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Table 2. Persons Obtaining Lawful Permanent Resident Status By Region And Selected Country Of Last Residence: Fiscal Years 2014 To 2016

The 2016 Yearbook of Immigration Statistics is a compendium of tables that provide data on foreign nationals who are granted lawful permanent residence (i.e., immigrants who receive a “green card”), admitted as temporary nonimmigrants, granted asylum or refugee status, or are naturalized. The Yearbook also presents data on immigration enforcement actions, including apprehensions and arrests, removals, and returns.

Table 2. Persons Obtaining Lawful Permanent Resident Status By Region And Selected Country Of Last Residence: Fiscal Years 2014 To 2016
Region and Country of Last Residence1201420152016
     Total1,016,5181,051,0311,183,505
   Europe87,79090,78998,043
Austria-Hungary2,32,0582,9652,620
Austria2,31,0881,9281,621
Hungary2,39701,037999
Belgium775809821
Bulgaria42,8862,5852,560
Czechoslovakia51,1681,2361,299
Denmark533634562
Finland6368397512
France4,5445,0345,473
Germany36,3875,9655,895
Greece1,3881,3301,664
Ireland71,7211,7981,895
Italy3,6473,8294,385
Netherlands1,3731,5051,550
Norway-Sweden81,4791,5511,729
Norway8332357404
Sweden81,1471,1941,325
Poland35,4374,9215,287
Portugal99208691,017
Romania3,0223,1603,322
Russia3,6,109,4559,0309,280
Spain3,3413,7074,018
Switzerland8881,0071,090
United Kingdom1114,39514,65314,887
Yugoslavia124,3214,7215,392
   Other Europe17,68419,08322,785
   Asia419,382405,854442,854
China72,49270,97777,658
Hong Kong2,5152,4262,982
India74,45161,38061,691
Iran8,8949,0749,596
Israel4,2514,3244,652
Japan5,9805,8085,709
Jordan9,0287,8357,345
Korea1320,31316,97621,329
Philippines48,63354,30750,609
Syria144,6775,4593,800
Taiwan4,7124,8145,062
Turkey147,2488,7628,635
Vietnam29,82530,33240,412
   Other Asia126,363123,380143,374
   America400,102439,228502,639
Canada and Newfoundland15,16,1717,67019,30919,349
Mexico16,17133,107157,227172,726
Caribbean133,550146,086180,479
Cuba46,50554,17866,120
Dominican Republic44,55050,38260,613
Haiti15,10716,78723,185
Jamaica1818,80417,36222,833
Other Caribbean188,5847,3777,728
   Central America43,63846,55654,512
Belize823804878
Costa Rica2,0182,1212,295
El Salvador18,96418,69921,268
Guatemala9,87111,46612,548
Honduras8,0259,07112,996
Nicaragua2,7733,2623,397
Panama191,1641,1331,130
   Other Central America---
   South America72,13570,04975,571
Argentina3,7573,5423,783
Bolivia1,6631,5491,481
Brazil10,24611,24713,528
Chile1,5911,6201,711
Colombia17,61416,50916,830
Ecuador10,8719,81610,779
Guyana6,0315,3134,909
Paraguay363353400
Peru10,4509,97310,519
Suriname160116130
Uruguay1,0981,023911
Venezuela8,2898,98510,590
   Other South America23-
   Other America212
   Africa94,83498,677110,754
Egypt12,04313,90713,367
Ethiopia12,92612,56613,699
Liberia3,6813,5803,545
Morocco3,4953,5694,447
South Africa2,8713,2983,441
   Other Africa59,81861,75772,255
   Oceania5,9806,2276,489
Australia203,5823,7954,173
New Zealand20941978939
Other Oceania1,4571,4541,377
Not Specified218,43010,25622,726

- Represents zero or not available.

1 Prior to 1906 refers to country of origin; from 1906 onward refers to country of last residence. Because of changes in country boundaries, data for a particular country may not necessarily refer to the same geographic area over time.

2 Austria and Hungary not reported separately for all years during 1860 to 1869, 1890 to 1899, and 1900 to 1909.

3 Poland included in Austria, Germany, Hungary, and Russia from 1899 to 1919.

4 Bulgaria included Serbia and Montenegro from 1899 to 1919.

5 Includes Czechia, Czechoslovakia (former), and Slovakia.

6 Finland included in Russia from 1899 to 1919.

7 Northern Ireland included in Ireland prior to 1925.

8 Norway and Sweden not reported separately until 1861.

9 Cape Verde included in Portugal from 1892 to 1952.

10 Refers to the Russian Empire from 1820 to 1920. Between 1920 and 1990 refers to the Soviet Union. From 1991 to 1999, refers to Russia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan. Beginning in 2000, refers to Russia only.

11 United Kingdom refers to England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland since 1925.

12 Includes Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Serbia and Montenegro (former), and Slovenia.

13 Includes North Korea and South Korea.

14 Syria included in Turkey from 1886 to 1923.

15 Includes British North America and Canadian provinces.

16 Land arrivals not completely enumerated until 1908.

17 No data available for Canada or Mexico from 1886 to 1893.

18 Jamaica included in British West Indies from 1892 to 1952.

19 Panama Canal Zone included in Panama from 1932 to 1972.

20 New Zealand included in Australia from 1892 to 1924.

21 Includes 32,897 persons returning in 1906 to their homes in the United States.

Note: Official recording of immigration to the United States began in 1820 after the passage of the Act of March 2, 1819. From 1820 to 1867, figures represent alien passenger arrivals at seaports; from 1868 to 1891 and 1895 to 1897, immigrant alien arrivals; from 1892 to 1894 and 1898 to 2014, immigrant aliens admitted for permanent residence; from 1892 to 1903, aliens entering by cabin class were not counted as immigrants. Land arrivals were not completely enumerated until 1908. For this table, Fiscal Year 1843 covers 9 months ending September 30, 1843; Fiscal Years 1832 and 1850 cover 15 months ending December 31 of the respective years; Fiscal Year 1868 covers 6 months ending June 30, 1868; and Fiscal Year 1976 covers 15 months ending September 30, 1976.

Source: U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

Last Updated: 11/10/2021
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