Lawful Permanent Residents (LPR)

Lawful permanent residents (LPRs), also known as “green card” holders, are non-citizens who are lawfully authorized to live permanently within the United States. LPRs may accept an offer of employment without special restrictions, own property, receive financial assistance at public colleges and universities, and join the Armed Forces. They also may apply to become U.S. citizens if they meet certain eligibility requirements. The Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) provides several broad classes of admission for foreign nationals to gain LPR status, the largest of which focuses on admitting immigrants for the purpose of family reunification. Other major categories include economic and humanitarian immigrants, as well as immigrants from countries with relatively low levels of immigration to the United States.

The Office of Immigration Statistics (OIS) Annual Flow Reports on LPRs contain information obtained from foreign nationals’ applications for LPR status on the number and characteristics of persons who became LPRs during a given fiscal year. Below are the annual flow reports on Lawful Permanent Residents.

Additional information on LPRs are also found on the following pages:

• Estimates of the Lawful Permanent Resident Population in the U.S.
• Profiles on Lawful Permanent Residents (detailed tabulations)
• Lawful Permanent Resident Class of Admission List