How do people legally immigrate into the United States?

Almost a million people legally immigrated into the U.S. in 2004 under qualifying categories:

--> Employment-based preference is a category that permits a limited number of individuals who has job skills which are in order by the economy. In 2002, this group was dominated by persons with computer and engineering skills.

--> Family preference is a category that allows individuals to support a limited number of relatives (adult children of U.S. citizens, wife and children of immigrants, and siblings of citizens).

--> An immediate relative of U.S. Citizens is a category that allows citizens to support an unlimited number of small children, wifes, and parents. This has been the largest category.

--> Diversity is a category authorized by recent legislation which authorizes a limited number of individuals to immigrate based on past under-representation in the immigrant population.

--> Refugees/Asylees are admitted on a limited basis, based on political and humanitarian reasons. The maximum numbers vary year-to-year based on Presidential determinations.

Stephanie