The true cost of U.S. immigration extends far beyond government filing fees, and the burden falls unevenly across states, according to the 2026 U.S. Immigration Affordability Index released today by CitizenPath. The study evaluates the full, realistic expenses of six common immigration pathways, converting them into hours of work and percentages of household income. Because USCIS charges identical fees nationwide, affordability hinges on local wage levels.
In Mississippi, the least affordable state, a minimum-wage worker must labor approximately 111 hours—nearly three weeks—to afford U.S. citizenship, compared to about 45 hours in Washington, D.C. The most common family-based immigration route, a marriage-based green card, consumes about 76% of a typical Mississippi household's monthly income, versus 41% in Washington, D.C. The fee is the same; the financial impact is not.
Key findings from the index include a typical do-it-yourself cost ranging from about $494 for a green card renewal to $3,883 for a K-1 fiancé visa. A marriage-based green card costs about $3,744, of which roughly $700 are non-government expenses. For a couple earning 150% of the federal poverty line, a DIY marriage green card equals about 138% of a month's income—more than a full month's pay. Hiring an immigration attorney roughly doubles these costs, pushing a marriage green card to about $8,344 and a K-1 to $9,183 for straightforward cases.
The least affordable states are Mississippi, Louisiana, Kentucky, Oklahoma, and Alabama—all among the 20 states still at the $7.25 federal minimum wage. Conversely, the most affordable are Washington, D.C., Washington, California, New Jersey, and Connecticut. The burden is poised to increase: in June 2026, the Department of Homeland Security proposed raising the naturalization fee by up to 75%—from $760 to $1,330 for paper filers—and eliminating fee waivers, which would disproportionately affect the lower-income families already paying the largest share of their income.
"The Index shows how heavily these costs fall on lower-income families," said Russ Leimer, CitizenPath co-founder and CEO. "But even a couple earning $100,000 a year pays about 45% of a month's income for a marriage green card—and that's before hiring an attorney." Cesar Luna, CitizenPath co-founder and immigration attorney, added, "I regularly see families delay or give up on applications they qualify for, purely because of cost. Cost, not eligibility, is what stops many of these families from immigrating the legal way—the way the government tells them to."
The index covers six journeys across all 50 states and the District of Columbia, built on verified government fees and typical self-preparation costs—never on CitizenPath's own pricing. The full report, a state-by-state data appendix, a downloadable CSV, and an interactive dashboard are available at citizenpath.com/immigration-affordability-index/ and are free to republish with attribution. Cite as: CitizenPath U.S. Immigration Affordability Index, 2026 Edition.
