Over 59,000 Indians Became US Citizens in 2023, Ranking Second After Mexico

Defense News ,India :- In the latest report from the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), it was revealed that in 2023, more than 59,000 Indians officially became US citizens, securing the second spot as the leading source country for new citizens in America, following Mexico.

The report stated that during the fiscal year 2023, which ended on September 30, a total of almost 870,000 foreign nationals obtained US citizenship. Among them, 12.7% were Mexicans, with over 1.1 lakh individuals, and 6.7% were Indians, totaling 59,100 new citizens.

Additionally, the report highlighted that 5.1% of the new American citizens came from the Philippines (44,800 individuals), and 4% from the Dominican Republic (35,200 individuals).

To qualify for naturalization (the process of receiving US citizenship), applicants need to meet specific requirements outlined in the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). Generally, this includes being a lawful permanent resident (LPR) for at least five years. There are exceptions for certain applicants, such as spouses of US citizens and those with military service, who may be exempt from some naturalization requirements, as mentioned in the USCIS report.

The majority of individuals who became US citizens in FY 2023 met the eligibility criteria of being LPRs for at least 5 years (INA Section 316(a)). This was followed by applicants who were LPRs for at least 3 years and married to a US citizen for 3 years (INA Section 319(a)), and those eligible due to military service during a designated period of hostilities (INA Section 329).

The report emphasized that, in general, non-citizens must spend at least 5 years as lawful permanent residents to qualify for naturalization, while the spouses of US citizens must spend at least 3 years as lawful permanent residents.

The median number of years spent as an LPR for all citizens naturalized in FY 2023 was 7 years. Furthermore, naturalizations during the fiscal years 2022 and 2023, under the USCIS, accounted for nearly a quarter of all naturalizations over the past decade.