THE FIRST NEPALESE IN AMERICA

The first Nepalese to enter the United States were classified as
"other Asian." Immigration records show that between 1881 and 1890
1,910 "other Asians" were admitted to the United States. However, it is
not likely that many of these were from Nepal. The first time that the
Nepalese were classified as a separate group occurred in 1975, when 56
Nepalese immigrated to the United States. The number of immigrants from
Nepal remained below 100 per year through 1996.

Nepalese people make up only a small number of the United States'
immigrant population. For example, in 1995 only 55 Nepalese became
American citizens and 312 received lawful permanent-resident status.
Only 686 Nepalese entered the United States on student visas in 1996.
In 1998, 226 Nepalese were winners in the DV-99 diversity lottery. The
diversity lottery is conducted under the terms of Section 203(c) of the
Immigration and Nationality Act and makes available 50,000 permanent
resident visas annually to persons from countries with low rates of
immigration to the United States.

According to the 1990 U.S. Census, there were 2,616 Americans with
Nepalese ancestry. Fewer than 100 Nepalese immigrants become U.S.
citizens each year, but the number of Nepalese who become legal
residents has grown steadily from 78 in 1987 to 431 in 1996.
Significant communities of Nepalese Americans exist in large
metropolitan areas such as New York, Boston, Chicago, Denver, Dallas,
Portland, Gainesville, and St. Paul. Sizable numbers also live in
various cities of California.

According to the 1984 U.S. Census, of the 75 Nepalese immigrants
admitted to the United States, 33 had professional specialties, and 42
had no occupation. Five were in farming and forestry.

The report NEPALESE AMERICANS was published on July 18, 2009 by Olivia Miller.