Naturalization Statistics

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 7.4 million naturalized citizens into the fabric of our nation.

Deciding to become a U.S. citizen is an important milestone in an immigrant’s life. Candidates for citizenship must show they are committed to the unifying principles that bind us as Americans. For that commitment, in return, they will enjoy the rights and privileges fundamental to U.S. citizenship.

Fiscal Year 2021 Naturalization Statistics¹

Recovering from pandemic-related closures, USCIS welcomed 809,100 new citizens in fiscal year (FY) 2021 during naturalization ceremonies held across the United States and around the world.

Monthly Naturalizations in FY 2021

While USCIS was still experiencing limitations due to the COVID-19 pandemic during FY 2021, USCIS was able to return to normal year production levels for naturalization applications.

The Newark (3.8% of all naturalizations), Dallas (3.5%), Los Angeles (3.4%), Houston (3.1%), and New York (3.1%) field offices naturalized the largest number of new citizens in FY 2021.

Countries of Birth

Among the top five countries of birth for people naturalizing in FY 2021, Mexico was the lead country, with 13.9% of all naturalizations, followed by India (7.0%), the Philippines (6.0%), Cuba (5.9%), and the Dominican Republic (3.4%). The top five countries of birth comprised 36% of the naturalized citizens in FY 2021.

State, City/Borough, and Core-Based Statistical Area (CBSA) of Residence

When applicants for naturalization submit an Application for Naturalization (Form N-400), they list their current address on the form. Using this information, USCIS can determine the state of residence at the time a person applied for naturalization. Of all citizens naturalized in FY 2021, 74% resided in 10 states (in descending order): California, Florida, New York, Texas, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Illinois, Virginia, Washington, and Pennsylvania. More than 46% resided in the top three states.

The top five cities (including boroughs) where people who naturalized resided were (in descending order): Miami; Brooklyn; Los Angeles; the Bronx; and Houston.

The top five Core Based Statistical Areas (CBSAs) where people who naturalized resided were (in descending order): New York-Newark-Jersey City (14.3%), Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim (11.7%), Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach (11.3%), Washington-Arlington-Alexandria (5.5%), and Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington (5.0%).

Age and Gender

More than 41% of citizens naturalized in FY 2021 were 30 to 44 years old. The median age of those naturalizing in FY 2021 was 41 years. About 17% were younger than 30 years, and 16 new citizens were centenarians (age 100 and older)!

Women made up more than 56% of those naturalized in FY 2021, and they were the majority in every age group. Twelve of the 16 centenarians were women as well.

Naturalization Eligibility

To be eligible for naturalization, an applicant must fulfill certain eligibility requirements set forth in the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), which generally include being a lawful permanent resident (LPR) for at least five years.² There are also other special naturalization provisions that exempt certain applicants, including certain spouses of U.S. citizens and applicants with military service, from one or more of the general requirements for naturalization. Most people who naturalized in FY 2021 were eligible for naturalization based on being LPRs for at least 5 years (INA Section 316(a)), followed by applicants who were eligible based on being LPRs for at least 3 years and married to a U.S. citizen for 3 years (INA Section 319(a)) and applicants who were eligible based on their military service during a designated period of hostilities (INA Section 329).

In general, a noncitizen must spend at least 5 years as a lawful permanent resident to be eligible for naturalization while a spouse of a U.S. citizen must spend at least 3 years as a lawful permanent resident³. The median years spent as an LPR for all citizens naturalized in FY 2021 was 7.3 years.

The median years spent as an LPR varied by the citizens’ country of birth. The countries with the largest number of new citizens in FY 2021 and their median years spent as an LPR are shown below. Out of these top countries, applicants from Mexico spent the longest time, with 10.7 years, and applicants from Nigeria spent the shortest, with 6 years.

Class of Admission

Most people who naturalized came to the United States as immediate relatives of U.S. citizens or through family-sponsored preference categories, followed by employment-based preference categories, refugees and asylees, and the Diversity Immigrant Visa Program.

Naturalization Test Initial Pass Rate

Section 312 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) requires that naturalization applicants demonstrate an ability to read, write, and speak words in ordinary usage in the English language and have a knowledge and understanding of U.S. history and government (civics). To meet the requirements of Section 312 of the INA, applicants must pass an English test (which includes understanding, speaking, reading, and writing) and a civics test to become naturalized citizens.

The naturalization test consists of two components: an English and a civics component. Applicants who fail one or both test components will have a second opportunity to pass the portions of the test that they failed, called a re-exam. The pass rate below represents the cumulative pass rate of applicants who took both the English test and the current version of the civics test since October 1, 2009. It also counts those who were exempt from one of more portions of the naturalization test or had an approved Form N-648, Medical Certification for Disability Exceptions, as passing.

The first percentage (89.5%) denotes the pass rate of applicants who took the initial exam only and includes applicants who were exempt from one of more portions of the naturalization test or had an approved Form N-648. The second percentage (96.1%) denotes the pass rate of applicants who took the initial and re-exam and includes applicants who were exempt from one of more portions of the naturalization test or had an approved Form N-648.

Attorney or Accredited Representative

An attorney or accredited representative appearing before DHS must file Form G-28, Notice of Entry of Appearance as Attorney or Accredited Representative, in each case to establish their eligibility to represent a client in an immigration matter.  In FY 2021, 17.1% of those naturalized had a Form G-28 filed by an attorney or accredited representative to represent them in their naturalization proceedings. The percentage of those who had a Form G-28 filed by an attorney or accredited representative increased as the age of the applicant increased.

Fee Waiver⁴

USCIS is funded largely by application and petition fees. Recognizing that some applicants cannot pay the filing fees, USCIS established a fee waiver process for certain forms and benefit types, including the Form N-400, Application for Naturalization.⁵ USCIS will approve a fee waiver only if the applicant clearly demonstrates that they are unable to pay the filing fees. USCIS carefully considers the merits of each fee waiver request before making a decision.

In FY 2021, 12.3% of those naturalized had an approved fee waiver. Females (7.8%) had more fee waivers than males (4.5%).  Those 65 and older had the most fee waivers out of all age groups that naturalized in FY 2021 (2.8%).

More Naturalization Statistics

Naturalization receipts, approvals, denials, and pending applications by field office are also published quarterly on the USCIS Immigration and Citizenship Data page.

• FY 2022 Quarter 1 (PDF, 233.7 KB)
• FY 2022 Quarter 2 (PDF, 233.7 KB)
• FY 2021 Quarter 1 (PDF, 274.84 KB)
• FY 2021 Quarter 2 (PDF, 250.27 KB)
• FY 2021 Quarter 3 (PDF, 245.19 KB)
• FY 2021 Quarter 4 (PDF, 244.3 KB)
• Military Naturalization Statistics
• Characteristics of People Who Naturalized between FY 2015-2019 (PDF, 910.74 KB)
• Trends in Naturalization Rates: FY 2018 Update (PDF, 311.33 KB)
• Naturalization Test Performance

Tables

Source: USCIS, ELIS. Data accessed March 2022.
Notes: Due to rounding, the totals may not sum.

Source: USCIS, ELIS. Data accessed March 2022.
Notes: Due to rounding, the totals may not sum.

Source: USCIS, ELIS. Data accessed March 2022.
Notes: Due to rounding, the totals may not sum.

Abbreviation: CBSA = Core-Based Statistical Area.
Source: USCIS, ELIS. Data accessed March 2022.
Notes: Due to rounding, the totals may not sum. Some zip codes have multiple CBSAs.

Source: USCIS, ELIS. Data accessed March 2022.
Notes: Due to rounding, the totals may not sum. There are some missing dates of birth.

Source: USCIS, ELIS. Data accessed March 2022.
Notes: Due to rounding, the totals may not sum.

Source: USCIS, ELIS. Data accessed March 2022.
Notes: Due to rounding, the totals may not sum.

Source: USCIS, ELIS. Data accessed March 2022.
Notes: Due to rounding, the totals may not sum.

Source: USCIS, ELIS. Data accessed March 2022.
Notes: Due to rounding, the totals may not sum.

¹ FY 2021 statistics may be subject to change based on data from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Office of Immigration Statistics.

² Read more information on the general eligibility requirements for naturalization on our website.

³ The median years spent as an LPR is based on the time between the date USCIS approved an individual’s adjustment of status application or when the individual entered the United States  as an LPR and the date the individual took the Oath of Allegiance. In most cases, the effective date of LPR status is the date USCIS approves the applicant’s adjustment of status application or the date the applicant is admitted into the United States with an immigrant visa. For certain classifications, however, the effective date of becoming an LPR may be a date that is earlier than the actual approval of the status (commonly referred to as a “rollback” date). For example, a refugee is generally considered an LPR as of the date of entry into the United States, and an asylee is generally considered an LPR 1 year before the date USCIS approves the adjustment application. Thus, for asylees and refugees who adjust to LPR status, the time spent as an LPR may be shorter than the 5 year period generally required for naturalization because they are eligible to apply for naturalization 5 years from the rollback date.

⁴ Read more information on filing a fee waiver on our website. A reduced fee is not the same as a fee waiver and is not included in this analysis. Read more information on requesting a reduced filing fee on our website.

⁵ Current or former military members do not have to pay any fees for applying for naturalization under INA 328 or 329.  The Department of Defense pays the application fees on their behalf. They are not included as part of the fee waiver group in this analysis.