/*SHORT TITLE:  Overview: Legal Immigrant Public Use File FY 2002 */

Overview: Legal Immigrant Public Use File FY 2002

This public use file provides data on legal immigrants, that is, aliens who
were granted lawful permanent residence in the United States during FY
2002.  Included as legal immigrants are 1) aliens previously living abroad
who obtained immigrant visas through the U.S. Department of State allowing
them to enter the United States and 2) aliens who were already living in
the United States and adjusted their immigrant status through the
Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS).  The data measure the "flow"
of legal immigrants during a fiscal year.  The Census Bureau is the primary
source of information on the foreign-born population at one point in
time. The Census Bureau distinguishes U.S. citizens from noncitizens but
not legal from illegal immigrants.

Data for legal immigrant public use files are obtained from administrative
records of INS. Most of the information in these records is self-reported
by aliens and entered into an automated application case processing system
at INS service centers. While efforts have been made to ensure that the
data are complete and accurate, there may be some inconsistencies and
missing information.  Note that in recent years, including FY 2002, a
substantial proportion of records are missing values for: nonimmigrant
class of admission, nonimmigrant year of entry, and occupation.  In 2002,
country of chargeability is missing for a sizable number of adjustment of
status records.


For more information, see the Legal Immigrant section in the FY 2002
Yearbook of mmigration and Naturalization Service
(www.immigration.gov/graphics/shared/aboutus/statistics/ybpage.htm)

Comparison between the FY 2002 and Prior Legal Immigrant Public Use Files:

The record layout in the FY 2002 file is identical to the FY 2001 file.
Several new categories (representing a small number of immigrants) were
added to class of admission in 2002. Minor changes were also made to the
categories for occupation and nonimmigrant class of admission.