N-600 Application Fee: Cost, Payment, and Waivers

The N-600 application fee is $1,385, the amount USCIS charges to process Form N-600 and issue a Certificate of Citizenship recognizing that you acquired or derived U.S. citizenship through a parent.¹ The fee is the same whether you file online or by mail, it covers any required biometrics, and it is non-refundable regardless of whether USCIS approves your application. Military service members filing for themselves pay nothing, and applicants who cannot afford the fee may qualify for a waiver.

Consider a Passport Before Paying $1,385

The N-600 instructions themselves note that you are not required to obtain a Certificate of Citizenship. If you already qualify as a U.S. citizen through a parent, you can instead apply for a U.S. passport through the Department of State as evidence of your citizenship.² A first-time adult passport book costs $165 total: a $130 application fee plus a $35 acceptance fee.³ That is more than $1,200 less than the N-600.

A passport works as valid proof of citizenship for employment verification, federal benefits, and travel. The Certificate of Citizenship never expires, which is why some people want both. But if your goal is simply to document that you are a citizen, the passport route accomplishes it at a fraction of the cost.

How to Pay the Fee

You can file Form N-600 online through a USCIS account or by mailing a paper application.⁴ Online filing is not available if you are applying from outside the United States, requesting a fee waiver, or a military member or veteran filing on your own behalf. Those applications must go by mail.

Paying Online

Online filers are routed to the Department of the Treasury’s pay.gov portal to complete payment. Accepted methods include credit card, debit card, prepaid card, and direct bank account withdrawal (ACH).¹

Paying by Mail

USCIS no longer accepts personal checks, cashier’s checks, or money orders for paper-filed forms. As of October 28, 2025, the only accepted payment methods are credit or debit card payments using Form G-1450 and ACH bank account withdrawals using Form G-1650.⁵ Include the completed payment form with your application package. A declined payment leads USCIS to reject the entire application.

Fee Waivers for Applicants Who Cannot Pay

If you cannot afford the $1,385 fee, you may qualify for a waiver by filing Form I-912 with your N-600.⁶ USCIS reviews each request individually. You can qualify on one of three grounds:

You, your spouse, or a parent (if you are under 21) currently receives a means-tested benefit such as Medicaid, Supplemental Security Income, SNAP, or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families.
Your adjusted gross household income is at or below 150% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines for your household size.
You face financial hardship, such as a medical emergency, job loss, eviction, homelessness, or a natural disaster.

The 2026 income thresholds at 150% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines for the 48 contiguous states are:⁷

1 person: $23,940
2 people: $32,460
3 people: $40,980
4 people: $49,500
5 people: $58,020
6 people: $66,540
7 people: $75,060
8 people: $83,580

Add $8,520 for each additional person beyond eight. Alaska and Hawaii have higher thresholds. Attach supporting documentation with Form I-912, such as benefit award letters, tax returns, or pay stubs. Fee waiver requests cannot be filed online; the paper version must go by mail.⁴

Military Fee Exemption

Current members and veterans of any branch of the U.S. Armed Forces owe no filing fee when submitting Form N-600 on their own behalf. The exemption is personal to the service member. A U.S. citizen parent filing for a child pays the standard $1,385 fee even if the parent has military service.⁴

Other Costs You Should Expect

The filing fee is rarely the only cost of getting a Certificate of Citizenship.

Documents and Translations

You will need certified copies of birth certificates, marriage certificates, and possibly divorce or adoption records. Fees vary by jurisdiction, typically $10 to $30 per document. Any document not in English requires a certified translation, where the translator attests to accuracy and competence.⁸ Certified translations of a single vital record like a birth certificate generally start around $25 and run higher for longer or less common languages.

DNA Testing

If USCIS or the Department of State questions the biological relationship between you and your U.S. citizen parent, you may be asked to undergo DNA testing through an AABB-accredited laboratory. The test must show 99.5% or greater certainty.⁹ Costs typically run $300 to $500 or more depending on the facility and whether testing takes place in the United States or overseas. You cannot choose your own collection site; the process runs through the accredited lab and the relevant government office.

Attorney Fees

You are not required to hire an attorney, and straightforward cases often don’t need one. If your case involves gaps in documentation, questions about legitimation or paternity, or a complex custody history, legal help can matter. Immigration attorneys typically charge between $500 and $2,500 for N-600 cases, depending on complexity and location, on top of the USCIS filing fee.

If USCIS Denies Your Application

A denial does not trigger a refund. The $1,385 filing fee is non-refundable regardless of the outcome. If you want to challenge the decision, you can file Form I-290B, Notice of Appeal or Motion, which carries its own $800 filing fee.¹⁰ The denial notice will explain the reasons and your options.

Replacing a Lost or Damaged Certificate

If your Certificate of Citizenship is later lost, stolen, or damaged, replacing it means filing Form N-565, Application for Replacement Naturalization/Citizenship Document. The replacement fee is $505 online or $555 by mail.¹⁰ Keep your original in a secure location. For day-to-day proof of citizenship, a U.S. passport or passport card is a safer thing to carry than the certificate itself.

1
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Filing Fees
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U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Form N-600, Instructions for Application for Certificate of Citizenship
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U.S. Department of State. Passport Fees
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U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. N-600, Application for Certificate of Citizenship
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U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. USCIS to Modernize Fee Payments with Electronic Funds
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U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Form I-912, Instructions for Request for Fee Waiver
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U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. 2026 Poverty Guidelines – 48 Contiguous States
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U.S. Department of State. Information about Translating Foreign Documents
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U.S. Department of State. Information for Parents on U.S. Citizenship and DNA Testing
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U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Frequently Asked Questions on the USCIS Fee Rule