Washington: According to a recent report from the Congressional Research Service, 65,960 individuals of Indian origin officially became US citizens, positioning India as the second-largest country of origin for new American citizens, following Mexico. The report highlights that in 2022, out of the 46 million foreign-born residents in the United States, approximately 24.5 million, or 53 percent, were naturalized citizens.
In its April 15 publication, the Congressional Research Service disclosed that in the fiscal year 2022, a total of 969,380 individuals obtained US citizenship through naturalization. The report indicates that Mexico led in terms of the highest number of naturalizations, trailed by India, the Philippines, Cuba, and the Dominican Republic.
Based on the most recent data available, the report reveals that in 2022, Mexico had the highest number of new American citizens at 128,878, followed by India with 65,960, the Philippines with 53,413, Cuba with 46,913, the Dominican Republic with 34,525, Vietnam with 33,246, and China with 27,038.
Furthermore, the report outlines that as of 2023, there were 2,831,330 foreign-born individuals from India living in the United States, marking the second-largest group after Mexico, which had 10,638,429. China followed with 2,225,447 foreign-born residents.
However, the report also notes that despite the significant number of Indian-born individuals in the US, approximately 42 percent of them are currently ineligible for US citizenship. As of 2023, around 290,000 India-born individuals holding Green Cards or Legal Permanent Residency (LPR) status were deemed potentially eligible for naturalization.
The report further highlights concerns over backlogs in the processing of naturalization applications by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) in recent years. While there has been progress in reducing the backlog since fiscal year 2020, with approximately 408,000 pending naturalization applications by the end of fiscal year 2023, challenges persist.
In fiscal year 2023, 823,702 LPRs submitted naturalization applications, though this number remains considerably lower than the estimated 9 million LPRs eligible for naturalization in 2023. The report also underscores variations in the percentage of naturalized foreign-born individuals across different countries of origin.
Applicants for naturalization must meet specific eligibility requirements outlined in the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), including being a lawful permanent resident (LPR) for at least five years.
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