The United States has a long history of welcoming immigrants from all parts of the world. During the last decade, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) welcomed more than 7.2 million naturalized citizens into the fabric of our nation. In fiscal year 2019, over 823,490 people were naturalized.
Deciding to become a U.S. citizen can be a very important milestone in an immigrant’s life. Individuals must demonstrate a commitment to the unifying principles that bind us as Americans and, in return, will enjoy many of the rights and privileges that are fundamental to U.S. citizenship.
Please note that the the information presented in this guide is subject to change. For more facts and information go to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services Naturalization Fact Sheet.
On an average day in FY 2023 we:
- Adjudicate more than 40,500 requests for various immigration benefits.
- Process 3,800 applications to sponsor relatives and future spouses.
- Analyze nearly 560 tips, leads, cases and detections for potential fraud, public safety and national security concerns.
- Process refugee applications around the world in support of the refugee admissions ceiling of 15,000 refugees for fiscal year 2022.
- Grant asylum to 163 individuals already in the United States.
- Screen more than 547 people for protection based on a credible fear of persecution or torture if they return home.
- Serve 800 people at in-person appointments for document services and other urgent needs.
- Fingerprint and photograph 12,000 people at 130 application support centers.
- Approve applications and petitions to help unite 3 foreign-born orphans with the Americans who want to adopt them.
- Grant lawful permanent residence to more than 2,300 people and issue nearly 9,200 Green Cards.
- Welcome more than 3,400 new citizens at naturalization ceremonies—that’s one every 25 seconds in a 24-hour period. Typically, about 47 of these new citizens are members of the U.S. armed forces.
- Ensure the employment eligibility of 100,000 new hires in the United States.
- Receive 60,000 phone calls to our toll-free phone line and more than 150,000 inquiries and service requests via online accounts and digital self-help tools.
- Receive 1.5 million visitor sessions to our website.
- Conduct automated verifications on employment eligibility and immigration status for more than 124,000 cases in E-Verify and 52,000 cases in SAVE.
- Conduct manual reviews of eligibility and immigration status for more than 1,300 cases in E-Verify and 7,000 cases in SAVE.
- Resolve more than 1,000 phone calls and 450 emails related to E-Verify and SAVE inquiries.
- Process more than 1,500 Form I-134A supporter applications for Ukraine, Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela
- Process 900 Freedom of Information Act/Privacy Act requests.
