Woodrow-Lafield, Karen A., Xiaohe Xu, Thomas Kersen, and Bunnak Poch. 2000. “Gender, Origin, Admission Criteria, and Naturalization Outcomes.” Presented at the annual meeting of the Southern Demographic Association, New Orleans, October 26-28, 2000.



Experiences of multiple immigrant cohorts are examined as to gender, origin, and admission criteria in the timing of naturalization. One incentive for naturalizing is to gain the right of family reunification. Individuals entering as spouses may especially seek this opportunity as a way of opening the door into the United States for their family members living abroad. Prior research suggests origin differences in completed naturalization levels for foreign-born persons in the census, controlling for duration of residence. Cox regression modeling analyses include all lawfully admitted adult immigrants over 1978-1991, with dummy variables for region of origin, and also include region-specific analyses. Asian origin immigrants show the greatest naturalization propensity and Latin American immigrants show the least naturalization propensity. Caribbean women showed greater naturalization propensity than men. Immigrants, especially women, were more likely to naturalize if they were admitted in categories associated with lower social capital, such as employment-sponsored, spouses of aliens, and spouses of citizens.