Section 1 Short title
This Act may be cited as the “Citizenship Affordability Act”.
Citizenship Affordability Act
A BILL
To limit the fees charged and collected from applicants for naturalization and related benefits based on poverty, and for other purposes.
Sec. 2 Permanent full and partial income-based naturalization fee waivers
Section 344(b) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1455(b)) is amended—
in the enumerator, by striking “(b)” and inserting “(b)(1)”; and
by adding at the end the following:
“(2) Notwithstanding the provisions of this Act or any other law, the following fee waivers shall apply:
“(A) In the case of an alien whose income is less than 150 percent of the Federal poverty line, no fee shall be charged or collected for—
“(i) the filing of an application for naturalization or the issuance of a certificate of naturalization upon admission to citizenship;
“(ii) the filing of an application to preserve residence for naturalization purposes;
“(iii) the filing of an application for a replacement naturalization or citizenship document;
“(iv) the filing of an application for citizenship and issuance of certificate of citizenship under section 322 (Form N–600K);
“(v) the filing of an application for certificate of citizenship (Form N–600); or
“(vi) a biometrics capture or background check associated with any application described in clauses (i), (ii), (iii), and (iv).
“(B) In the case of an alien whose income is less than 250 percent of the Federal poverty line, not more than 50 percent of the applicable fee shall be charged or collected for—
“(i) the filing of an application for naturalization or the issuance of a certificate of naturalization upon admission to citizenship;
“(ii) the filing of an application to preserve residence for naturalization purposes;
“(iii) the filing of an application for a replacement naturalization or citizenship document;
“(iv) the filing of an application for citizenship and issuance of certificate of citizenship under section 322 (Form N–600K);
“(v) the filing of an application for certificate of citizenship (Form N–600); or
“(vi) a biometrics capture or background check associated with any application described in clauses (i), (ii), (iii), and (iv).
“(3) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Secretary of Homeland Security shall consider the receipt of means-tested benefits as a criterion for the purpose of demonstrating eligibility for a fee waiver under paragraph (2).
“(4) In this subsection, the term Federal poverty line has the meaning given such term by the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, as revised annually by the Secretary of Health and Human Services, in accordance with section 673(2) of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1981 (42 U.S.C. 9902).”