At nearly 66,00, India is second-largest source country for new US citizens

India is the second-largest source country for new US citizens, with over 65,960 Indians naturalized in 2022 (after Mexico), according to a latest Congressional report.

Naturalization policy refers to the legal framework a country establishes to grant citizenship to individuals who were not born citizens. This framework typically outlines the requirements and procedures that foreign-born individuals must follow to become naturalized citizens. The backlog of naturalization applications has decreased in recent years, despite a high number of applications submitted in 2023. Naturalization rates vary by country of origin, with some immigrant communities having higher naturalization rates than others.

People who naturalized in FY2022 spent a median of seven years in Legal Permanent Residency (LPR) status before becoming citizens

There are an estimated 2.8 million Indian-born foreign nationals living in the US (second only to Mexico). However, around 42% of these Indian-born residents are not currently eligible for naturalization.

An estimated 46 million foreign-born persons resided in the United States in 2022, approximately 14 per cent of the total US population of 333 million, according to American Community Survey data from the US Census Bureau.

Of these, 24.5 million, about 53 per cent, reported their status as naturalised citizens.

In its latest “US Naturalisation Policy” report of April 15, the independent Congressional Research Service in the fiscal year 2022, 969,380 individuals became naturalised US citizens.

“Individuals born in Mexico represented the largest number of naturalisations, followed by persons from India, Philippines, Cuba, and the Dominican Republic,” it said.

Based on the latest available data, CRS said in 2022, as many as 128,878, Mexican nationals became American citizens. They were followed by Indians (65,960), the Philippines (53,413), Cuba (46,913), Dominican Republic (34,525), Vietnam (33,246) and China (27.038).

Possible reasons for the increase:

Large Indian daspora: A significant population of Indian immigrants already resides in the US, creating a natural base for citizenship applications.

Economic opportunities: The US offers potential for career advancement and higher wages compared to India, motivating people to seek citizenship for long-term stability.

Educational opportunities: The US has a well-regarded education system, and citizenship can simplify access for children of immigrants.

Political stability: The US offers relative political stability compared to some countries, which can be a factor for those seeking a secure future.

According to CRS as of 2023, 2,831,330 foreign born American nationals were from India, which is the second largest number after Mexico's 10,638,429. Mexico and India are followed by China with 2,225,447 foreign-born American nationals.

However, as many as 42 per cent of the India-born foreign nationals living in the US are currently ineligible to become US citizens, CRS report said.

As of 2023, as many as 290,000 India-born foreign nationals who were on Green Card or Legal Permanent Residency (LPR) were potentially eligible for naturalisation.

CRS said in recent years, some observers have expressed concern over USCIS processing backlogs for naturalisation applications.

Although there continues to be a backlog of naturalisation applications, since FY2020 the agency has reduced the number of applications pending completion by more than half.

As of the end of FY2023, USCIS had approximately 408,000 pending naturalisation applications, down from 550,000 at the end of FY2022; 840,000 at the end of FY2021; and 943,000 at the end of FY2020.

To be eligible for naturalisation, an applicant must fulfill certain eligibility requirements set forth in the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). The requirements generally include being a lawful permanent resident (LPR) for at least five years.