By Ayo Kehinde
Americans living abroad have received a major relief after the United States government slashed the fee required to formally renounce its citizenship by more than 80 percent, reducing the cost from $2,350 to $450.
According to a notice published in the Federal Register, the official journal of the U.S. government, the new consular fee will take effect on April 13.
The reduction reverses a steep price increase introduced in 2015 and restores the fee to the level it was when the renunciation charge was first implemented in 2010.
Authorities said the decision followed concerns raised by Americans residing overseas, particularly over tax-related obligations associated with their citizenship.
The notice stated that the change was made after considering “not insignificant anecdotal evidence regarding tax-related difficulties many U.S. nationals residing abroad encounter.”
The development has been welcomed by the Association of Accidental Americans, a Paris-based non-profit organisation that advocates for individuals who unknowingly acquired U.S. citizenship through birth or parentage.
Reacting to the announcement, the group described the reduction as a significant breakthrough following years of advocacy and legal action.
“The U.S. Department of State today filed a final rule, effective March 13, 2026, reducing the fee for renouncing U.S. citizenship (Certificate of Loss of Nationality) from $2,350 to $450. The Association des Américains Accidentels welcomes this decision, which acknowledges the necessity of making this fundamental right accessible to all”, said Fabien Lehagre, founder and president of the organisation, in a statement posted on X.
Lehagre noted that the decision followed six years of sustained legal efforts and advocacy by the group, adding that the struggle to have the right to renounce citizenship recognised as a fundamental constitutional right would continue.
Unlike many countries that tax residents based on where they live, the United States taxes citizens based on nationality regardless of residence. The policy has drawn criticism from advocacy groups representing Americans abroad.
Under regulations such as the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act, U.S. citizens must disclose detailed information about foreign bank accounts when filing annual tax returns, a requirement that many expatriates say has created compliance challenges.
