The State Department cut the fee for Americans to renounce their citizenship by 80 percent, dropping the cost from $2,350 to $450 effective April 13, ending years of legal battles with advocacy groups who argued the high price violated constitutional rights.
Six-Year Legal Battle Ends With Fee Reduction
The department published its final rule in the Federal Register on Friday, implementing a fee reduction first promised in 2023 but never enacted. The Association of Accidental Americans, a France-based group representing people born in the United States but living abroad, filed multiple lawsuits challenging the constitutionality of the $2,350 fee. President Fabien Lehagre called the reduction a direct result of six years of relentless legal action. One lawsuit remains pending, arguing that no fee should exist at all for citizens exercising this fundamental right.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio cuts the fee to renounce U.S. citizenship by 80%, dropping it from $2,350 to $450, while warning visas will be revoked for visitors acting against America’s national interest. pic.twitter.com/YAFgRqTodd
— Brandon Straka #WalkAway (@BrandonStraka) March 14, 2026
The State Department dramatically raised the renunciation fee from $450 to $2,350 in 2015, citing administrative costs as Americans seeking to abandon citizenship surged following new tax reporting requirements for expatriates. Since the 2023 announcement of the fee reduction, at least 8,755 Americans have paid the full $2,350 to complete the renunciation process. The State Department declined to provide the total number of Americans who have renounced citizenship. The new $450 fee returns the cost to its original 2010 level when the department first started charging for renunciations.
Complex Process Requires Multiple Confirmations
Renouncing citizenship involves an intensive, lengthy procedure requiring applicants to repeatedly confirm through written and verbal attestations to consular officers that they understand the implications. After providing multiple confirmations, applicants must take a formal oath of renunciation before a State Department official. The department then reviews the entire application before granting final approval. The multi-step process aims to ensure Americans fully comprehend the permanent consequences of surrendering citizenship, including loss of constitutional protections and the right to live and work in the United States.
What This Means for Americans Abroad
The fee reduction particularly impacts accidental Americans, individuals born in the United States but raised abroad with minimal ties to the country. These citizens face burdensome tax reporting requirements despite living overseas their entire lives. The lower cost removes a significant financial barrier for those seeking to formalize their departure from American citizenship. Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s department made the change amid ongoing debates about citizenship rights and government fees for constitutional processes. The reduction represents a rare government acknowledgment that administrative fees should not prevent citizens from exercising fundamental rights.