Cuba vs Guatemala

Cuba sends about 1.7x more applications than Guatemala (22K versus 13K). Both countries sit in the medium volume tier, so the gap is meaningful but does not put them in different leagues of the U.S. immigration pipeline. Differences this size usually reflect population, diaspora networks, and historical migration patterns rather than any policy distinction in how the two countries are treated. The U.S. State Department and DHS Yearbook of Immigration Statistics publish historical context on the long-run drivers of country-by-country volume.

Cuba has a moderately higher approval rate at 77% versus Guatemala at 74% — a 3-point spread. Differences this size usually reflect the visa-type mix: countries whose filings concentrate in higher-approval categories like family-sponsored petitions tend to score better than countries weighted toward lower-approval employment-based or asylum categories. The composition of visa-type filings is the largest single driver: countries weighted toward family-sponsored or diversity-visa categories typically post higher approval rates than countries weighted toward employment-based, asylum, or refugee filings, where eligibility analysis is heavier.

The two countries lean toward different visa categories: Cuba's top type is Family 2nd Pref (9.7K filings), while Guatemala's is Family Spouse (3.4K). Different dominant categories indicate different migration drivers — for example, employment-heavy origins versus family-reunification-heavy origins, or origins where humanitarian filings dominate versus those concentrated in skilled-worker programs. Reviewing each country's full visa-type distribution on its country profile gives a clearer picture of the underlying migration story.

Application counts and approval rates come from USCIS quarterly disclosure data, supplemented by the DHS Yearbook of Immigration Statistics published by the Office of Homeland Security Statistics. Both are public-domain U.S. government sources. This comparison aggregates filings by beneficiary country of birth or country of chargeability as reported in those datasets.

No. This is general data analysis of public USCIS records, not legal advice. The comparison does not reflect individual case factors like beneficiary qualifications, priority dates, country-cap effects under the Immigration and Nationality Act, or the practical wait times specific to a particular visa category. For guidance on a specific case, consult an immigration attorney or an accredited representative recognized by the U.S. Department of Justice.