The US Department of State has significantly reduced the fee for renouncing citizenship by approximately 80%, decreasing it from $2,350 to $450. The new regulation, set to take effect on April 13, will lower the cost for Americans, particularly those residing overseas, to officially renounce their citizenship.
The fee reduction reverses a 2015 regulation that made the process of relinquishing US citizenship one of the most costly globally. The new fee is equivalent to what it was in 2010, when the US State Department initially started imposing charges on Americans wishing to formally abandon their citizenship.
According to The Guardian, the Internal Revenue Service reported that approximately 4,820 people renounced their citizenship in 2024. While there is no legal requirement for individuals to declare their motivation for renouncing US citizenship, anecdotal evidence suggested that difficulties were due at least in part to reporting requirements.
The act of renouncing U.S. citizenship continues to be intricate and lengthy, requiring applicants to attend in person at a U.S. embassy or consulate, fulfill several written and verbal confirmations, take a formal oath of renunciation, and await final approval and the issuance of a Certificate of Loss of Nationality (CLN).
The duration of the process may extend to several months or more, contingent upon the availability of appointments at U.S. consulates and embassies.
