About a million people immigrate to the United States every year. Expats have the right to move to the country by obtaining special visas. We talk about the 25 countries whose citizens receive the largest number of immigrant visas in the United States

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Residents of many countries of the world dream of moving to the USA. America's developed economy, stability, and legal framework attract more and more people every year. About 15% of the US population is made up of immigrants. The largest number of immigrants in the world live in the country - 50.6 million people.

Emigration to the USA became so massive that later the country's government had to introduce restrictions and create special permit documents. As mandated by the United States, the federal limit on the number of visas issued is 700,000 per year, and some countries even have their own limits on the number of visas their citizens can receive. Every year, more than 500,000 residents from different countries of the world move to the United States for permanent residence.

Based on data from the Bureau of Consular Affairs of the US State Department, a ranking of countries whose citizens receive the largest number of immigrant visas in the US was compiled.

Read the top 10 most popular work visas in the United States here.

Green card in the USA: step-by-step instructions for filling out the I-485 form here.

The difference between immigrant and nonimmigrant visas

The immigration process in the USA is quite complicated, but it always starts with obtaining a visa. A visa is an entry permit issued to someone who wants to live and work in the United States. There are two categories of visas: immigrant and non-immigrant.

Nonimmigrant visas are usually for temporary workers and tourist travel. However, even if visas are obtained for work purposes, nonimmigrant visas expire and do not lead to a green card or citizenship.

Immigrant visas are obtained on the basis of work or family ties. Their main advantage is that they will eventually allow a foreigner to obtain the status of a permanent resident of the United States on the basis of a green card or citizenship. A common example of an immigrant visa is the K-1 visa or "fiancé visa" for individuals who marry US citizens.

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Who is most likely to receive immigrant visas in the United States?

In 2021, more than 285,000 immigrant visas to the United States were issued. The largest number of permits to move to the United States for permanent residence were received by citizens of Mexico - almost 40,600 people. Citizens of China took the second place with 18,500 permits, and the Dominican Republic took third place with 17,941 permits. The Philippines, Afghanistan, Vietnam, India, El Salvador, Pakistan and Bangladesh also made it to the top ten.

It is interesting that only one European country - Ukraine - made it into the top 25. In 2021, before the Russian invasion, Ukrainians received 3,019 American visas.

Also in the top 25 are a number of countries whose citizens receive permits in connection with a difficult geopolitical situation or violence in their home country, such as Afghanistan or Iran.

Regionally, the majority of visas were issued to citizens of Asia, North America and Africa.

Who gets the fewest visas in the US?

In 2021, eight North Korean citizens received immigrant visas to the United States.

In addition, citizens of a number of countries received only a few permits, for example, Luxembourg - two visas, and Timor-Leste only one.

In general, people continue to come to the United States, whether for economic reasons, for family reunification, or to escape danger.

Experts predict that between 2016 and 2060, the share of the US population that was born in the country will increase by 20%. Meanwhile, the share of immigrants will increase by 58%.