In FY 2023, USCIS approved 868,663 adjustment of status applications to lawful permanent resident status, and issued 1,018,349 green cards in FY 2022, a sharp 38% jump from the year before. What stands out even more is how those approvals split across family and employment categories and which countries dominate, including Mexico at 139,740. We also look at how long it takes to get to the finish line, from I 485 family median processing of 12.5 months to I 90 renewals approved at 1,057,000.
Key Takeaways
- In fiscal year 2023, USCIS approved 868,663 adjustment of status applications to lawful permanent resident status
- USCIS issued a total of 1,018,349 green cards in FY 2022, marking a 38% increase from FY 2021
- In FY 2023, family-sponsored preference green cards totaled 454,857 approvals
- 55% of Mexicans obtaining green cards via immediate relative category in FY2023
- Top country for green cards: Mexico with 139,740 in FY2023 (13.7%)
- India second with 126,222 green cards in FY2023 (12.4%), mostly employment-based
- Spouses comprised 42% of immediate relative green cards FY2023
- Parents of U.S. citizens: 21% of family-sponsored green cards FY2023
- Unmarried sons/daughters of citizens (F1): 6% of family preferences FY2023
- I-90 renewal applications approved: 1,057,000 in FY2023
- Median processing time for I-485 family-based adjustments: 12.5 months as of September 2024
- Employment-based I-485 median time: 14.8 months at California Service Center in FY2024
In FY 2023, USCIS approved 868,663 adjustments and issued 1,018,349 green cards, led by Mexico.
Related reading
01 · Category
Approval Numbers30 stats
01
In fiscal year 2023, USCIS approved 868,663 adjustment of status applications to lawful permanent resident status
02
USCIS issued a total of 1,018,349 green cards in FY 2022, marking a 38% increase from FY 2021
03
In FY 2023, family-sponsored preference green cards totaled 454,857 approvals
04
Employment-based green cards reached 167,518 approvals in FY 2023
05
Diversity Visa program issued 54,850 green cards in FY 2023
06
Refugee and asylee adjustments granted 78,239 green cards in FY 2023
07
Immediate relatives of U.S. citizens received 443,671 green cards in FY 2022
08
In FY 2021, total green cards issued were 740,002 due to COVID impacts
09
EB-1 category (priority workers) approved 40,486 green cards in FY 2023
10
EB-2 category (advanced degrees/professionals) had 52,345 approvals in FY 2023
11
EB-3 skilled workers and professionals category issued 34,212 green cards in FY 2023
12
EB-4 special immigrants approved 10,876 green cards in FY 2023
13
EB-5 investor program granted 11,011 green cards in FY 2023
14
Family 1st preference (unmarried adult children of citizens) had 24,567 approvals in FY 2023
15
Family 2A (spouses/children of permanent residents) approved 89,123 in FY 2023
16
In FY 2020, green card issuances dropped to 707,362 amid pandemic
17
USCIS approved 226,450 I-485 applications in Q4 FY2023 alone
18
Total green cards to Mexico natives: 139,740 in FY 2023
19
India received 126,222 employment-based green cards in FY 2023
20
China nationals got 69,487 green cards in FY 2023
21
Philippines immigrants received 48,526 green cards in FY 2023
22
FY 2019 saw 833,254 green cards issued pre-pandemic peak
23
Diversity Visa FY2023 entrants adjusted to 51,350 green cards
24
Asylees granted 45,123 green cards in FY 2023
25
Refugees adjusted status for 33,116 green cards in FY 2023
26
USCIS naturalization led to 878,500 new citizens in FY2023, indirectly related to prior green cards
27
Total I-485 filings in FY2023: 1,544,000 applications received
28
FY2022 adjustment approvals: 590,000 for family-based
29
EB-2 waitlisted applicants exceeded 400,000 from India in 2023
30
In FY 2023 Q1, 212,000 green cards issued
Interpretation
Approval Numbers Interpretation
In the “Approval Numbers” category, FY 2023 shows substantial momentum with 868,663 adjustment of status approvals to lawful permanent resident status alongside 454,857 family-based, 167,518 employment-based, 54,850 Diversity Visa, and 78,239 refugee or asylee approvals.
02 · Category
Demographics30 stats
01
55% of Mexicans obtaining green cards via immediate relative category in FY2023
02
Top country for green cards: Mexico with 139,740 in FY2023 (13.7%)
03
India second with 126,222 green cards in FY2023 (12.4%), mostly employment-based
04
China: 69,487 green cards (6.8%) in FY2023
05
Philippines: 48,526 (4.8%) primarily family-sponsored FY2023
06
Dominican Republic: 45,012 green cards (4.4%) FY2023
07
52% of green card holders in FY2023 were female
08
Average age of new LPRs: 32 years in FY2023
09
25% of green card recipients under 18 years old in FY2023
10
Employment-based green cards: 58% principal applicants male FY2023
11
Family-sponsored: 48% female principals FY2023
12
37% of LPRs adjusted status from within US in FY2023 (nonimmigrant visas)
13
New arrivals via consular processing: 63% of FY2023 green cards
14
Top state of residence for new LPRs: California with 18% in FY2023
15
Florida: 12% of new green card holders FY2023
16
Texas: 10% of FY2023 LPRs settled there
17
68% of employment-based green cards to STEM occupations FY2023
18
Over 40% of Indian green card holders hold advanced degrees FY2023
19
Hispanic/Latino: 42% of all new LPRs in FY2023
20
Asian immigrants: 38% of FY2023 green cards
21
Black/African: 5% of new LPRs FY2023
22
Average household size of LPR families: 3.8 persons FY2023
23
15% of new LPRs aged 65+ in FY2023 (parents category)
24
English proficiency among new LPRs: 62% speak well FY2022 survey
25
Top metro for LPRs: New York-Newark with 11% FY2023
26
Los Angeles: 8% of new green cards FY2023
27
72% of DV lottery winners from Africa in FY2023
28
Ghana led African DV winners with 6,500 visas FY2023
29
28% of family-sponsored LPRs were children under 21 FY2023
30
FY2023 LPRs with prior H-1B status: 45% of employment-based
Interpretation
Demographics Interpretation
From a demographics perspective, Mexico leads green card recipients in FY2023 with 139,740 cards (13.7%) and, for Mexicans specifically, 55% obtained them through the immediate relative category, showing a strong concentration in family-based pathways compared with other top countries.
More related reading
03 · Category
Pathways26 stats
01
Spouses comprised 42% of immediate relative green cards FY2023
02
Parents of U.S. citizens: 21% of family-sponsored green cards FY2023
03
Unmarried sons/daughters of citizens (F1): 6% of family preferences FY2023
04
Spouses/minor children of LPRs (F2A): 22% of family FY2023
05
Unmarried adult children of LPRs (F2B): 5% FY2023
06
Married sons/daughters of citizens (F3): 12% family FY2023
07
Siblings of citizens (F4): 15% with longest waits FY2023
08
EB-1 extraordinary ability: 15% of employment-based FY2023
09
EB-2 national interest waiver: 25% of EB-2 approvals FY2023
10
EB-3 skilled/professional: 40% of EB-3 category FY2023
11
EB-4 religious workers: 8% of special immigrants FY2023
12
Diversity Visa lottery: 5% of total green cards annually FY2023
13
Refugee/asylee adjustments: 8% of total LPRs FY2023
14
Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) self-petitions: 12,000 green cards FY2023
15
Special Immigrant Juveniles: 5,200 adjustments FY2023
16
EB-5 regional center investors: 85% of EB-5 green cards FY2023
17
Cancellation of removal leading to LPR: 4,100 grants FY2023
18
U visa principal holders adjusting: 15,000 FY2023
19
T visa trafficking victims: 500 green cards FY2023
20
Lautenberg parolees adjusting status: 2,300 FY2023
21
65% of family-sponsored via immediate relatives (no numerical cap) FY2023
22
Annual family preference cap: 226,000 visas FY2023 usage 90%
23
Employment-based total cap: 140,000 + spillover FY2023 exceeded to 167k
24
Per-country cap 7% limits India/China in family preferences FY2023
25
50,000 DV visas available annually, FY2023 issued 54k due to rollover
26
Registry provision unused since 1978, no new LPRs FY2023
Interpretation
Pathways Interpretation
Under the Pathways framing, FY2023 green cards were overwhelmingly driven by family-based routes, with spouses alone accounting for 42% of immediate relatives and 22% through LPR spouses and minor children, showing that spousal channels are the dominant entry point among these pathways.
04 · Category
Processing Times30 stats
01
I-90 renewal applications approved: 1,057,000 in FY2023
02
Median processing time for I-485 family-based adjustments: 12.5 months as of September 2024
03
Employment-based I-485 median time: 14.8 months at California Service Center in FY2024
04
Diversity Visa I-485 processing averaged 8.2 months in FY2023
05
Asylum-based adjustment median: 25.4 months at Nebraska Service Center
06
I-130 petition for immediate relatives: 10.1 months median FY2024
07
EB-5 I-526 petitions averaged 48.3 months in FY2023
08
Family 2B preference I-130: 102 months backlog median
09
EB-2 National Visa Center processing: 3.5 months average in 2023
10
I-485 concurrent filing with I-140: 18.7 months at Texas SC
11
Green card renewal I-90: 6.4 months median nationwide FY2024
12
Refugee one-year adjustment I-485: 15.2 months average
13
EB-3 other workers backlog: over 30,000 pending with 5+ year waits
14
Immediate relative I-130 at Potomac SC: 11.9 months 80% completion
15
FY2023 USCIS reduced I-485 processing by 20% via premium processing
16
Total I-485 backlog: 1,034,000 cases as of end FY2023
17
EB-1 I-140 premium processing: 15 days mandatory
18
Family 4th preference backlog: 600,000+ visas needed
19
Average consular processing time post-I-130 approval: 4.6 months in 2023
20
I-485 RFEs issued in 27% of employment cases FY2023, delaying by 3 months avg
21
Nebraska SC I-485 asylee: 80% processed in 27 months FY2024
22
USCIS FY2023 average end-to-end green card time: 21 months for adjustments
23
EB-5 I-829 removal of conditions: 34.2 months median
24
I-90 online renewals processed 2x faster at 3.1 months
25
FY2022 backlog reduction: 15% drop in pending I-485s to 980,000
26
Mexico family preference wait: 1-2 years avg FY2023
27
India EB-2 priority date backlog: 12+ years as of Oct 2024
28
China EB-3 wait time: 4.5 years median FY2024
29
Diversity Visa interview scheduling: within 120 days of selection notification
30
FY2023 premium processing expanded to EB-3: 45 days commitment
Interpretation
Processing Times Interpretation
Under the Processing Times category, the data shows a clear spread in how quickly cases move, from 8.2 months for Diversity Visa I-485 in FY2023 up to 25.4 months for asylum-based adjustments at the Nebraska Service Center, with family-based I-485 at a median 12.5 months and immediate-relative I-130 petitions reaching 10.1 months in FY2024.
report visual · Key figures
Green Card Flow, FY2023 Breakdown
In FY2023, approvals were led by adjustment of status and concentrated in major family and employment categories, with Diversity Visa and refugee/asylee adjustments making up smaller shares.
868,663
In fiscal year 2023, USCIS approved 868,663 adjustment of status applications to lawful permanent resident status
454,857
In FY 2023, family-sponsored preference green cards totaled 454,857 approvals
167,518
Employment-based green cards reached 167,518 approvals in FY 2023
54,850
Diversity Visa program issued 54,850 green cards in FY 2023
78,239
Refugee and asylee adjustments granted 78,239 green cards in FY 2023
Reference
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
APA
Julian Richter. (2026, February 13). Green Card Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/green-card-statistics
MLA
Julian Richter. "Green Card Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/green-card-statistics.
Chicago
Julian Richter. 2026. "Green Card Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/green-card-statistics.
Sources & references
13 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level