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MUMBAI: Nearly 10 lakh foreign nationals obtained US citizenship during the fiscal year 2022 (twelve-month period ended September 30) – the highest statistic in 15 years, according to a progress report released by US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) late on Wednesday night.

The immigration agency points out that it completed processing of 10.75 lakh applications and administered the citizenship oath to 9.67 new US citizens. If children are also considered, 10.23 lakh obtained US citizenship during the year ended September 30, 2022.

Country-wise breakup for the fiscal year 2022 is not available in this progress report, however, historic data shows that Indians follow Mexicans in obtaining US citizenship..

To illustrate, during the fiscal year 2021, 8.13 lakh foreign nationals obtained US citizenship, of which 1.13 lakh (or 14 %) were Mexicans and 57,043 (or 7 %) were Indians.

As was reported by TOI earlier, USCIS issued all available employment-based immigration visas (green cards) in fiscal year 2022. Of the 2.75 lakh such green cards that were issued, 91,639 (or 33%) were allotted to Indians.

Owing to the pandemic family-based green card quota was not utilised, causing a roll-over of unused numbers into the employment-based category. In fiscal year 2021, there was a wastage of the carry-over numbers, but efforts by USCIS resulted in full utilisation during the fiscal year 2022.

Read more: Timesofindia

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