Fiscal Year 2020 U.S. Naturalizations Annual Flow Report

This report presents information on the number and characteristics of persons aged 18 and over who naturalized during the government’s fiscal year 2020 (October 2019 - September 2020). While the number of persons who applied for naturalization during this period was up 16% from the previous year (to 968,000), the number of person who were granted citizenship was down 26%, to 628,000 — the lowest number since 2010. The suspension of in-person services by USCIS, due to COVID, was in part responsible. Asia continues to be the top region of birth for the newly naturalized (as it has since the 1970s), though Mexico was the leading single country of birth for those who naturalized in 2020. New York-Newark-Jersey City was the metropolitan area with the highest number of naturalizations, while California was the top state of residence for the newly naturalized. Immigrants from Africa and Asia spent the least amount of time in LPR status before becoming citizens (six years). For all immigrants, the amount of time spent as permanent residents before naturalizing has fluctuated between six and eight years in the last decade, and was seven years in 2020. (Maurice Belanger, Maurice Belanger Associates)

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