The Obama administration on Thursday announced several steps aimed at encouraging more people to become U.S. citizens, including one that will likely take the financial sting out of the naturalization process for many.
Until now, fees for applying for citizenship had to be paid by check or money order, which means they had to have the money up front. As of this week, the filing fee is $595, and a “biometric” fee of $85 fee is also assessed.
But U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services said that as part of President Obama’s executive actions on immigration last year, they will ease that rule.
“On Sept. 19, USCIS will begin accepting and processing credit card payments for the naturalization application and biometrics fee,” the agency said. “Until now, the fees could only be paid with a check or money order. Many permanent residents who are eligible for citizenship may find it more convenient to pay naturalization fees using a credit card.”
USCIS listed the change as one of several “customer service enhancements.” Those enhancements were developed by Obama’s White House Task Force on New Americans, which was created last November in the wake of Obama’s immigration decision.
The agency also said it has reached an agreement with the U.S. Department of Agriculture to use some of their office space in rural areas, to better serve residents who are trying to become citizens.
“This pilot project will help USCIS evaluate whether it can better serve customers in these communities through this kind of an arrangement,” it said.
Additionally, USCIS said it will develop “new tools” to help permanent residents prepare for the naturalization process, including by helping people locate citizenship classes. It has also set up a practice civics test, which is in English now, although the agency said “other languages” would soon follow.
USCIS is also taking other actions to meet Obama’s mandate that it find ways to promote citizenship, including a citizenship awareness campaign that started in California, New York, Texas and Florida. It said that campaign would soon expand to New Jersey, Illinois, Massachusetts, Virginia, Washington and Arizona.
“Together, these 10 states are home to 75 percent of the country’s 13.3 million permanent residents,” USCIS said.
Finally, the agency said it has renewed an arrangement with the National Park Service to hold naturalization ceremonies at hundreds of public sites around the country.
