cost to renounce U.S. citizenship soon to be US$ 2350

The State Dept. is set to raise the fee of renouncing US citizenship from $450 to $2350 as of 12 September. See:

http://blogs.wsj.com/totalreturn/2014/08/30/government-fee-to-give-up-u-s-citizenship-is-raised-fivefold/ [nofollow]

http://isaacbrocksociety.ca/2014/08/27/state-department-to-hike-renunciation-fees-to-us2350-says-no-public-benefit-in-respecting-human-right-to-change-nationality/ [nofollow]

http://www.forbes.com/sites/robertwood/2014/08/28/u-s-hikes-fee-to-renounce-citizenship-by-422/ [nofollow]

The official notice is here:

https://www.federalregister.gov/articles/2014/08/28/2014-20516/schedule-of-fees-for-consular-services-department-of-state-and-overseas-embassies-and [nofollow] (you may comment until 21 October 2014, not that anyone will care.)

Yet more evidence that the US government could careless about Human Rights, such as Article 15 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (signed by the USA), which states "No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his nationality nor denied the right to change his nationality."

Ugh. Disgusting.
What about if you did something like join the army? Would you have to pay then? Surely I remember something about how you lose your citizenship if you join the military of another country. My good friend in Uni played the harp for the TA band, sounds alright to me!

I honestly wonder if this is more costly than getting a Green Card now.

The cost of US naturalization (post-Green Card) is evidently  $680, so giving up US nationality is far more valuable than actually taking it in the first place. 

They don't want to lose our tax revenue.  Could be worse -- they could condemn us to spend the rest of our lives on board ship like Philip Nolan (The Man Without a Country).  Actually, that wouldn't be too bad ...

Could be worse -- they could condemn us to spend the rest of our lives on board ship like Philip Nolan (The Man Without a Country).

Most US Homelanders believe all US expats live on a yacht anyway.

Ugh. Disgusting.
What about if you did something like join the army? Would you have to pay then? Surely I remember something about how you lose your citizenship if you join the military of another country. My good friend in Uni played the harp for the TA band, sounds alright to me!

Only if it's a very high rank in the foreign military, and then I believe it's not automatic. Then again, if that foreign military is at war with the US, it's likely a person would be stripped of citizenship as a traitor.

Guess I'd better start saving then...!

It looks like relinquishing is still free, so if you get British citizenship, then don't do anything only a US citizen can do (travel on a US passport, vote in a US election) between naturalising and appearing at the embassy/consulate. You declare on the form that you intended to give up US citizenship when you naturalised, and show that you haven't used US citizen privileges since then. A friend of mine is currently going through this, and the consulate is trying to give her the runaround, making out like she must pay and has to renounce rather than relinquish, but she knows her rights and is standing firm, though it now seems to be taking longer and requiring more hassle than when I went through it last year. Still, worth the effort not to have to pay $2350!

We throw around the words renounce and relinquish, and often times forget that not everyone will understand the difference in the two processes. The following is not written by a professional, and should be viewed as such; but perhaps because it is written by a layperson, understanding it may be easier.

http://maplesandbox.ca/2012/renunciation-and-relinquishment-what-are-the-differences-is-there-a-difference/ 

Wow, this is really nasty news.  I was intending to give up US citizenship as soon as I have UK citizenship.  I’m eligible to apply in March.  It seems, though, I will still be able to relinquish (pity the many unfortunate people who missed the boat on this!).
But I have a question.  I hope this isn’t a Catch-22 situation.
In order to get a British passport, we must submit our US passport.  Mine will be expired by that time (it expires in May), but not cancelled, so it will still be okay, according to the guidelines.  I do not intend to renew it.
Now, am I right in thinking that you must have another (in this case UK) passport in order to relinquish/renounce?  I got that from the US embassy website.
BUT, does submitting the US passport in applying for the UK one constitute “using” a US passport, which only a US citizen can do?  Because if they say yes, then... 
DrSL99, maybe you or your friend would have some wisdom or advice here?
I hate to think we’ll all have to buy ourselves out.

No, it doesn't count, another friend of a friend was able to relinquish having applied for her UK passport, so that doesn't count as use. Only travelling on it or using it to apply for a visa that goes in the passport I believe would count.

What a load off my mind!  Thanks so much, DrSL99, I was sure you'd know.
But who knows what "they" might do next.     I'll still be on pins and needles for the next year.
BTW, I'm in the south of the country, but would be willing to go north if the waiting list is shorter.  Where can relinquishment be done?  Edinburgh?  Anywhere else?

London and Edinburgh. I don't know if they let you use Edinburgh if you're in southern England though! You'd have to ask the consulate.

London and Edinburgh. I don't know if they let you use Edinburgh if you're in southern England though! You'd have to ask the consulate.

I renounced my US citizenship last year even though I lived in London. I told them I wanted a shorter wait time (theirs was about 6 weeks compared to London's 3+ months), and an excuse to have a weekend away. They were fine with it.

Oh yes, I'd forgotten that you did that! Edinburgh now seems to be taking a bit longer as well, judging by the experience of my friend who is going through it now, but probably still not as long as London.