Green Card Processing Statistics

A legal permanent resident (LPR) or “green card” recipient is defined by immigration law as a
person who has been granted lawful permanent residence in the United States. Permanent resident status confers certain rights and responsibilities.

The annual LPR flow has exhibited an upward trend since 1945 (see Figure 1). The average annual LPR flow increased from 250,000 during the 1950s to more than 1 million between 2000 and 2012. Changes in immigration law associated with this increase included the elimination of country quotas controlling Eastern Hemisphere immigration, increases in annual limits for hemispheric and preference immigration, and the inclusion of parents of adult U.S. citizens as numerically exempt immediate relatives.

The spike in legal immigration around 1990 reflects the legalization of 2.7 million unauthorized immigrants under the Immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA) of 1986.

Legal Permanent Resident Flow: Fiscal Years 2010 to 2012:

Category of admission	2012		2011		2010
	Number	Percent	Number	Percent	Number	Percent
Total	1,031,631	100	1,062,040	100	1,042,625	100
New arrivals	484,072	46.9	481,948	45.4	476,049	45.7
Adjustments of status	547,559	53.1	580,092	54.6	566,576	54.3

Legal Permanent Resident Flow by Major Category of Admission: Fiscal Years 2010 to 2012

Category of admission	2012		2011		2010
	Number	Percent	Number	Percent	Number	Percent
Total	1,031,631	100  .0	1,062,040	100  .0	1,042,625	100  .0
Family-sponsored immigrants	680,799	66 .0	688,089	64 .8	691,003	66 .3
Family sponsored preferences	202,019	19 .6	234,931	22 .1	214,589	20 .6
(a) Unmarried sons/daughters of U .S . Citizens	20,660	2 .0	27,299	2 .6	26,998	2 .6
(b) Spouses and children of alien residents	99,709	9 .7	108,618	10 .2	92,088	8 .8
(c) Married sons/daughters of U .S . Citizens	21,752	2 .1	27,704	2 .6	32,817	3 .1
(d) Siblings of U .S . Citizens	59,898	5 .8	71,310	6 .7	62,686	6 .0
Immediate relatives of U .S . Citizens	478,780	46 .4	453,158	42 .7	476,414	45 .7
(a) Spouses	273,429	26 .5	258,320	24 .3	271,909	26 .1
(b) Parents	124,230	12 .0	114,527	10 .8	116,208	11 .1
(c) Children	81,121	7 .9	80,311	7 .6	88,297	8 .5
Employment-based preferences	143,998	14 .0	139,339	13 .1	148,343	14 .2
Priority workers	39,316	3 .8	25,251	2 .4	41,055	3 .9
Professionals with advanced degrees	50,959	4 .9	66,831	6 .3	53,946	5 .2
Skilled workers, professionals, unskilled workers	39,229	3 .8	37,216	3 .5	39,762	3 .8
Special immigrants	7,866	0 .8	6,701	0 .6	11,100	1 .1
Investors	6,628	0 .6	3,340	0 .3	2,480	0 .2
Diversity programs	40,320	3 .9	50,103	4 .7	49,763	4 .8
Refugees and Asylees	150,614	14 .6	168,460	15 .9	136,291	13 .1
Refugee adjustments	105,528	10 .2	113,045	10 .6	92,741	8 .9
Asylee adjustments	45,086	4 .4	55,415	5 .2	43,550	4 .2
Parolees	758	0 .1	1,147	0 .1	1,592	0 .2
Other categories	15,142	1 .5	14,902	1 .4	15,633	1 .5
(a) Children born abroad to alien residents	643	0 .1	633	0 .1	716	0 .1
(b) NACARA † Section 202	183	—	158	—	248	—
(c) Cancellation of removal	6,818	0 .7	7,430	0 .7	8,180	0 .8
Subject to annual limit	4,015	0 .4	4,206	0 .4	4,475	0 .4
Not subject to limit (NACARA† Section 203)	2,803	0 .3	3,224	0 .3	3,705	0 .4
(d) Haitian Refugee Immigrant Fairness Act	93	—	154	—	386	—
(e) Other	7,405	0 .7	6,527	0 .6	6,103	0 .6

Paths to LPR Status:
There are two paths to LPR status depending on whether the applicant is living in the United States or another country at the time of application. Foreign nationals living abroad apply for an immigrant visa at a consular office of the Department of State. Once issued a visa, a foreign national may enter the United States and become an LPR when admitted at a port of entry. These LPRs are referred to as new arrivals in this report.

Persons who qualify for legal permanent resident status who are living in the United States, including refugees, asylees, and certain temporary workers, foreign students, family members of U.S. citizens or alien residents, and undocumented immigrants, file an application for adjustment of status to lawful permanent residence with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). At the time they apply for adjustment of status, they may also apply for permission to work. Adjustment of status applicants are granted lawful permanent residence at the time their applications are approved. These LPRs are referred to as adjustments of status in this report.


Continue to Part 2: http://blog.mygcvisa.com/2013/03/green-card-processing-statistics-part-2.html