widespread criticism that the exorbitant cost unfairly penalized Americans living abroad.
The fee was originally raised in 2015 to cover administrative costs as the number of expatriates seeking to renounce their citizenship surged, largely in response to complex U.S. tax reporting requirements for citizens living overseas. The dramatic price drop follows years of legal battles led by groups representing "accidental Americans"—individuals who hold U.S. citizenship solely because they were born in the United States but have lived their entire lives abroad. The $450 fee will apply to all renunciation appointments scheduled on or after April 13, 2026. The State Department noted that the reduction is a policy determination to ensure the fundamental right to renounce citizenship remains accessible.