U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) reported approximately 855,000 individuals became naturalized U.S. citizens in the fiscal year 2021. This is the most individuals since 2019 when 843,593 became citizens, and at that time set an 11-year high. Due to global restrictions caused by the Covid pandemic, the fiscal year 2020 reported 625,400 individuals became naturalized. The rebound, even as Covid restrictions remained in place to varying degrees, is notable. The most naturalizations in one fiscal year occurred in 2008, with one million individuals becoming U.S. citizens.
Issues with processing capability and financial concerns, both related to the pandemic, were overcome to complete the naturalization process for the legal permanent residents. The effort from the Biden administration, announced in July 2021, focused on encouraging legal permanent residents to apply for U.S. citizenship. There are a total of nine million legal permanent residents who may be eligible to apply for citizenship.
Naturalization ceremonies were held in various locations, including national parks, to promote the opportunity. USCIS continues to work with various federal agencies to encourage naturalization for qualifying individuals, including the U.S. Postal Service. USCIS is working with as many venues as feasible and engaging in community involvement. In addition, USCIS is reviewing form requirements and streamlining, to make the process more approachable and simpler.
If you have questions about your legal permanent resident status and options for naturalization, contact us at ILBSG. We put our expertise and experience to work to help you reach your immigration goals.
