Over 59,000 Indians to obtain US citizenship in 2023, US immigration report says

According to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), more than 59,000 Indians will be naturalized as U.S. citizens by 2023. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service’s annual report for the fiscal year ended Sept. 30 reveals the major contribution of Indians to U.S. demographics.

This number makes India the second largest source of new citizens, behind Mexico, which has more than 110,000 new citizens, accounting for 12.7% of the total number of naturalizations. Meanwhile, 44,800 Filipinos and 35,200 Dominican Republic citizens also obtained U.S. citizenship, according to USCIS reports.

“Multicultural America”

The United States has a long history of welcoming immigrants from all over the world. In the past decade, USCIS has welcomed more than 7.7 million naturalized citizens to its country. These numbers highlight the multicultural fabric of the United States shaped by immigrants from around the world. The naturalization process is governed by the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) and requires meeting specific eligibility requirements set forth by USCIS. These requirements typically include being a lawful permanent resident (LPR) for at least five years.

However, the report details special provisions within the INA that exempt certain applicants from the obligation to meet all general naturalization criteria. Of note, spouses of U.S. citizens and individuals serving in the military may be eligible for expedited naturalization under certain circumstances. USCIS said most individuals who naturalized last year are eligible because they have been lawful permanent residents for at least five years.

Applicants who have held an LPR for at least three years and have been married to a U.S. citizen for more than three years also make up a large portion of the new citizens. Individuals eligible for naturalization as a result of military service during a specified period of hostilities are recognized for their contributions to national defense and are granted citizenship.