United States Immigration News

The Naturalization Process and Current Trends in Immigration in the United States: By Petitions Filed and By Region

The naturalization process is one by which foreign nationals obtain U.S. citizenship after fulfilling the requirements established by Congress in the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). Once foreign-born citizens become U.S. citizens, they enjoy nearly all the same benefits, rights and responsibilities that the Constitution gives to native-born U.S. citizens, including the right to vote.

In order to be naturalized, an applicant must fulfill certain requirements as set by the INA regarding age, lawful admission and residence in the United States. These general naturalization provisions specify that a foreign national must be at least 18 years of age; have been granted lawful permanent resident status in the United States (be a legal permanent resident or LPR); and have resided in the country continuously for at least 5 years. Additional requirements include the ability to speak, read, and write the English language; knowledge of the U.S. government and history; and good moral character. In naturalization law, special provisions are made that exempt certain applicants from one or more of these requirements. Spouses and children of U.S. citizens and military classes make up the main categories of special naturalization. Also, the majority of people naturalizing as spouses of U.S. citizens may do so after residing in the United States continuously for 3 years rather than the 5 years required for applicants who are not spouses of U.S. citizens. Foreign-born children under 18 years of age, including adopted children, acquire U.S. citizenship automatically without applying, if they meet certain requirements, such as being lawful permanent residents and who have at least one U.S. citizen parent who has legal and physical custody them. Persons who served honorably during wartime and in other conflicts may naturalize under certain conditions without prior admission to permanent resident status or having resided in the United States for a particular length of time. Immigrants with lawful permanent resident status who have served honorably in the Armed Forces of the United States also are entitled to certain exemptions from the general naturalization requirements.

Naturalization Current Trends in Petitions Filed

The number of persons naturalizing in the United States increased to 694,193 in 2011 from 619,913 in 2010. This current trend followed a decrease from 743,715 in 2009 and 1,046,539 in 2008. The record number of naturalizations in 2008 followed a surge in applications in 2007 in advance of an application fee increase and also included efforts to encourage eligible immigrants to naturalize.

The annual number of applications for naturalization decreased from 2007 to 2008 and increased again after 2008 to 760,000 in 2011 (Figure 1).

Naturalized Citizens by Region and Leading Countries of Birth

Of the 743,715 persons naturalized in 2011, 36 percent of them were born in Asia, followed by 31 percent from North America, and 12 percent from Europe (Figure 2).

The majority of persons naturalized in 2011 were from Mexico (14 percent), followed by India (6.6 percent), the Philippines (6.1 percent), the People's Republic of China (4.7 percent), and Colombia (3.3 percent). The 10 countries with the largest number of naturalizations, listed in Figure 3, accounted for 48 percent of all new citizens in 2011. From 2010 to 2011, the number of naturalizations increased among immigrants from all regions except Asia. The decrease in naturalizations of Asian-born persons during this period is partly due to a decline in the number of naturalizations of persons born in India and the People's Republic of China who were granted LPR status under employment-based preference categories. This can be partly explained by the increase in economic opportunities for both India and China in current years.