Table 2. Persons Obtaining Lawful Permanent Resident Status by Region and Selected Country of Last Residence: Fiscal Years 2015 to 2017

The 2017 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.

- 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.