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Table 2. Persons Obtaining Lawful Permanent Resident Status By Region And Selected Country Of Last Residence: Fiscal Years 2012 To 2014

The 2014 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 2012 To 2014
Region and Country of Last Residence1 2012 2013 2014
     Total 1,031,631 990,553 1,016,518
   Europe 86,956 91,095 87,790
Austria-Hungary2,3 3,208 2,061 2,058
Austria2,3 2,199 1,053 1,088
Hungary2,3 1,009 1,008 970
Belgium 698 803 775
Bulgaria4 2,322 2,720 2,886
Czechoslovakia5 1,316 1,258 1,168
Denmark 492 546 533
Finland6 373 360 368
France 4,201 4,668 4,544
Germany3 6,732 6,880 6,387
Greece 1,264 1,526 1,388
Ireland7 1,694 1,765 1,721
Italy 2,946 3,233 3,647
Netherlands 1,294 1,376 1,373
Norway-Sweden8 1,441 1,665 1,479
Norway8 314 389 332
Sweden8 1,127 1,276 1,147
Poland3 6,024 6,073 5,437
Portugal9 837 917 920
Romania 3,477 3,475 3,022
Russia3,6,10 10,114 10,154 9,455
Spain 2,316 2,970 3,341
Switzerland 916 1,040 888
United Kingdom11 13,938 15,321 14,395
Yugoslavia12 4,488 4,445 4,321
Other Europe 16,865 17,839 17,684
   Asia 416,488 389,301 419,382
China 78,184 68,410 72,492
Hong Kong 2,642 2,614 2,515
India 63,320 65,506 74,451
Iran 8,955 9,658 8,894
Israel 4,640 4,555 4,251
Japan 6,581 6,383 5,980
Jordan 7,014 5,949 9,028
Korea13 20,802 22,937 20,313
Philippines 55,441 52,955 48,633
Syria14 6,674 3,999 4,677
Taiwan 5,295 5,336 4,712
Turkey14 7,362 7,189 7,248
Vietnam 27,578 26,578 29,825
Other Asia 122,000 107,232 126,363
   America 409,664 399,380 400,102
Canada and Newfoundland15,16,17 20,138 20,489 17,670
Mexico16,17 145,326 134,198 133,107
Caribbean 126,615 121,349 133,550
Cuba 32,551 31,343 46,505
Dominican Republic 41,535 41,487 44,550
Haiti 22,446 20,083 15,107
Jamaica18 20,300 19,052 18,804
Other Caribbean18 9,783 9,384 8,584
   Central America 39,837 44,056 43,638
Belize 875 969 823
Costa Rica 2,152 2,232 2,018
El Salvador 15,874 18,015 18,964
Guatemala 9,857 9,829 9,871
Honduras 6,773 8,795 8,025
Nicaragua 2,943 2,940 2,773
Panama19 1,363 1,276 1,164
Other Central America - - -
   South America 77,748 79,287 72,135
Argentina 4,218 4,227 3,757
Bolivia 1,920 2,005 1,663
Brazil 11,248 10,772 10,246
Chile 1,628 1,751 1,591
Colombia 20,272 20,611 17,614
Ecuador 9,284 10,553 10,871
Guyana 5,282 5,564 6,031
Paraguay 454 437 363
Peru 12,414 12,370 10,450
Suriname 216 170 160
Uruguay 1,348 1,314 1,098
Venezuela 9,464 9,512 8,289
Other South America - 1 2
Other America - 1 2
   Africa 103,685 94,589 94,834
Egypt 10,172 10,719 12,043
Ethiopia 15,400 13,484 12,926
Liberia 3,451 3,036 3,681
Morocco 3,534 3,202 3,495
South Africa 2,960 2,693 2,871
Other Africa 68,168 61,455 59,818
   Oceania 5,573 6,061 5,980
Australia20 3,146 3,529 3,582
New Zealand20 980 1,027 941
Other Oceania 1,447 1,505 1,457
Not Specified21 9,265 10,127 8,430

- Represents zero or not available.

1 Prior to 1906 refers to country of origin; from 1906 to 2014 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 Czech Republic, 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-Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Serbia and Montenegro, 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: 11/21/2023
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