Overview
- An immediately effective final rule published in the Federal Register reduces the renunciation charge from $2,350 to $450, returning it to the 2010 level.
- The department describes the reduction as a policy move to ease access to Certificate of Loss of Nationality services, noting the new fee is below full processing cost and denying refunds or waivers.
- Officials estimate the cut will lower annual federal collections by about $8.9 million, and note fee revenue goes to the U.S. Treasury rather than funding consular operations.
- Renunciation requires an in-person appearance before a consular officer, multiple written and verbal attestations, a formal oath, and State Department review before issuing a Certificate of Loss of Nationality.
- The Association of Accidental Americans welcomed the rollback and said at least 8,755 people paid the higher fee since the 2023 announcement, as litigation over whether any fee should exist continues.